CLBC in Vancouver

Having an opinion is what Blogging is all about. It is not that we know it all; but more we are openly expressing it.  I don't think any Canadian Lawn Bowler can not be proud of the Canadian Lawn Bowls Championship in Vancouver.
 First, the "Bowls God" was good to the Planners with sunny weather  and great greens and beautiful clubhouse gardens. And with Bowls Canada first attempt to go streaming video this year; 

.we all were able to see the beauties and even  watch great bowls from our living room. This was Canada's First experience  with Streaming Sports and the several commentators did a great job.  Thank You all who contributed. Especially now with these games are  available for download.
   First opinion or Interesting Facts .
In order to complete the roster of 10 teams per game play, some provinces like host province BC  were allowed to put in a second or "B" Team .  Amazing in some cases (BC's Case) the "B" team did better than the Provincial Roll-off Winners.  Ex: BC Men's "B" team did  1st ("Fours") 2nd (Triples n Pairs) with  the "A" Team drawing into a second last position.. Why ? Was the "B" The Runner-up ?

 Second, from my news sources, the meals and transportation were impeccable  however, remember that the  Cost of Transporting to the  CLBC across 5,500 km  is the major expenses to team members.  One must asks just important the getting-there-cost is  to the quality of the team which participated.
  Some Provinces with large funding helped (or paid almost everything) for their teams. While the teams travelling the farest (Maritime Coast) saw several  player foot bills of more than $2000 in transportation.  Taxi or car rental in BC not included.
   Quebec who in the past has been a strong province, placed last in nearly all game structure. I would ask if this Financing had any part to do with it.   I hope a lot of clubs use the Game video to teach and upgrade their quality of club players, and their Provincial Lawn Bowl representatives at the National.  Not that they weren't the best.. They were.. but some provincial teams seems to have gone like the new Canadian National  Singles... Anyone could go if they want to and paid their way.

- Thirdly, the introduction of "Triples" this year at the CLBC seems to be great for BC whom performed well.

And as the Nationals come across Canada toward Nova Scotia (East Coast) in 2016 we will see if the larger Nationals  and Provincial Financial Support develops or destroy our great Sport 
Players from the East return for immediately return to the Atlantic Nationals where NS. PEI and NB will  travel to Quebec for four days of  Triples and Pairs.   Good thing about this travel is that this is within driving distance even if a good 12 to 14 hours.
 The development of Lawn Bowls in Eastern Canada, ( Quebec east) has seen the Atlantic Lawn Bowls Competition (Photo is Atlantic 2012 Moncton N.B.) played every year in one of the 4 Eastern Provinces. (Newfoundland which has a Lawn Bowls club can not participate because of the cost of travel.. Ferry from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland can be over $500 just for the car per trip) Newfoundland, with a Provincial Association has seldom send CLBC  respresentives although they have always had a successful Blind Lawn Bowls athletic at Blind Bowls Nationals.
 

2013 Starts with Trail Ends

Within the hour the 2013 Canadian Lawn Bowl Nationals will start and run until Saturday (24th August) with sunny weather all week.

Nationals 8:45 waiting for Opening Ceremonies (minutes ago)

  Following the Opening Ceremonies the game will start following a "Trail End". (Rolling two bowls each player up and back down the rink you will be playing)

What do you do with your "Trail Ends"?  The Trail end so often seem to be a contest of rolling to the jack and worst of all, I have seen skips indicating the choose of Green and Draw side.

In "Fundamentals of LAWN BOWLS" by Albert Newton written over 50 years ago in Australia, says "Most bowlers are under the impression that the bowl starts to turn about 2/3 of the Distance between the mat and the jack. This is wrong. If a bowl is delivered on an  even keel for a draw, it will start to turn immediately...... depending upon the speed of the Green played upon."  

So "Trail ends" are to know the SPEED of the Greens and the BIAS of your bowl because as Mr. Newton says  "on heavy greens, because of the speed at which the bowl is delivered, the shoulder of the curve is much closer to the jack than on fast greens"

Yes, the Trail ends are for the bowler to know their Speed of Green and Bias caused by such a speed.  So it is an individual thing and the Skip should be reading the information and not dictating how a bowler does his trail end.

A Team should have a plan for the trail end which help to read the Natural distance (blog coming) of the team and opponent and cover the complete length of the Rink (blog coming)  All with the two bowls each direction.

2013 Canadian Nationals

This Blog  and its pages viewed  stats show a lot of interest

 from Australia, India, Russia and other non North American readers.  For this reason sometimes the blog will reference geographic detail which may be boring to us Canadian or American readers. Thank you for your patience.
 Scenario: This week in Vancouver,  British Columbia (Our Western most Province) the 2013 Canadian Nationals.will be played.

West Van Clubhouse (News photo Outlook)

Grouping  the best of our 12 Canadian Provinces lawn bowlers, for the title of Champion in Fours, Pairs and Triples a lot of Air travel leads to the 9am Monday morning (August 19th) start of play.
Over 100 years ago today, in 1906, 8 Rinks of British bowlers, and their wifes, were on a two month tour of Canadian Bowls Clubs. and  had just finished playing at Berlin Bowls Club (near Waterloo) and Arriving on train at Stratford-on-Avon. Compare their travel to those air flights of todays bowlers.
Yes, the Train actually waited while members ran to the hotel to get the sleeping player who had missed his wake up.  What a change in travel today.

"The British Bowlers in Canada, 1906. (From Archive.org) 

"FRIDAY, I7TH AUGUST.1906 
This is a delightful morning. We pay our bills and get packed up and ready for the road again. Some of the boys 
were late last night, being in different hotels and somewhat scattered. Most of us, however, are up in good time and asking after each other's welfare, how each slept last night, tc., etc. At the last moment, and just before getting on the car, it is discovered that one of our party is not accounted for. 
    This calls for a temporary halt, and two of our party are detailed to go on a voyage of discovery. They found the missing one fast asleep and utterly oblivious of the cares and anxieties of travel. His excuse, when awakened, was that he had thought that eleven o'clock was the hour for leaving, instead  of nine. The excuse was accepted with a smile, and helping hands soon had the drowsy one ready for the road. We get a most hearty send oft from the Berliners " Hip, hip, 
hurrahs " ringing in our ears as the train leaves the station, and some of them shaking hands as it begins to gather speed. Our programme for to-day is a rather lengthy one, and very divided, viz. : 

10.0 a.m. Arrive in Stratford, where the Mayor and Council and representatives of Bowling Club will receive party. 
Five rinks will be taken to Windsor, 1 Albion and Queen's Hotels, and three rinks will proceed to Mitchell by special train as guests of the Mitchell Bowling Club ; returning, leave Mitchell at 5.55 p.m., and reach Stratford at 6.20 p.m." 

Over the next week our provincial teams will play one or  two games per day until Saturday August 24 when the finals will decide on the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners. I am told the greens are fast (13 sec or more) as we begin getting our first news.  Vancouver Clubs' Rinks (see North Shore Outlook News)
The history of West Vancouver can be found on ilawnbowl.com.

