Ralph Pittaro of London is a true legend in our sport.

Born in 1938 in Arzene, Italy, Ralph arrived in Canada in 1960 and, with his brother Tino, they were avid soccer fans. However, Ralph also used his Italian roots to join 5 pin bowling. In a period from 1967 to 1986, Ralph established himself as the number one bowler in the London area.

In qualifying for the provincial championships, Ralph was 14 years in the singles, 15 years on the men’s team, as well as two mixed teams. Add to this, Ralph also coached twice and this was all between 1967 and 1986.

Ralph joined the Master Bowlers’ Association (MBA) and this organization had just begun in 1964-65. Ralph was an immediate presence as he won the 1966 Master Bantam team event, the 1968 Master Bantam singles, the 1970 Fall Classic, as well as the 1973 Double Knockout. Overall, Ralph averaged 252 for 580 games.

Provincially, Ralph also won the Windsor Open and the Champion of Champions event, which included bowlers from around the province. In the local Inter-City League, Ralph won the high average title four times, including the 1970-71 season with a mark of 267.49. In 1969, his team rolled a five-game record of 7312. Ralph also won the City of London singles title on two occasions.

In 1967, Rob Fox and his wife, Gail, introduced Ralph to Terry, a young lady from Holland, and Ralph and Terry were married in 1969. Together they raised two boys, Rob and Scott, while Terry continued to become a nurse with her training at the local Victoria Hospital. Currently, there are six grandchildren.

Off the lanes, Ralph managed the Bavarian Tavern in London from 1973 to his retirement in 1993. His wife, Terry, recalled how great the restaurant was, not only for fine dining but also as a catering option and a popular nightspot.

Ralph passed away in January of 2014 at the young age of 75. The bowling world lost a great talent, who starred in 5 pin bowling both locally and provincially.