CANADIAN PBA QUAILFIERS- THE FINALS

PACIFIC INDOOR BOWLS CLUB - VANCOUVER

Saturday, September 20th
Schedule

RINK 2 Potters Pairs Final Fred Fong/Christie Grahame def Remi Canuel/Mike Spadafora 2-0 (12-1, 7-6)

As indicative of the scores Remi and Mike gave Christie and Fred a better game in the second set which was decided in the final end with score at 6-6 after 8 ends.
Fred and Christie will playoff vs. USA in the UK. The winners then play the Ireland Qualifier in a second playoff. The winner of the second playoff then plays Alex Marshall/Paul Foster in the first game of the main competition.

Potters Holidays World Indoor Bowls Championships 2009Potters Leisure Resort, Norfolk
5th to 25th January 2009
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RINK 5 Scottish International Hirendra Bhartu def Martin Haalstra 2-0 (11-2, 9-5)

Hiren continued his Canada PBA wins to 11. The second set was a closer encounter when Martin took a 5-3 lead after 7 ends with some good conversion shots that put Hiren on the back foot. Hiren scored a crucial 4 in the 8th end to go 7-5 up and Martin could not make the deficit in the last end to force a tie breaker.

Hiren will play Mark Royal in the opening match of the Scottish International on November 8th, 2008
Scottish International Open 2008Dewars Centre, Perth
8th to 15th November 2008


Rink 2 Engage International Mike Bester def Richard Yau 2-1 (5-10, 8-6, 2-1)

Mike won his third PBA Canada qualifier with this win. He won the Potters Pairs with Brother Chris in 2004 and Potters singles last year.
This was Richard’s first Canadian final and improving as an Indoor singles player who will be hard to beat in the coming years. Mike played a solid game in the second set and continued the effort into the tie break. Mike drew an excellent first bowl in the 3rd end of the tie breaker which in the end was the winning shot.

Mike will play Robert Weale on November 23rd, 2008 in the opening game of the Engage International.
International Open 2008Olympos Leisure Centre, Burgess Hill, Sussex
23rd to 30th November 2008

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RINK 5 Potters Singles Final Fred Fong def Jeff Harding 1 ½ - ½ (5-5, 11-1)

Fred (the finger) Fong completed his double on the day with a solid performance. Fred makes the trip to play on the blue carpet for the first time. The first set was hard fought as Jeff went into the last with a 5-3 lead. Fred scored two in the final end to halve the set. Fred went into high gear in the second set and took a 9-1 lead after 6 ends. Fred won the game in the next end as Jeff missed his drive to the jack with Fred holding 2 shots.

Fred will play Scotland 2 UK Qualifier on January 8th, 2009.
Potters Holidays World Indoor Bowls Championships 2009Potters Leisure Resort, Norfolk
5th to 25th January 2009


Rink 2 Welsh International Hiren Bhartu def John Bezear 2-0 (11-2, 8-7)

Hiren completed his double on the day and PBA Canada wins to 12 solidifying his position further as No.1 on PBA Canada ranking.
John Bezear hails from Australia with an impressive bowling resume He has played lead for former World singles Champion Steve Glasson and is on the Club Merrylands premier league team. http://www.clubmerrylands.com.au/default.aspx?id=22 . John currently resides in London Ontario.

This game was the most entertaining encounter of the day with quality bowls from both players. Hiren prevailed with some very good draws in the first set. In the second set, John made good last bowl conversions and draws to take a 5-4 lead after 6 ends. A treble for Hiren in the 7th saw the score at 7-5. John scored 2 in the 8th. The last end finished with Hiren laying game until John took shot with a perfectly played bump on his bowl. Hiren’s last bowl won the game with a tap on the jack that fortunately bounced to one of his bowls.

Hiren plays Ian Bond on January 31st, 2009 in the fourth game on the opening day of competition.
Welsh International Open 2009Venue to be confirmed, Wales
31st January to 6th February 2009

9:30 am (12:30 EDT )

POTTERS PAIRS FINAL

REMI CANUEL & MIKE SPADAFORA -ONTARIO

FRED FONG & CHRISTIE GRAHAME - BRITISH COLUMBIA

SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL

MARTIN HAALSTRA -ONTARIO

HIREN BHARTU -BRITISH COLUMBIA

11:45 am ( 2:45 EDT )

ENGAGE INTERNATIONAL

MIKE BESTER -ONTARIO

RICHARD YAU - BRITISH COLUMBIA

POTTERS SINGLES FINAL

JEFF HARDING -ONTARIO

FRED FONG - BRITISH COLUMBIA

2:00pm ( 5:00 EDT )

JOHN BEZEAR -ONTARIO

HIREN BHARTU -BRITISH COLUMBIA

San Francisco Attracts Canadians to US Open

Direct from San Francisco, faster than a speeding bullet, Elaine Stevenson has forwarded Tuesday's results.
Herb Nesbitt and Hugh Branston playing with US bowlers Ivan Hyland and Jim Olson won the Championship Flight in Rinks.
Laila Hassan and Josephine Lee of BC have accomplished the same feat in Women's Pairs.
Rita Wright and Andrea Weigand were 1st in the 2nd Flight.
Arja Nesbitt and Elaine Stevenson finished 1st in the 5th Flight.

