WECKBA would like to congratulate Gerald Impens and Myrna Malyon (Posthumously) for their induction into the Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent Bowling Association Hall of Fame during our Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday November 10, 2018.

Gerald Impens, was inducted in the category Superior Performance. Gerald has only bowled for 25 years but he has a long list of accomplishments

o 300 games – 16
o 299 games – 6
o 298 game -1
o Games of 11 strikes in a row – 11
o 800 series- 8 – with the highest series of 837 in 2014
o Highest Average – 236 (2012-13) at age 60
o All Star Team – 2nd (1year) in 2008
o All-Star Team Senior (6 years) from 2011-12 to 2016-17
o Bowler of the Year, Senior (2 years) 2015-16, 2016-17

He is known among his bowling peers to be a good bowler, a good sportsman and exhibits a great attitude on the lanes. John Nikosey Sr stated that “In the 25 years that I have seen him bowl I have never witnessed him exhibit any disappointment on the lanes when things did not go his way.”

Gerald was excited and truly honoured to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He indicated “I tried bowling when I was about 30 years old. I joined two leagues, but I could only bowl part-time because I was working shift work. After 2 years I had to give up bowling because my two sons started playing travel sports so I just didn’t have the extra time.”

When Gerald was 42 his father convinced him to start bowling again. At that time, he was working steady midnights. By then his boys were just about finished playing minor sports so he had extra time to commit and bowl full time. After 3 years, bowling went from one night a week to three nights a week. Today he currently bowls four nights a week.

For Impens to get where he is today, he wanted to give credit to a number of people for his success.
o His wife for putting up with him running off to the bowling alley all the time.
o Rick Drummond for helping with all his equipment.
o Paul Hickmont and Steve Kubis for their help in identifying what he is doing different when in a slump.

Gerald concluded by indicating that one of the best decisions he made in his bowling career was when he started bowling at Super Bowl where he has met some great people and good friends. He said “I happened to be lucky enough to get on a team with a great bowler named Dave Forfitt. He has been a great help getting me to understand the lanes, learn to adjust to different shots, and the right time to adjust.”

Mryna Malyon, (Posthumously) was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service. Mryna has been a proud member of the WAWBA/WECKBA for 24 years. Myrna’s middle daughter Sandra was chosen by the family to speak on behalf of Bud, Myrna’s husband and the rest of the family.

The Maylon family thanked the Bowling Association and the voting members for bestowing this honour on behalf of Mryna.

Myrna passed away 10 years ago but Myrna kept numerous old bowling records so Sandra worked from the historical files and her own memory to present her mother’s life in bowling.

Myrna first started bowling in the mid 1970’s when she joined a church bowling league. Sandra noted that mom had a unique style about her. She would run up the approach and drop the ball. It always made a loud bang, but it worked for her. She was a leftie. Sandra remembered “Spending every Saturday night at Rose Bowl Lanes while our parents bowled in Moonlight bowling. I would fall asleep on those old plastic benches that were not very comfortable. Mom (Mryna) spent so much time at Rose Bowl Lanes that Dave Rose gave her a job working behind the counter.”

A few years later Myrna met another bowler, Bud Malyon, who also enjoyed her love of bowling. Together they made a great team – not only with bowling but in life.

From the historical bowling records, here are many of Myrna’s bowling service accomplishments.
o Coached Junior Bowling program at Rose Bowl Lanes – Club 240 for 5 years. Sandra indicated “Mom
must have been pretty good at coaching as us three sisters all bowled in Club 240 and two out of the three of us won the Junior Pro Am in the early 1980’s – one of us even beat her pro – Arnie Goldman! It must have been pretty embarrassing for him to be beaten by a 12-year old girl!”
o League President – 8 years
o League Secretary of two leagues (7 & 4 years)
o League Secretary/Treasurer of three leagues (15, 7, 6 years)
o Started Christmas Doubles Tournament and was Tournament Director for 10 years
o Started a Tuesday Summer Trios Ladies League and was Secretary Treasurer of the League o Was voted Secretary of year for 1997-1998 season
o WAWBA Director (1980-1982)

Myrna also had numerous bowling achievements.
o WAWBA Annual Championship Tournament (1986) – All Events, Scratch – 1671 o Hoinke (1987) – Singles (1st) 1090 Scratch, 1225 Handicap
o WAWBA League High Series (1989) – 727.
o Highest League Average of 186.
o Molson Masters Tournament (1989) – High Qualifier
o Rose Bowl Invitational Doubles (1991) – 1st with Bud Maylon
o Hoinke (1994) – Doubles with Lou Dupuis – 1414
o Molson Masters Tournament (1995) – Runner-Up
o Bakers Doubles (Bowlero) – 1st with Bud Malyon

Myrna truly enjoyed bowling and anything that had to do with bowling including not only participation but also watching the PBA Tour whenever televised.

In 2002 breast cancer ended Mryna’s bowling career when the disease forced her to retire from Rose Bowl Lanes. Even though she could no longer bowl she still went to the bowling centre to support her husband Bud and the many lady bowlers she bowled with over the years. It must have been hard for her to sit on the sidelines after having been involved for so long. Mryna was a fighter. Bowling and people she met through bowling were her passion. Unfortunately, in 2008 she succumbed to cancer.

I remember bowling with Mryna many years ago on a team in the Ladies Classic at Crescent Lanes. She was a Class Act. She constantly promoted the sport of bowling. She was a motivator to many women bowlers. When I first joined this league, I felt intimidated by the many good women bowlers. Myrna made you feel at ease.

Submitted by Catherine Wilbur
November 2018 – CTF Connection