Update added August 27th after Blog opinions on the results of the Nationals  and like everything that ends, I  close this blog with the Archives of 1906 departure of the  British Lawn Bowl Teams.  What a cost that must have been for them then......

"The British Bowlers in Canada, 1906. (From Archive.org) 

"FRIDAY, 31st AUGUST.1906 

FRIDAY, siST AUGUST

found our party all looking forward to their return home, as one looks at the photo of a friend within easy reach, and with feelings of pleasure ; in fact, we were jubilant, notwithstanding all the kindness that had been shewn us, the many friends we had made and met with, and the uninterrupted
round of pleasures we had enjoyed. Home again !
 What an attraction there is in these two words, even for those who have been absent only for a month or six weeks. You feel it in the very air you breathe, and every beat of the pulse seems to shorten the distance. Such were our feelings as we stepped on board the good ship Virginian, where we renewed
pur acquaintance with the stewards and others, whose unfailing attention added much to our comfort. As the ship moved off from the quay we could hardly repress a little sigh of regret at leaving so many warm-hearted

248

Safe at Home.

friends behind. They crowded the landing stage and cheered us to the echo, while hats, handkerchiefs and hands waved good-bye on either side. Will we ever meet again ? Ah !
who can tell. The game of life is slippery and uncertain, and all get bowled over sooner or later many sooner than they expect.

Slowly at first the good ship works her way out into midstream, then gradually getting up speed we are soon gliding along, every throb of the turbines lessening the distance betwixt us and our homes.

I Love "Bowls" So What?

 Do you have or wear a " I love "Something" " T-shirts ?

 No !  Not surprised.  A lot of us don't commit or express ours feelings anymore.  Well I plan to make a commitment and do something to show my love of Lawn  Bowls.  and my angel will look over my actions and see if it bears fruit.
    Scenario: Over the weekend, I showed a Youtube video to a lawn bowler friend, who told me she would be volunteering for their club's Monday night Blind Bowls. An activity I organized and administered fro that club for over 4 years.


Youtube Internation Blind Bowls Coaching

 I showed  her how a  Blind Bowls Night should be administered.  Showed, how to have Blind individuals enjoy Bowls.as a sport that can be "loved"  I knew the participants and how they had become serious about Bowls. Now a few days later, I ask my friend, how it went with her Blind Bowls Night.  I was told " OH we didn't do those things or like that."  "We just let them roll the bowls"  They are quite sociable so I talked most time with a couple of them" The club president was on the green with four of them.
    My opinion.  Instead of giving them a "center line" to know where the jack is; or using the distance indication markers so they knew how far to throw their bowl;  They were given the opportunity to exercise with Bowls.  They simply Rolled the Bowls to nowhere.
    Yes,  The blind participants were allow to bowl the bowls up the green for their exercise.
   Comment: When I coached and administered that club's Blind Bowls Monday Night, I had two car loads of Blind and from the age of 18 to 74.  That night there were only 5 and only 4 on the green.
Question:   If you believe Bowls is a great Sport and love your time on the Green,  why are you not bubbling over with excitement when you get a chance to show the sport to someone new?.  Why are you not excited to get a new club member?. 
    Commitment:   "I love Bowls" Like I play Billiards (pool) all winter and am amazed with all the effect I can put on a Pool Cue Ball;  I also am amazing how bowls can be so difficult, complex, or even interesting.  This year, this winter, I am blogging ever week on Bowls and My blogs will be short and to the point and a different one every two days. I am approaching 70 and want to thank all those who gave me this joyful sport.
   .

Fours as a Team

Every club which  works hard to promote bowls has developed an athletic whom made their National Team.

Notes the "Fours"  and sign of  "down Four"
Hong Kong international Danny Ho

  We are so proud of them as fellow club members, but if we have coached them a small bit it is even greater satisfaction. If not,  we wait hopefully for that  one day when they ask us  to bowl with them, so we can learn from them.
      The last Canadian Nationals I watched, 2011, a  young lawn bowls student which I was proud to have worked with was still on the Provincial "Fours" Team.  He had gone many times to the Nationals on "fours", since that first time at 18 when he played with the club's national team member.  As a new bowler, he was given the chance to play as lead on  the club's "fours" entry and although he lacked experience, his team won the provincial Roll-off and qualified.
     In Lawn bowls we make the Skip a "god" and let him play his game.  { I used a small "g"in "god" because many skips take too much  importance in being BOSS and not enough in  their leadership role.  In the rest of this Blog I will attempt to show how a skip can delegate responiability, especially in the Bowl's Game of "Fours"; and devolop a great team and still play his greatest game.
    On the mat, where performance counts, we have to do our best and the skip is probably the most skilled bowler of the team. But strategy is also playing a great game "off-the mat" and most skips only analysis the Bowls game from the "Head"  A good skip develops his team with all having a part in the " Game strategy"
    On the front end, as Lead and Second, (if given the responsibility by the Skip), these two players with their four bowls should work together to analysis and to give the same head as the "lead"  in a Pairs competition.
   -  Analysis the preference of the opponent and discuss the opponents skills
   -  Bowl placement which control the opponents access with counting shot that are also short blocks.
   -  Close the short side unless it is an opponent's weak back hand or your teams preference draw side

A Canada Day Social Bowls  (Usually Fours)

.
   -  Move the mat (within a few feet) to give their partner members the best Bowl's receiving area. This requires knowing your team member's delivery receiving area. (center line,  along side of mat, out a bit). Look at the delivery style in the photo (right) and how the front foot placement and  bowler's weight can make for hard and bumply receiving area) 
 -  Choose the  most advantage first bowl delivery hand (forehand or backhand) as per lead's confidence.
   -  Balance the head with matching bowls and leave one in the back and on the "Jack Catch Line" area.
   -  Analysis the weakness of the "Lead End" of the opponents and communicate it to the Third to permit the skip/Mate to make  decisions and strategy change.  (Jack length, called faults)
   - Show the maximum sportsmanship and team spirit.   Most important,  when the mate (3rd) comes to the mat the head belongs to your team and  is well balanced.

    On the Back end of "Fours",  both the Mate and Skip, should know the forces and weakness of all players.  To me the best 4 is a skip with unbelievable draw ability with nerves of steel and a 3rd with good complex skills set. (Complex shots like tap-back, jack roll , blocks tight draws passes done regularly).

