• 1909 - Thomas F. (Tommy) Ryan invents 5 Pin Bowling in Toronto, Ontario.
• 1909 - Original Pin Count is established as "4-2-1-3-5".
• 1910 - First 5 Pin Bowling League was formed at Ryan's Toronto Bowling Club.
• 1912 - Rubber band was added to the Pins.
• 1918 - Alfred Shrubb of Toronto bowls first (recognized) 400 game.
• 1921 - First perfect "450" game bowled by Bill Bromfield in Toronto, Ontario.
• 1921 - First Ladies' 5 Pin Bowling League started by Marion Dibble in Toronto, Ontario.
• 1922 - First inter-city match between Toronto and Montreal using a telephone hook-up.
• 1923 - Winnipeg's Charles Gibson introduces 5 Pin Bowling to Western Canada.
• 1927 - First 5 Pin Bowling organization "Canadian Bowling Association" (CBA) formed in Toronto, Ontario. T.J. (Tommy) Simpson elected first President.
• 1928 - First "Official 5 Pin Rule Book" printed by the C.B.A.
• 1930 - Western Canada adopts own scoring system. Pin Values equal 1-4-5-3-2.
• 1932 - First sanctioned perfect "450" game bowled by Joe Heenan of Toronto, Ontario.
• 1935 - Blind bowlers' leagues introduced in Western Canada.
• 1935 - C.B.A. creates Ladies Section. Mabel MacDowell elected first President.
• 1938 - N. Berry of Winnipeg records first perfect "450" game under Western Canada scoring system.
• 1940 - Tillie Hosken of Toronto becomes first female bowler to roll a perfect "450" game.
• 1944 - Western Canada 5 Pin Bowling Association (WCFBA) was formed in Regina, Saskatchewan. Bill Hawrylak elected first president.
• 1952 - National 5 Pin Count (2-3-5-3-2) introduced by Charlie Hill (President of the CBA) and adopted only by Western Canada.
• 1953 - First Canadian Championship (East vs. West) conducted in Regina, Saskatchewan.  Deaf bowler, Tommy Mallon wins Men's Singles. Regina wins Men's Team event.
• 1953 - C.B.A. changes name to Ontario Bowling Council.
• 1957 - First youth organization formed, Canadian Junior Bowling Congress.
• 1957 - First automatic pinsetting machine introduced.
• 1958 - First "Pepsi-Cola High School Championships" held in Alberta.
• 1959 - Entire country uses National 5 Pin Count as Eastern Canada adopts the "2-3-5-3-2" system.
• 1959 - 5 Pin Bowling introduced to international markets in British West Indies (Bahamas) and Scotland.
• 1961 - Founding father "Tommy Ryan" passes away on Nov. 19th.
• 1962 - Lane Certification and Tournament Sanctioning introduced.
• 1963 - Bowling Proprietors' Association of Canada (B.P.A.C.) formed.
• 1963 - B.P.A.C. introduces Youth Bowling Council (YBC) to replace the defunct Canadian Junior Bowling Congress.
• 1963 - First automatic string pin-setter introduced.
• 1964 - First provincial Master Bowlers' Association formed in Ontario.
• 1964 - Canadian Bowling Congress receives charter from federal government.
• 1965 - Bowlers' Association of Canada formed.
• 1965 - Bowling pin measurements standardized.
• 1965 - Carling O'Keefe Breweries obtained as Canadian Championships sponsor.
• 1967 - Counter (Blow) Pin abolished by C.B.C.
• 1968 - Eastern Canada adopts the no-counter pin ruling but Western Canada disagrees and opts out of C.B.C. and Canadian Championships from 1969 to 1971.
• 1970 - Master Bowlers' Association of Canada formed.
• 1971 - Tommy Ryan inducted posthumously into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
• 1971 - Western Canada agrees to abolish Counter Pin rule.
• 1972 - Western Canada 5 Pin Bowling Association (WCFBA) disbands in favour of Provincial Associations.
• 1972 - Canadian 5 Pin Bowling Championships restored.
• 1972 - B.P.A.C. introduces National Golden Age Bowlers' Club.
• 1975 - Government survey reveals 680,000 bowlers in 20,000 leagues across Canada. 102 Local (Zone) Associations with 105,000 members affiliated with the C.B.C.
• 1976 - 5 Pin Bowling "Standards & Specifications" Committee formed.
• 1976 - National 5 Pin Bowling "Instruction & Coaching" Program introduced by the Master Bowlers' Association of Canada.
• 1977 - 5 Pin Bowling included in Ontario Winter Games for the first time.
• 1978 - Canadian Bowling Congress and Bowlers' Association of Canada dissolve to form new national body, the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association (C5PBA).
