In 1930, Bob Taylor, at the young age of sixteen, began his bowling career in the Toronto City Major League on a team sponsored by the soft drink company, 7-Up. The major league was the centerpiece and primary activity of the Canadian Bowling Association, which had begun in 1926 and was the official and only voice of 5 pin bowling in Ontario.

While bob bowled through the depression years of the thirties, his bowling career and workplace activity was interrupted by the Second World War and, with the air force, Bob saw front line action while stationed in Holland.

In 1937, Bob married Connie Ferrier and a son, Art, was born in 1942. Bob and Connie were married for 59 years before Connie passed away in 1996. In the bowling world, Bob was joined by his step-brother, Lorne, who also became an excellent bowler and retired as a Justice of the Peace. With excellent people skills, Bob excelled in several sales jobs, first with Simpson’s before ultimately retiring from the lumber business in 1979. While with Simpson’s, Bob bowled in the large Toronto Industrial Major League which bowled over several nights in downtown Toronto. Bob bowled a 443 single game, one of the highest scores of the day and, in 1942, won the Industrial Division in the tournament conducted by the Canadian Bowlers’ Association (CBA).

Each year, the CBA held a large, annual year-end tournament for all the leagues around Ontario and also reserved days for special interest groups such as church leagues, which were very popular. At the 1954 event, Bob teamed with Hall of Famer, Ollie Miller of Toronto, to win the annual doubles tournament.

Following that victory, Bob and his family moved to London as Bob chose to manage the Western Ontario territory of the Clover Valley Cheese Company. While in London, Bob continued to bowl and, in 1956, won a competition to represent the London area at the Ontario finals which were scheduled for O’Connor Bowl. While Bob took the singles title, the London area men’s teams consisted of Larry Luscombe, Casey Chambers, Tom Beer, John Benko and Hall of Famer Jackie Wilson. At O’Connor, Bob defeated the competition to earn the Eastern Canada title and proceeded to advance to the Sportsmen’s Show at the Canadian National Exhibition. At the CNE, Bob set a ten game record of 2866 for the event.

Following this victory, Bob, through his employment, returned to Toronto and was welcomed back to the City Major League, joining the high powered Pasquale’s team. This group included Hall of Famers Bert Garside, Jim and Bill Hoult, Jake Hellewell, and they won the league championship and the Seagram Gold Cup in both 1959 and 1960. The first win, in 1959, was by a resounding 646 pins over twenty games while the second championship was a narrow 46 pin victory over a team representing O’Connor Bowl.

Bob also qualified for the annual television show from O’Connor Bowl. Bob electrified a Canadian audience with a 410 single game in a match against Terry Doherty, who, in defeat, bowled 365.

Bob’s bowling career continued until 1965 and his retirement from the sport was due to injury and actually led to the introduction of the Master Bowlers “Bowling Shoe” which revolutionized the sport. While bowling at Shea’s Kennedy, Bob inadvertently stepped in water and then proceeded to bowl. Naturally, Bob stuck on the lane and damaged his knee and hip so badly, his bowling career was over. From this incident, Hall of Famer, Bert Garside, approached Dow Chemical and, following several experiments, the teflon sole was invented and placed on the bottom of a new personal bowling shoe. The new footwear proved to be very successful and literally thousands of pairs were sold, not only in Ontario but across Canada.

While unable to bowl, Bob continued in the industry and managed Shea’s Kennedy for several years in the late sixties before returning to the lumber business and formally retiring at age 65. Bob’s son, Art, has supplied much of the history of his father’s accomplishments and tonight can look with pride at a man who was recognized by his integrity, character and bowling skill.