Look at team spirit (red team) and 3rd High 5 to skip

   The 3rd is the moving communication which keeps the team fine tuned.  He can be playing the green  with the "Lead End" and the Skip/Mate End  (in the house)/  Believe me, in the "fours", a 3rd makes or loses the game by his ability to keep the team working as a team.  As the Skip stands alone in the head, he know his work is with the Front End.; to the three players in the head as the skip bowls.  He is always makeing the team strong. The 3rd, should insisting the lead and second are in the head during the final bowl roll.; and be asking the opinion and reason that the lead is making decisions of bowls and draws.  If the 3rd is really communicating, the team will win as a team.  There are a lot of facts that can be analysis and seen by all four players and although the skip has the final decision;. a good "fours" skip will use that gathered information.
    I remember in a national competition, the Second told the Third that on two previous occasions that the mat was short of the Mat line.  Third told the skip and two end away from the game end, the skip read the sign of the 2nd for a short mat and called the official on it.  The umpire gave the position of the mat to us, as a  illegal  delivered jack (strange call),  and our skip, redefined the jack distance and picked up an advantage.  (yes it was a physiological point, and not very sportmanlike, you say, but it teached the  2nd to know and  correct these sort of problem)
    Actions of the Third in helping the skip.
   -  Reading the head, seeing the balance of bowls,  knowing the weakness of opponents and balancing the  strength and weakness of each position.  Does the opponent lead (or second) out bowl the team's player ?
   -  Suggestion of Offensive or Defensive actions to build and win the game.
   -  Keep the three pats of gameplay together (first 4 ends to analysis, next 4 to build lead, and last four should be such prefection of play that it means a win.)  A third becomes a third because he now everything.
   -  Take of the shoulder of the skip the pressure of a great shot by decreasing the lost to one point.
   -  Communicating the wishes of the skip to the Lead/Second in a manner which keeps team harmony.
   -  Building support for the skip when that great shot did not happen.  Keeping the team spirit.high.
  
"Fours" are the most team spirit game I know and it can be a very strong game.  Four minds each respected for their ability to see and analysis aspects of the game which is best suited to their position.

Don't Move in the Head

"Two is a couple, Three is a crowd" Lawn Bowls is a "Crowd's" Game

High Park Lawn Bowling - Monogallery.ca

  My thoughts are about my first time playing in a "Four" tournament.  The excitement as a "Fours Team member, standing there behind the jack,  as we watch the great recovery shot or Point draw of our skip on the mat.
 "Are we suppose to be here ?" I remember asking, as I stood in the "T" formation behind the head.  Like some football defensive formation,  the opponents players, behind us, forming a straight line, as they each hide one behind the other.
     It is not until my first "Fours Competition that I experienced this great team spirit, of standing together in the head and  the excitement when we all burst into one roar of approval following the great shot of our skip..
    In triples play, often the Second or Mate must stay at the mat with the Lead as support or be in the head with the Skip as they decide on the best strategy for winning this game. There is much a new player wants to learn as they venture into tournament play, and "Fours Play"  never leaves a team member alone.
 Either with your fellow player forming the "Lead" Section or the Mate has come to the mat to bring instructions from the skip on the games changes.  Or standing as a team behind the head. Communication was always a team thing.  Never a skip/mate in the head thing which excluded the lead.  Skip's leadership and ability of play requires keeping the team together and at it peak.

ADF lawn bowls fours team of SQNLDR
at the Arafura Games

 I remember travelling hundreds of miles to watch our Provincial "Four" team play in the Nationals.  I was excited to see them do well.  But when a good shot was done, I noticed one player, who was a last minute replacement for the team; standing alone as the remaining three players gave "High Five".  I later heard this same player say at his club, that he would never go back to the Nationals.  It was too expensive and not an enjoyable experience.   "Fours must be a Team experience"

In Club play, "Fours" are seldom played, but  a "fours" game is the best place to educate the new player.  Coaching of new players should not be during club play but in actual coaching sessions.  But explaining the do and don't of play must be taught on the green, where people can make mistakes and learn..
"Don't move in the Head", can often be heard during a "Fours  game.    In club play, the skip or mate are usually the only players seen in the head, and many a "New Bowls players" has been told they should be on the bank behind the green.
As a new Bowls member develops knowledge of the game from coaching sessions, the actual experience of play and explanations of decisions best build their ability to advance toward becoming a knowledge player.  Most of what I know of playing lead in Triples and Pairs came from "Fours"

2012 Governor Generals Finals
Kingston LBC  Facebook

"Know your opponents preference".   What if left to bowl forehand or backhand do they prefer? What are their strengths ?  Everyone has a different forehand/backhand natural distance.  How does the "Natural Distance of Leads" compare ? How does the opponent "put-on weight" or "Take-off weight?   Does a frontal bowl cause a fear of raising the opponents Bowl ?
  "Know the  opponent team strength" It is great when a skip ask only that your bowl to the jack.  But  does their skip overpower your skip's ability to draw ? Does a Runner exist in the opponents bag of tricks?  Does the opponent prefer using one side of approach other than the other?  Sometime in a game teams will go up and down the green on,  the same side because of the play conditions. Does your skip close the short side?  or the Wide side. Does your opponent "Balance their Head"
  "Are the opponents, or your team, "Fair weather" Players ?   When the cross wind adds on or takes off the draw line, do they know or waste a bowl finding the line?   When the mat position is changed by a meter or more, does you opponent adjust quickly?  Does your team adjust quickly ?.
   No these are not concerns for the "Lead" and "Second" but these are learned aspects of "Fours" which the Front end players discuss.  (As does the Skip end players do)
          One last event, not intended to rundown anyone, but show the team spirit and values are important.  
 When I was living in Quebec in the beginning 21th century, I had the honor to bowl in  the Governor-Generals. "Fours" inter-province Competition.  Each Province qualifies their team by Roll-off and the final day competition is a big thing. with meals, band openings, and a annual trophy. It develops friendships from neighbour provinces and sportsmanship is keen.

Quebec's Women G-G's 2012 Team

 

 Playing on this competition at our club, we were stealing the game.  First the total points of the day is the method of tournament win calculation, and we had won the morning game with a two team effort and a wide point margin.   As the afternoon game came to a close, the opponents had taken few end and points.  The win was certain as neither of the two "four" opponent teams had  a sufficient lead to win their game.
  We had given up a head  or two, with a few points,  sort of a sportsmanship thing; and as the last end finished we had the second and third point.   For some unknown reason, our skip could not accept them taking the last end, even if the points had no effect on the game or the days' competition.   His killer runner crashed the head as his last bowl was played.  It was hard to look the opponents in the eyes after the skip action which could be seen more as an insult. Clearly his wanting to show them and rubbed their nose in their team's  weakness.

2012 Quebec Men G-G's Team

   The skip action was not his decision alone.  It reflected on us all, as a team,  It lack of sportsmanship, only showed our province in a bad light.  He was so much of "himself" and his Runner ability he show a lack of respect for us, his team. Although he was a great bowler and skip, I never wanted to play for his team again.
   Today, as I prepare, in coaching, a skip who will go to the2013 nationals; I want his experience to be great.  He, has experienced similar lack of sportsmanship last year at our inter-provincial "Atlantics" and  I know he is bigger than that.  Because our province does not play more than one or two tournaments of "Fours" a year; this experience can not be learned on the greens.  
  