Catching up from Saturday/Sunday.
I only know the skip's names but will guess a little to let you know other Ontario competitors.
Rita Wright and Andrea Weigand were two of the Rinks team who finished 2nd in the Championship Flight.
Laila Hassan was 1st in Flight 2
Helen Culley finished 2nd in the 3rd event. I am guessing that Joyce Kruss played on that team.
Noreen Welsh was 2nd in the 4th event with another Londoner, Helen Dewar a team member.
Canadians will win money but will help the struggling US economy by leaving it all there.


Great start by Canadian bowlers who have travelled to the US Open out west.
Steve Bezanson of Halifax beat David Calam from Regina in the Championship Singles finals. John Harding all the way from New Zealand finished 3rd by besting London Ontario's Juergen Fessler in their Championship Flight match. I think that makes a near sweep by Canada in this first event ot the week's three since Harding is the brother of Jeff now living in Toronto. I consider that to be a half Canadian success so 3.5 of the 4 top spots were won by Canadians.
Peter Harding, another brother from New Zealand, will join the clan crew in the next men's event. Jeff had told me he was really looking forward to playing with his two brothers in Fours along with Martin Haalstra from Belmont Ontario. It has been 20 years since John and Jeff were able to team up for a roll-up.
This event is a great warm-up for both Jeff and Martin as they will head north to Vancouver to play in the Canadian PBA Championships in different singles events on Saturday the 20th. The winners will be tripping over to the UK over the next few months to compete in the Professional Bowlers Association Championship tournaments.

The women's Fours results have not been posted but the team skipped by Rita Wright will also be in the top 4 in the Championship Flight based on their success on Saturday. I know Andrea Weigand is a member of that team but not sure who are the other two bowlers. Helen Culley, Laila Hassan and Noreen Welsh are also basking in the California sun while skipping teams.

Jan and Hugh Branston have been starring in a episode of the 'Amazing Race'. Fly to Vancouver and find a championship tournament nearby that has attracted master bowlers from across Canada. Return to Toronto for your next clue. Fly to a US city that has the most famous prison in the country. Escape from that prison by swimming across the Bay. Join with fellow St. Catharines resident Herb Nesbitt in a Fours game.
Love their bowls these folks.

TAXI DRIVE

I arrived at the address where someone had requested a taxi. I honked but no one came out. I honked again, nothing. So I walked to the door and knocked. ' Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened.A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.


There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'.

'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.


Oh, I don’t mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice'.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left, she continued. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Some times she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.


I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' she asked,reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said.

Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift?

What if I had refused to take the run,or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.


We are conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

You won't get any big surprise in 10 days if you send this to ten people. But, you might help make the world a little kinder and more compassionate place by sending it on.

Thank you, my friend...

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Canadian Mixed Pairs At Penticton

GOLD
Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK

SILVER

Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B'

BRONZE
Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC

FOURTH
John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON 'A'

SK win two to wear the Round Robin crown. BC'B' drop two but had enough early success to hold onto second. John Whyte and Gloria Cheung complete a must win vs NB in their last RR game to move to the Bronze medal game. It might have been an AllOntario Bronze match but QC knocked off and out Vince Donohoe and Jackie Hogan in their final game.
Alberta ended tied in points with 10 with ON'A' and QC but were eliminated by point differential between the three teams.
Ontario'A' [23-7 AB], [29-17 QC] Diff +28
Quebec [ 16-13 AB ], [17-29 ON'A' ] Diff -9
Alberta [ 13-16 QC ], [ 7-23 ON'A' ] Diff -19

Francis Yau and Shirley Choy jumped to the top of the standings with a pair of comfortable wins over the Ontario brethern. They needed help from the frisky Carignan/Parsons-Brown of QC who knocked the Pituleys from the undeated ranks with a 17-16 victory.
Followed by a significant 29-17 win by John Whtye and Gloria Cheung over QC.
Moving day and the packing is a bit chaotic.
These results are after two games on day 3 with one more being played to-night.
The Mackies of Alberta are the other 2 game winner on this Thursday so far and have moved into a 3rd place tie with ON'A'. Despite 2 losses, On'B' still in the hunt for a medal.

Vince Donohoe and Jackie Hogan waltzed, make that tippy toed, through the day with 3 wins and a tie for 2nd in the standings with BC'B'. Two 1 point wins and the other by 2 still add up to a 6 point effort. John Whyte and Gloria Cheung dropped their opening match in the morning to the undefeated SK team in a close 20-22 battle but then went on to win a pair and settle into 4th in the overall rankings after 5 rounds.
Thursday much of the play will pit Ontario against British Columbia (4 games) and the results of those matches will go a long way in sorting the seekers.
Jon and Harriette Pituley from Regina are on top but only after edging ON'A' and then won 16-15 in a game against the then undefeated BC'B' team.
The dust will start to settle at dusk on the morrow.

