In a zone and a city loaded with bowling talent, Susan Davies of Hamilton won an extraordinary six national titles in a relatively short twenty-five year career.

Susan’s career began at the Queen’s Centre in Hamilton and one of her coaches was Bill Korz, also an inductee this year to the 5 Pin Bowling Hall of Fame. Originally, Susan started bowling through the recreational program at Dofasco where her father, Ed Lougheed, was employed. The Youth Bowling Council was in full swing at Queen’s and young Sue was a willing student. In 1968, at 15, she saw her first provincial Open, watching Hall of Famer Edna Rimmer win the provincial title. This experience stayed with Sue and by 1973 she tried her first Open, finishing a solid fourth. Overall, until 1993, Susan qualified for nineteen Opens and, on five occasions, she led the zone qualifying process while finishing second in seven other years.

The Hamilton Ladies were outstanding and Susan was a provincial team champion six times. She parlayed that success to five Canadian titles from 1976 to 1988. While Susan remembers the first team in 1976 that was victorious in Regina as the most memorable, Susan was selected to the Canadian All Star team in 1978 in Thunder Bay for her excellence on the lanes during the national event.

Susan only bowled in the Masters for seven years, from 1975-82, but she did win three times and also bowled in the 1976 nationals in Toronto. This team, which included Hall of Famers Marg Bratkin, Helen MacCallum and Charlene MacCormack, were victorious at O’Connor Bowl and continued a streak of four consecutive Ontario victories.

Susan’s bowling career was deeply influenced by her marriage in 1975 to Ed Davies. Ed worked with the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth for thirty-five years. Susan inherited an immediate family with Ed’s four children, Jim, Christine, Tracey and Leslie. Amy and Allan followed in 1978 and 1982. Unfortunately, Ed’s eyesight deteriorated and Susan now found herself with a new cause, the enjoyment and advancement of 5 pin bowling by the visually impaired. Susan became the sighted coach: each week now offers her instruction abilities at University Lanes and bowls in two annual events, the White Cane Tournament in February and an annual year-end event. The White Cane Tournament has been supported with both manpower and financial assistance from the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. Susan has expanded her influence to participate at monthly meetings for the Canadian Council for the Blind and also volunteers at a summer camp at Lake Joseph and their local bingo held in the mall across from Sherwood Centre.

Susan’s career has not been as long as others but it has been spectacular. By 18, she was bowling in the Ladies’ Major "A" League at Sherwood. Her lifetime average approaches 250, and, overall, she placed eighteenth on the Top 90 female bowlers of all time in Ontario. Her long time coach, Hall of Famer Bob Coulter, described her as a bowler with super scoring ability, flexible in her line-up position, a person of great determination and spirit and a great team player. No coach could ask for more.