Usint the "Head" Thinking

In Canada, we are starting our Lawn Bowl Season,  Over the next three blogs, I will attempt to address the possibilities of the Lawn Bowls Game called "Fours". In my province, there is talk about why these competition and expecially the Nationals. My friends will go to BC to respresent our province at the nationals.  I will attempt to explain why "fours" should be continued and what advantages it gives to new Lawn Bowls recruits.  Please, think how we must do everything we can to save our sport.  If "fours" teach something which only "fours" can do... maybe we should use it to save Bowls.

Bowls  in the head and a Jack

Sometimes, A question is not intended to have an answer, but the contents is more intended to induce thought.  "Which came first, the chicken, or the egg?"  Or "What is the sound of one hand Clapping?".
In Lawn Bowls the discussion and question of "What is the raison for playing Fours?" is such a thought. If one perfect Lawn Bowler could exist and play the perfect game; why would you want to divide it into two parts. A "Pairs" team works to develop a Lead which can build a foundation of a Game which with strategy and "Skip leadership" will lead to an advancement of point or points against an opponent.
 "What is the sound of one hand Clapping ?"  to those who know of Zen also know that this question is a question which has an answer.  " The same as two hand clapping"  The logic is as simple in Zen as the question of "If a tree falls in a forest and no-one is there to hear it,  does it make a noise ?"  So to the Lawn bowls' question of "Why do we play fours ?"  "So we don't use game play to practice."
What would be the advantage to divide these four "Lead" Bowls between two players, a "Lead" and a "Second" and create a "Lead component" of the Bowls Game of "Fours"  I believe, in my own view, that we as individuals are to busy in the games of "Pairs" to take time to understand and analysis our role as "Lead" in developing the Head for our "Skip" (I inject here, YES, the skip is the boss, but we are not thoughtless robots rolling bowls to some position on the green, like chess pieces moved about.) I like the skip instruction of "Your choice" on wheather forehand or backhand delivery.
Yes, in a Pairs Game, we bowl up the green and before you have time to think; the opponent has delivered their bowl and you are again into the routine of rolling that perfect delivery toward the head. Seldom do we even find the time to "Prepare our bowl before stepping onto the mat". Although we all know from  practice and coaching that we do prepare ourself before the act of delivery.

A four team from You tube 

 When we began the action of delivery, it is a routine of perfection giving us the result we expect. We all know, and probably agree; that after the bowl stops rolling, we confort ourself that  the next bowl is always be better than the last.  With the Game of Fours we don't have this confort,
 But, as a lawn bowler, do we need 3 bowls of practice before we delivery that fourth and hopefully, the best of the four bowls. Would golf be a foolish sport if we suggested that they try three balls before the last striked ball.
 As a lead, I hate watching my skip trying a complex shot like a jack roll or tape-back and miss it and then try again. and again.  Or have you often say to your skip about the opponent skip; "He missed it twice, but be sure he will try again and the third bowl will be successful. What does this say about us?  Are we performing at a peak performance level ?

  Now if Bowls is a game of strategy, then lets look at a game of strategy like chess.   Do we play defensive or offensive when we play a chess piece.  Sort of both... Attack and be defensive about too quick a decision.   Maybe this is why two individuals are each given two bowls so that we learn to be defensive and offensive in our Bowl delivery.  Yes, we give the skip the best of what he wants.  But when we stand preparing our bowl before delivery, are we defensive or offensive.   When the skip leaves the head to come to the mat,  he is thinking defensive (if you give a strongly developed head) or Offensive (if it is necessary to recovery the head and point before that last bowl).
 But also, I would like to look toward the split personality of a Lawn Bowl Lead. Do you think "If I miss my shot, what is best  defensive or offensive" before going to the mat.  Confidence is not doubting you are going to do the shot. 
In the Lawn Bowls game of "Four" we have first the question wheather the first two bowls "Lead" are more or less important than the last two "Second" bowls.  So before the team is builded we must think of the opponent and if defensive or offensive is our game plan.  Do you put a better player as "Second" or as "First"?  Do you draw to the jack, and take charge;  or do you prevent the opponent from taking charge?  Maybe, the perfect front end of a Four team is two individuals who each talk and question their bowls in these two view of strategy.  
Don't tell me,  Lead and Seconds are not expected to think.  When I tell my lead,  "Place the mat so that my Bowls' receiving area is the best I can have ": I expect them to think as they place the mat onto the green.  Look ahead of it,  debits or weak grass areas are not there.  I expect that they will know how I delivery off the center of the mat, along the centerline, toward my line of delivery.  I hope that they will maybe even analysis how the opponent (lead, second and skip) does their delivery. Like finding a crossword puzzle word, they excite as they discover their part in the game.
And if there is something to be learned.. whom do you tell it too.  Of course, the lead and second are busy sharing and improving their knowledge of the game and their responsibility and contribution to the winning point.
   A Four team is made of 4 different individuals and the Lead "END" of the Four and the Skip "END' (mate and skip) must be working together,  not just throwing two bowls and waiting 20 minutes before throwing the next two.  This is the raison that I give to the Game of Fours in Lawn Bowls.  Learning with the help of your twin (partner) how to be a better lead, mate or skip.

The value of your Bowls Club

Using your Head.  Think for a minute.  What do you pay for the use of Club facilities ?  Is it piece-meal or one yearly membership fee?  Does your club have member's participant requirements ?   What do you think you should get for your fees.?  Lets say that you pay $5 for a day of Greens, how many days of lawn bowls does your membership fee actually pay. .

Does the total Putting Greens of Augusta
equal to your Club's Bowling Green's area ?

Greens Maintenance  If Lawn Bowls Greens are as much maintenance as the putting greens of a Golf course, and the total " Putting Greens" area of a 18 hole course is the same as the 900 square meters of Greens on a typical Lawn Bowls' Club Green. Maybe we should start seeing $1500 Club fees like in Golf Course Membership.  Why not ?? Would the total area of putting greens of Augusta National be more than your clubhouse Lawn Bowl Greens ?
In an earlier Blog I approach the fact that "all members of a club must do their part to develop the local club and secure their sport of Lawn Bowls".  Your love of the sport and your pride in its future should also be directed toward new members who do not feel welcome in various other sports. A previous experience with a large (hundred or more member) club showed that some clubs maintain their memberships numbers with "Social Memberships" and Social Activities.  Don t be surprise when your lease of the club is replaced by local decision to make it a Social club without a bowling green.
  Club Insurance -  First,in Canada, with the exception of Quebec, the french province, all insurance at the club level is in three parts of responsibilities..  Lawn Bowls participants are protected from club to club and province to province by their membership in the Canadian Lawn Bowls Association, (Bowls Canada Boulingrin).
Secondly, most clubs assets, clubhouse, lawn and maintenance,are administrated by the city or town.  Therefore, insurance for the municipal liability and  propriety damage is covered by the town or city.  For this reason, even in England, we have seen more Lawn Bowls Clubs belly up as municipalities tighten their spending budget.
Finally, many clubs wanting to protect their administrator at the local or provincial levels attempt to advise club members about personal insurance.
These three levels of insurance can be very confusing when an accident appears to have happen.  I say, "appears" because today in the insurance industry the trend is to "pass the buck" to blame another insurance coverage as needed or applying to that sort of accident.In Quebec, the Provincial Sport Association define safety for all sports and provide extra (and immediate) accident insurance. (I have seen figures of over $100,000 for such insurance.