A dandy battle twix the Ontario teams to start the competition. It appears that the son-mom team from SK are the pair to beat after they beat Donohoe/Hogan
26-18 on day one. It is Ontario A's turn in the first game to-day(Wed) vs the same Pituley clan which will be revealing in setting an early tournament trend.


Final Standings After 9 Rounds

1. Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK W-8 L-1 Pts 16
2. Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' W-6 L-3 Pts 12
3. John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON 'A' W-5 L-4 Pts 10 Diff +28
4. Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC W-5 L-4 Pts 10 Diff -9
5. Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB W-5 L-4 Pts 10 Diff -19
6. Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' W-4 L-5 Pts 8 [Beat ON'B' 20-9]
7. Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' W-4 L-5 Pts 8
8. Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB W-3 L-6 Pts 6 [ Beat NB 16-12]
9. Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB W-3 L-6 Pts 6
10. Jack Robar, Val Robar NS W-2 L-7 Pts 4



Tuesday, 9th
Round 1 - 12:30pm EDT
Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 24
Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 12

John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 17
Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 18

Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 23
Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 16

Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 13
Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 16

Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 13
Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 15

Round 2 -4:30pm EDT
Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 14
Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 24

Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 20
Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 12

Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 22
Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 12

Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 11
John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 19

Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 26
Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 18

Wednesday, 10th
Round 3 -12:30pm EDT
Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 17
Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 14

Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 22
John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 20

Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 14
Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 15

Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 18
Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 11

Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 31
Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 4

Round 4 - 4:30pm EDT
Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 17
Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 18

Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 19
Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 11

Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 15
Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 16

John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 23
Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 7

Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 19
Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 13

Round 5 - 8:30pm EDT
Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 26
Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 5

Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 10
Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 21

Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 17
Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 19

Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 14
John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 24

Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 7
Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 25

Thursday, 11th
12:30pm - EDT
Round 6
Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 20
Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 9

Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 17
Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 16

Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 16
Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 19

Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 17
Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 23

John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 14
Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 30

Round 7 - 4:30pm EDT
John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 29
Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 17

Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 7
Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 15

Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 11
Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC 25

Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 37
Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 8

Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 12
Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 16

Round 8 - 8:30pm EDT
Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 18
Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 9

Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 14
Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 12

Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 12
Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 17

John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 14
Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 19

Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 6
Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 25

Friday, 12th
Round 9 - 12:30pm EDT
Francis Yau, Shirley Choy BC'B' 15
Lindsay Mackie, Janette Mackie AB 20

Vince Donohoe, Jackie Hogan ON'B' 11
Gerald Carignan, Rosalie Parsons-Brown QC 17

Ed Mulholland, Sandra Mulholland MB 18
Jack Robar, Val Robar NS 11

John Whyte, Gloria Cheung ON'A' 14
Walter Steeve, Nancy Cook NB 12

Jon Pituley, Harriette Pituley SK 24
Chris Grahame, Ann Grahame BC'A' 17

Saturday, 13th
Medal Rounds 12:30pm EDT


Where have you been?
I have been everywhere looking for you.
Not on the pool deck, not outside puttering in the sensational weather, not out and about with the tomato wagons and not playing in my fantasy baseball and football pools. I thought I might see you in Detroit with the Jays in town but hard to find you with 40,000 + crowding around.
Boy, it was close.We can't miss taking one more trip across our great country to keep an eye on the Mixed Pairs.
Practice to-morrow afternoon , Monday, September 8th. The Official Opening with reception to take place the same evening at 7:00 pm. A ten team round robin to follow with half of the teams a family affair. I know that Harriette and Jon Pituley are mom and son and I am guessing that the Grahames (BC), the Mackies (AB), the Mulhollands (MB) and the Robars (NS) are married couples. Now that is neat.
Another competitive event for sure. Toronto will be take on the other provinces. John Whyte and Gloria Cheung plus Vince Donohoe and Jackie Hogan can and must play well to medal. Chris Grahame has wandered from the Nationals in Nova Scotia to the Seniors in Maple Ridge and won't get home until his visit to the Okanagan Valley is completed.
Shirley Chou (BC) ranked 12th in Singles in the World Bowls Rankings.
Harriette Pituley is a National Team member with International playing experience. Jon is one of the top Under 25's in the country.
Rosalie Parsons-Brown (QC) was a member of the Bronze medal Pairs team at the Majors.
Nothing minor about this competition.

California here they come. The usual fall flight south will commence this week. The US Open is in San Francisco and Canadians are a strong presence at this event which starts next weekend.
It is earlier than usual and with our season still very active the numbers will be impacted.
With the 2009 Open in October and in popular Sun City Arizona , arrangements are already underway to send a bigger contingent.

The Professional Bowlers Association Canadian Finals are set to go at the Pacific Indoor Bowling Club in Vancouver on September 20th. It is where east meets west in a single match in five different events to decide who visits the UK. It is bowling for dollars grass style.

If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail.
If you can't be the sun, be a star.
For it isn't by size that you succeed or you fail.
Be the best at whatever you are.

Rick Majerius
Saint Louis University Basketball Coach