• 1980 - First International Bowling Cup competition held in Manila, Philippines. Canada & Philippines participate.
• 1981 - Dave McNutt of Alberta and Sid Manning of British Columbia honoured with Life Memberships in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
• 1983 - 5 Pin Bowling participates in Canada Winter Games in Chicoutimi, Quebec.
• 1983 - Hiram Walker Distilleries Ltd. is welcomed as the new national sponsor of the Hiram Walker "Special Old" High-Low Doubles and League Executive Championships.
• 1983 - 2nd International Bowling Cup held in Toronto, Ontario with Canada, Philippines, Argentina and the United States represented.
• 1984 - 5 Pin Bowling returns to national television on CBC's Championship 5 Pin Bowling.
• 1984 - 5 Pin Bowling celebrates its 75th birthday.
• 1986 - 100 Local (Zone) Associations with 165,000 affiliated members belong to Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
• 1987 - National 5 Pin Bowler Ranking introduced by the C5PBA.
• 1987 - Bert Garside and Ernie Roggie of Ontario honoured with Life Memberships in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
• 1990 - Rules changed to allow the use of personal bowling balls.
• 1990 - New Brunswick dissolves as a Provincial affiliate to join as a Zone affiliate of the Nova Scotia 5PBA.
• 1992 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Jack Hales of Ontario.
• 1994 - Ray Landkamer of Manitoba and Ernie Doucette of Prince Edward Island receive Life Memberships in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
• 1995 - Pat McNamara of Northern Ontario honoured posthumously with Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
• 1995 - Government statistics report 521,000 Canadians participate regularly in 5 Pin Bowling (37% male vs. 63% female).
• 1996 - Fred Hawco of Newfoundland receives Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
• 1998 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Barbara Thompson of Northern Ontario.
• 1998 - First ever face-to-face national finals of the Canadian Youth Challenge 5 Pin Bowling Championships (formerly known as the Pepsi High School Championships) held in Hull, Quebec.
• 1999 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Norm Adelberg of Manitoba
• 1999 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Glenda Gallant of Prince Edward Island
• 2001 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Tom Cowan of Ontario
• 2002 - Bowling Q approved as a mechanical aid.
• 2003 - Mechanical aid ramp approved for use by Hayley Redmond.
• 2004 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Genny Lee of Newfoundland Labrador.
• 2005 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon John Hoffman of Saskatchewan.
• 2006 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Al Hong of Ontario.
• 2007 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Mary Linn of Northwest Territories.
• 2007 - Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Bill Cuthbert of Saskatchewan.
• 2009 - Terry Burns of Northwest Territories travels from Newfoundland/Labrador to British Columbia in 100 days bowling in 100 bowlilng centres to commemorate the 100th anniversay of the invention of 5 pin bowlilng.
• 2011 - Counter balanced thumb hole ball produced by E. Parrella approved.
• 2014 - 17 inch Pin set up centre to centre approved.
• 2015 - Life Membership award changed to Lifetime Achievement Award.
• 2017 - Lifetime Achievement awarded to Don Sim of Alberta.
• 2017 - Annette Bruneau of Alberta becomes the first woman President of C5PBA.
• 2018 - C5PBA  Hall of Fame established - inductees - Founding Fathers:  Ray Landkamer, Frank Massaro, Bert Garside, Jack Hales, Al Hong.
• 2018 - Lifetime Achievement awarded to Dave Post of Ontario.
• 2019 - Inventor Tommy Ryan inducted into C5PBA Hall of Fame.
• 2020 - COVID-19 cancels all three C5PBA National Championships

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For more information, contact the

Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.

Updated:  June 2020