Canadian Blind Lawn Bowls Facebook

 Who must pay this insurance?) Does the rates increase as we become less responsible and more accidents occur ? Forgot the monetary value.  A lot of older Lawn Bowlers may find the slow healing of a fracture means a lot of pain and even lost of the opportunity to enjoy the sport
As as example,  A skip decides to throw a heavy bowl or Drive to break the head. The bowl rebounds and hits a person. First, the club must have decisions on how they educate new members about the game.  Rules like "Only mate or skip should be on the green" are avoiding responsibility as a rebound bowl could go to the neighbouring green where players are changing ends or involved in non-head activities.  If the bowl hit the backstop and rebound, the condition of the facilities may be questioned by the insurance company.  I have seen a bowl hit the backstop (back of the ditch) and rebound over a 1.5 meter wire fence. 
   Club Coaching    In "Coaching" we teaches new member about drives or heavy bowls which might occur during a game. Not expecting any new members to know how to drive but more to understand why a skip decision is such and such.  But do we explain the lack of responsibilities that exist and the dangers. NO ??
Communication between the skip and mate during the skip/mate delivery "mat Control" period. If a skip (or mate) is doing a drive the head should be protected and the neighbouring greens protected. It is not difficult to have mates work together in the head and supervise the expected action.
What is your attitude toward Lawn Bowls being developed for individuals with handicaps ?  Mental, Physical, Visual or even just simple different age groups..Every club needs more support from members when new groups are included into lawn bowls.

Bowls Canada Promotion
Blind Lawn Bowls. 

  Those other members Bowls Canada on promotion writes "How Can We Grow Our Club
By working together as a club to make people feel welcome. Encourage outside entrance and ask yourself would you feel comfortable if you came in on the street to play Bowls for the first time? In a recent support letter to a club, I suggested that if the club wanted to have the visually impaired lawn bowlers to use the distance (frequently unused  green) then they must take responsibility to prepare that green for these special need bowlers.  Water hoses, walking path access, or other obstructions have to be removed  prior to the usage of that green. Until recently, in Canada, Bowls Canada, the natioal Lawn Bowls organization and BBAC (Blind Bowls Assoc of Canada were not supporting each's efforts. Is there now a BCB involvement in Blind Bowls. The facebook page(above) promote Lawn Bowls.Not just Canadian but all nations.. if you or someone of your country becomes involved... Even a like helps.
 Remember, Facebook and Twitter is not user friendly to Visually impaired individuals so it is for you, the visual lawn Bowls lover.  Each of us can creat a web page, as I did with Maritime Blind Bowls page  in 2012, or maybe just  and following another Blind Bowlscompetition, like 2011 Champions. .It all promotes our sport.
  This summer, we have a Blind Bowls team going to England; will there be  some BCB Head office involvement with  Canadian Blind Bowls.(At least it is being promoted on the webpage of Bowls Canada)
This is not a critizism of BCB,, all volunteers do the best they can and this blog mentions BCB in hopes to promote the new (and greatly improved) Canadian Bowls Web page. and point to articles lke attached to the photo showing Niagera first match of the year..

  Also at a club level, each "special need" individual should have their own support member and the club should have a "activity supervisor".  Each volunteers should each know their responsibilities and how to react to various needs which might arrive..
Get involved.  More involvement means more members as this support show not only to those "special need" individuals but also become a dinner table conversation; which speaks well for the sport, the club and the members.  Get involved as much as you can
Are you excited to extend your passion for the sport , or recreation, of Lawn Bowls to others, noon participant  groups ? What are you planning to do this year.

    This year2013, which just finishes now in australia has had a lot of excitement  for a 12 year old lawn bowler, who  participated in a major competition; and done very well.
This brings to mind, when in Montreal,  a fellow club member who was a member of the Canadian National team; and the clubs best bowler, took time to include a new 2nd year lawn bowler ( a special needs individual) on his provincial team.  They went to the national and this unique individual was so appreciated by the national bowlers that, that year,  a new award was created for "Most sportive individual at the National"  Which of course he won by votes from all national participants.  Does the award still exist?   You will be surprise how these individuals with change your sport.  (and your view of Lawn Bowls and fellow members)
  Last,  speak up when you hear comments which are clearly signs of exclusion. "We don't want "THOSE" people as members." should find members speaking up.  I am sure that the individual who made the comment does not see their comment as discrimination. but it is and very destructive to the life of the club.. Show them their errors.
 As I finished  a few blogs about 1906 Lawn Bowls( see the blog), I find the "Old guys" club attitude existed even  back then but of the 45 bowlers who sailed from United Kingdom to Canada, several  brought their wives and daughters. And certainly without the use of the Ladies of Canadian Clubs visited, there would never been such a successful 1906 tour.

As far back as the decree of "Royal Bowls " there were exclusion from the sport certain "those types".  In the History of England, we find that King Edward III, and Richard II  both played the game of Bowls.  But also Lawn Bowls History shows how it was restricted to the wealthy, and even  at one point Lawn bowls was forbidden except on the Royal Greens.
 Today, Australia, the largest and best developed Lawn Bowls nation, has began in the past few years to have mixed tournaments although still some private clubs have restrictions on women membership or condition of play.In Canada, at one point two different organizations govern the playing of Lawn Bowls. Canadian Lawn Bowling Council (CLBC)and Canadian Ladies Lawn Bowling Council (CLLBC) in 1972. Both were combined into one organization in 1982 as Lawn Bowls Canada and now the Bowls Canada..


 

Bowls, Golf, Curling n Petanque 3/5

CURLING , called the Canadian Game introduced from Bowls and played on ice. Although the Scot in the group would disagree. Here in Canada the TVs is all weekend. with the World Men's Championship in Victoria , BC, Canada's West Coast (for the Southern Hemisphere readers)

The body movement is the left leg back and forward

Does  BOWLS, which may mean, attempting to draw to a  jack distance that is changing every end: getting you down?  Or  the mat to jack distance and changes, just adds excitement to the game. Do you have your fine draw at your distance? In Canada, a lot of Bowls players are doing Curling in the winter months.  Also clubs often find new members on the Summer Curling Circuit.
. Curling..would be like playing a Fix jack distance. The "Curling Head"  is always  about 21.9 meters from where the stone is released (after the slide delivery). There is a lot of similarity in the two games.  Hog lines and Ice length is almost the same. The Hack (Mat position) to the center of the Head (12 inch circle) is 38 meters as to most Bowls greens are 35 to 38 meters. Although in Curling the actual ice is longer because of need for the space behind the Head for the hack (foot rest) and slide delivery of the Stones.

Like in Bowls, the delivery has body movement which added with the normal delivery adds that little extra delivery weight.  In delivery of the  Curling Stone. the  basic force is the push off by the hack foot. However, like in Bowls the body movement is added to that delivery and the fine tuning draw. .  By watching any videos on youtube, we will see that the movement of the player (curler)forward  back and forward (as she moves her foot back and again ahead gives the stone extra weight. In the above photo Canadian Curling video (snaps) of Earle Morris,  we are told that the pause at the back swing is the short soft draw or fast (no stop) heavy stone.
 I mention this about Curling because in Bowls when  we learn to delivery our bowls, we see that the Bowl weight from the delivery swingwill go so far (natural distance) and then we can add extra  by the body movement.. As the speed  of the body's forward movement is increase (for example when caused by a longer step)we get the longer jack draw weight. Small amount of weight to be added to our regular swing.

Delivery center Line
Left hand bowler (P1)

 Imagine how easy it would be to Bowl with the Mat always at the same location as in Curling. But when practicing, why not??.. You have a natural distance, put the jack there, and keep it and practice that distance.If you spend all day at the same distance, so what ?  If you remove the need to work on weight (jack always at the same) then you can work on delivery tools or improvements..

It is not "Practice makes perfect".  but "A good Practice gives results ".
Why practice all those various distances.. get your natural draw down to where your bowls are within inches.  Now another distance which will require you add weight.  How do you add that weight? 

Rolling on Center Line( P2)

If you want to continue to practice your natural weight.  Make an exercise of the jack at natural distance but the mat moved out from the matline.(Thanks to NZ Bowls site photo which help show styles)
     THE MAT.  Bowls has it greatest challenge in that the use of the mat. Yes the draw to jack is important, but the game of Bowls allows for many different distances of jack and Mat placement. Do you try to keep the mat always at the same place with each end of play?  Why ?
  The first and most important use of the mat, should be to protect the green..  Simple but it is true.  First, move the mat when you see damage to the green. Move the mat, even a few feet, to give you team members a good receiving area for their bowls.  Do you know your skip and partners delivery style.  Do they  they delivery off the centre line of the mat or off the corner? Are their bowls making first contact with the green a foot in front of the mat  or further? Are they left or right handed ?
   Too often social and even competition players keep the mat at the same location because they know their line from  that position. How will the mat movement change the Point of Aim or delivery of your opponents?
  Can you quickly adjust to a new mat position? . Remember with 18 ends of play that means 18 mat positions. If you or your opponent loses one bowl to find the new line with each mat position ( using a spot on green, on back fence) you have removed 1 bowl per player from the head each end..  (3 bowls per team per end on a triples game so 18x3 or 54 less valuable bowls).

WALKING THE MAT   In the previous Blog, I talked about tools in your Toolbox of Perfection. Does your method of using the mat apply as a tool in your usage..  Do you always put your foot at the same position on the mat.  Below we see top Bowls athletic and their style..
First, all bowlers roll of the same part of the mat, before using a tool.  Watch their bowls if it is laid down on the green at centre line, off the corner of the mat or even farther out.
Next  Left hand bowlers and right hand bowlers, doing the same draw shot to jack, roll the bowls at least two feet apart on a different line.. (the width of the shoulders)

 So a block for a right  hand bowler will not be a block for a left hand bowler. Imagine how hard the boundary jack is for a bowler of the opposite hand.
.
Second, The mat is large and one can stand anywhere they wish as long as the foot stays over the mat during delivery. Yes, style is always having the same foot position on the mat.  but "Tool" is something different you can do quite well.  (The below photo could be an example of the delivery of a off-step bowl,  Would you have been able to do that ?  This may be the natural style for this athletic, but where most styles bowl of the corner of the mat;  many would appreciate the opportunity to step out this far to the  side for the delivery.
 If your last bowl stopped short and your skip  want the same bowl, how do you go just a bowl width outside your last bowl? Change line? or  just  move that one foot on the mat. You will be at a different position on the mat and the same delivery line will pass that last bowl of yours.This is call "Walking the  mat" and can done either left to right or from front to back.

A "Side-step delivery" is when the normal style is so modified by stepping to the side, before or during the delivery, to allow a delivery off the normal center line of delivery.(I actually do a 4 foot left side step delivery if I need it. and the raison is that the finish of the bowl in the head is tighter. (comes across the head right to left)
 Look at the cross-over sidestep of  this great athlete's  delivery. In this photo the bowl is set on the green at least two feet right of the normal delivery point..(corner of the mat)  This is a type of walking the mat because the front foot would normally be on the center line, but also imagine keeping your balance as you cross step and lay down a good bowl.  The back foot could also still has been moved a bit  farther right and still  be  a legal delivery..  Moving too tight to the edge of the mat may cause a illegal delivery called a Foot Fault. (the foot must still be over the mat as the bowl touches the green.)   Any modified normal delivery requires practice to make a useful tool of that ability, and of course requires that you stay within the rules of the game..

Next Blog.. Petanque,( the french game of Bowls)  Boundary Jacks, and order of play Strategies for Skips.

Bowls, Golf, Curling n Petanque 2/5

Golfer allow only 14 clubs. What Bowls tools
do you carry into the game of  Play ?

In Golf the player is only permitted 14 clubs which he chooses as to his needs and the game to be played. In Bowls, how many tools or method of play do you have in your bag.
     We know you can do a forehand and a backhand, but is it a tool which you can use and adjust.
       Bowls performance is build on known abilities. When you relax and do a forehand what is your Natural Distance. In building a house you put down a good foundation and build upward from it.  In bowls, there are certain elements which are the foundations of a  great  performance.  You have chosen a bowl which is the size of your hand (tool). You play from a certain position on the mat as your start your delivery. You have  four Natural distances.  A short (relax and Bowl) distance, and a Long (long step and heavy bowls). And most bowlers have a different distance for their forehand and back hand (Four Tools)  Do you know their distances and can you identify that distance when looking up the green at the jack location.
  In Golf, the player know that his 5 iron gives him 150 yards with a relax swing and if forced maybe 180 yards.  He judges the distance to be played and chooses his club. if 5 is too long a drive distance, he will switch to a more wedge club. (I do not say 6 because he may not have a 6 in his bag 14 clubs) Do you decide on how to add weight, how to change line.. before stepping to the mat and going into your routine?

In bowls, too often it is like Archery or Darts.(photo www.topnews.in)  Throw the bowl up the green, like a dart player throws his dart and wait to see if you get close to the center (jack) At least the archer has a method of aiming and accurate force. You should know the distance (natural) of your forehand BOWL and like the golfer be able to add on a few feet with a longer step, a wrist flick or a pendulum (clock) swing.  Also, your Backhand will be another distance.  Yes, most of us have rolled the bowl with forehand and backhand without thinking of the distance. (natural).

 Club House as Measure tool - This Clubhouse (photo below) , is a special distance noting distance(tool) because the clubhouse is placed toward one side of the green. If playing that direction, across the green direction,  the clubhouse balcony studs become a accurate greens measure tool. If you have discovered a jack distance which is a weakness of the opponent you can, as skip, stand at that stud distance,If you want to move the mat forward you simple move to the next   post of the balcony for the exact jack distances. Have you ever seen a skip who after the mat is moved.. walks backward to receive the jack at it distance. Is he walking back the same number of paces that the mat was moved forward ?  Thus giving the same distance.for the jack (tool)

 In a recent Competition of four provinces (states) I had paced off the back green we were to bowl on that afternoon and discovered it was short as to greens standard. (It was a maximum of 31meters).
    As most greens are 33 to 35 by regulation and here in Canada; I knew this short green could be used to an advantage.  As lead, and with skip and vice who enjoyed long jacks;
    I often threw a ditch edge jack which was spotted out the two meters.  I left the mat at the mat line and for 4 ends we collected points as the opponent ditched bowls.  They were thinking a 34 meter green and therefore a 30 meter jack,(two meters on each end) which was only 28 meters or less. Of course, our team play was such that as lead I made jack length distance based on the skips game strategy..
    Communication is important.If he wanted to change the choice of Jack, I as lead played, he came forth to receive the jack and indicate the wanted distance (a tool signal) The tools here was I verified the distance and passed information to my team members. Do you check the edge of the ditch to see the fall? (tool) Do you notice various discolouration of the green and identify the distance from the mat line (tool). Once you know that the clubhouse window is the limit of a short jack when the mat is 6 meters out; you can throw that short jack with certainly it is within the proper measure.
  Next Blog.. Curling.. A fixed jack distance played game. Walking the mat, and Mat movement.

Bowls, Golf,Curling n Petanque 1/5

Using the Head applies to Coaches find ways to teach BOWLS to new members.  These new members can be recruited from other sports and if you can then compare their sports to their learning of Bowls it will an easily sell.  Yes some seniors find the cost of Golf high and will consider trying Bowls for a summer.  A good selling point is that our Greens are of a better (faster) quality than most Golf course putting Greens..

A lot of  sports have to do with  rolled an object to a central location. The history of Bowls tell us that our sport was introduced in Egyptian times with the  rolling (then a round stone) to certain distances.
 In GOLF this central point is a small hole, and the distance it must be send to the hole can be several hundred yards (or meters) away from the departure place. Add that with 18 various types of Greens or receiving area and it is a very difficult game. Photo from yahoo.com (IndoorOutdoorPuttinggreen.com)
     In golf, if you have the opportunity to putt across a slope green, you will learn, like in Bowls, that if your line is correct and your weight is correct the ball (bowl) will arrive in the hole (head). In the same way the line of stopped balls (bowls) which were send with different weight, appear in a straight line through the Cup (golf hole, or jack in bowls).
In this blog, the coach ability to show Bowls principle by method of  a sloped surface (Golfer experience on slopped greens) will teach how the line of delivery, when the same, gives different location of the  ball (bowls) after missing because of too much or not enough roll (different force means less distance). Also since only in Bowls, of all the similar sports, we find a "Bias on the Bowl", this method of showing Bias without Bowls,  becomes a easy method to show and teach Bias.

Construct your own Bias Table

  In teaching Bias to new students it can be a convenience to use a jack or two instead of a Bowl with a bias. If we build a short  mat surface (6 or 12  feet long) it can allow for in the clubhouse teaching and the slope can be raised on one side by 1 inch or so to show Bias.  Also, beside using a jack, we can use a normal ball, ( Golf or Baseball) and show that how it is stopping in line for different force of delivery. Also, the different Balls and different slope (putting a 1/2 higher) will show the different lines of sending the ball..When the same slope is used and we use of a golf ball , tennis ball and baseball, we can show how the weight of different size bowls (00 and 5)means different distances. Teaching that one can not watch the opponents bowls and expect their own bowls to perform the same.. Carpet type also shows green speed  and even with a spray of water (wet carpet) and how it changes the bowls.
     By sitting the table down flat on the floor and using the indoor bowls balls it is also possible to show the bowl bias and explain it clearly after this bias table has been used on non-bias balls like jack, tennis or baseball.

After showing Bias with the slope area and Showing the Bowls Bias on a flat surface, a coach can find on Youtube.com great videos to show the various bias of bowls made by the same manufacters.  Drake's bowls video is a great sample (photo left)
 In Curling the central object is fixed rings , Much like a archery target painted on the ice surface,at a fixed distance from the hack (departure Point). This would make it easier as learning weight is most important and the finest of that delivery weight can be like bowls.  A little too much delivery weight and the result will be quite a bit of a miss. (short shot or through the house)
In Petanque, like Bowls, the departure point (circle in petanque, mat in Bowls) can be changed as also the total distance to the Jack; is within a set of distances.  Unlike bowls, which has a ditch at the end of the rink; in petanque if the jack does not go out of bounds it can extremely long to get a good point.  This distance aspect of Petanque can be similar to Crown Greens play.
In the following Blogs will be suggestions from these other sports.  Curling (in Canada during the winter) Petanque (in French countries) Bocci and other sports.   Enjoy

1906 British /Canada Bowls Tour

"Heading off across the Pond" was how it was described in Europe as lawn bowlers of both sides of the Atlantic prepared for a two Month Lawn Bowl Tour of Canadian Lawn Bowls Clubs by United Kingdom lawn bowlers from several of their clubs

In the spring of 1906 the Canadian Ontario Lawn Bowls Association,  on behalf of several Canadian Clubs, was communicating with England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales ( then called  the International Lawn Bowls Board) as they approached the final steps of preparation for the 1906 Canadian Lawn Bowl Tour.  This was to be a tour of Canadian Clubs by eight British  teams following  a similar type of trip to England  by Canadian Club teams two years earlier (1904).

Blog's Author note - I have indicated when the contents of the blog are quotes (italic text) from the Canadian archives and have been inserted. Because of the early  1920's storage and copy procedures; these quotes have created  problems of line length .  If you want to attempt to read the archives, which are difficult to do, but interesting go to  "The British Bowlers in Canada 1906 " (May 2017)


During the 1906 Tour by the eight rinks of British Bowlers, one of the more than 20 Central Canada's  Canadian Lawn Bowls Clubs visited  was the Montreal "Westmount Lawn Bowls" club which still operates on Sherbrooke Street in  Montreal. The below photo, from an earlier  web page posting of the club may even show some of the players who participated in welcoming these visiting bowlers.  On  Saturday 28th July 1906 at 3pm; the bowlers met and the local newspaper  quoted the event  as "Westmount Club made Gallant but Ineffectual  Struggle. "

 "After the visitors

 had indulged in a little

 preliminary practice,

and the indispensable

 photographic ceremony 

for the Standard had been 

undergone, the match was begun".

 (Above Photo from a publication when Westmount LBC did their Centennial celebration in 2002.)

"There were six rinks a side, each rink playing 21 ends. 

 From the very outset it was apparent that the local club

 would have to go ' all they knew' to beat their opponents". 

"The visitors, without exception, showed that they were 

thoroughly proficient exponents of the game, and gradually,

 but surely, the disparity in the aggregate scores increased

 in the British team's favour"

How did this Tour of Bowlers and this Diary get to be.??.

 The Journal writes  "I have a long talk with Mr. Hamilton. ... and he wants me to write an official description of our tour, but I am loth to undertake such a task, as there might be more expected of me than I would be able to perform. I told him I was keeping a diary of our trip

Quote from "  The British Bowlers in Canada, 1906.

While one is reading this journal the author writes about an interesting game of Bowls they played while doing their trip across the Atlantic. 

This "on board Ship" game which the journal writes about the teams trans-atlantic trip on the SS Virginian and how they played  their daily Bowls Games.

 "TUESDAY, 24TH JULY. Another dull and hazy morning, but there are quite a number of the early risers 

on deck before breakfast time. 

There is to be a bowling tournament to-day, and the entry money is sixpence each. I join, of course,

 along with the others. The drawing for partners is to take place after breakfast time. This is quite an

 interesting event. How little amuses us when cooped up like this !" 

It cleared up beautifully about mid-day, and we had a delightful time of it on the upper deck playing

 .... at what.... we called bowling. Fog came down about three o'clock, and tended to make things unpleasant

 for us. The foghorn kept roaring every few seconds, and speed was slackened, but this didn't prevent us 

having our game. (at what is called " shuffle-board," but which we called bowling.) Rinks were drawn and 

allocated as follows:

   Scotland v. Canada, and England v. Ireland.

 The ties were entered into with the greatest spirit, and many onlookers watched the progress of the game

 with the keenest interest. The tie betwixt Scotland and Canada was a very keenly contested one, only one

 shot being declared in favour of Scotland at the last end. The game betwixt England and Ireland was also

 closely contested, and resulted in favour of 

England by a small majority. This left the final to be played off betwixt England and Scotland, and the 

champions or rather representatives of the two countries  were each sanguine of success. The onlookers were 

very fairly divided in their 
sympathies, and the players in either rink were encouraged to do their best by their several well wishers".

Well about the Trip.. "We are now under way and gliding along the Northern coast of the Emerald Isle. Letters 

had been posted at Moville to friends at home and, as the rugged headlands of the Irish coast receded from view,

 we felt that the last connecting link that bound us to the old land had been severed for a time, and we 

settled 

ourselves down to face the future buoyant, hopeful and happy.

Of interest from the journal to  Richard, a good friend and the Greens keeper today at 4895 rue Sherbrooke ouest Montreal, (when this blog was written in 2013)

(photos from http://bowlswestmount.ca/ site) 

 is the following extraction of  the 1906 Diary.

  

Extract from Canadian paper received (by passengers when their ship docked at port at Rimouski.

" At Rimouski we had some Canadian newspapers handed on board, and they contained some interesting reading. Here is a cutting from the Montreal Daily Herald, dated the 24th July,

Westmount Enthusiasts Getting their Greens into Shape

 " Westmount green bowlers are busy o' nights preparing for the reception of their brother players now on the voyage from the old country to make a tour of the Canadian greens.

" The local turf is admittedly in a wretchedly bad condition this season, worse probably than since it was laid. For this the Westmounts are, however, in no way to blame. 

Since the growing weather set in, in the spring, much time and labour has been devoted to getting it into shape, but so disastrously had the turf been served by the remarkable weather of the winter, that the task from the beginning seemed almost a hopeless one. 

Sudden thaws and succeeding frosts had played havoc, and when the snow cleared, there was a series of bare patches that gave the enclosure more the appearance of a huge checkerboard than of a bowling green.

" In the interval much has been done. For days the patient keeper worked laboriously picking out by the roots rank growths of grass that so plentifully showed as the springtime advanced ; for days he sanded and rolled alternately, and played the refreshing hosepipe in long spells of drought.

 " Last night many of the members, including ' Jimmy ' Wilson and ' Willie"' Brown, spent much time with sand and roller eradicating ' lumps/ and testing the various rinks running both ways of the green.

Because the archives (scanner errors) it is difficult to read complete sections but what I found  as extracts of the diary I have attempted to patch here. There is of course bits about the trip.

"The sea is a little lumpy, but not bad, even for a landsman. Our ship is making steady headway, and during the last  twenty-four hours we have

 

Bowls Commemorating the 1906 Canadian tour

Updated (September 11,2014) - During the weekend while I , the  blog author, was participating in the 2014 Atlantic Bowls competition in PEI, a gentleman approached me saying 'Would you like to see some really old bowls ?'
 He explained he was painting a house nearby and although not a lawn bowler, he had received these bowls from his grandfather estate during a recent visit to England. His great great grandfather's lawn bowls which were handed down to him as he was living in Canada and they were about the Canadian Tour of 1906.  He explained that his great great great grandfather, George Cousin was with the visiting  British team and  had bowled out of Illowa LBC (UK). Following the 1906 two month Canadian Tour; his club had presented him with these bowls as a gift from the  club to commemicate his participation.

Further in the Journal we find the following entry about the delay of shipping in 1906 and the need to change arrangements to meet the bowling schedule arranged.

"" After correspondence with Mr. Postlethwaite, the secretary of the Ontario Bowling Association, the International Board have arranged that the team should leave Liverpool on Saturday, 2ist July, by the Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Empress of Ireland, which is due to arrive at Montreal on 28th July, and that they should return by the same steamer, leaving Montreal on 1st September, and due in Liverpool on 8th September" So writes on the 8th of June 1906 A. H. HAMILTON, Secretary. for the British Organization  Quote from "  The British Bowlers in Canada, 1906.

In the Summer of 1906, with the total planning finished the sailing trip was suppose to be on the newly build Empress of Ireland  but at the last minute due to departure delays it was changed to Allen Line  SS Virginian . Below are the story of the life of these two ocean liners and the  SS Virginian   was later named SS Drottningholm which I found had an interesting story of it`s relationship with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

At the time of this letter by Mr. Hamilton the Empress of Ireland was delayed by shipyard delays as WIKIPEDIA says " RMS Empress of Ireland   was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering 

at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland and was launched the 29th of June in 1906.  The liner was commissioned by Canadian Pacific Steamships (CP) for the North Atlantic route between Quebec (Montreal) and Liverpool in England.
(Update July 2022 - Youtube  Sinking of the Empress of Ireland - YouTube 

Today  the wreck of the Empress of Ireland lies in 40 metres (130 ft) of water at the mouth of the St-Lawrence River after an accident 8 years after it`s building, A Canadian Shipwreck now accessible to divers, it is today one of a few Eastern Canada Diver accessable wreck sites. and because of the removal of artifacts,  "the Canadian government has passed legislation to protect the wreck .

The Empress of Ireland, had just begun her 96th sailing when she sank in the Saint Lawrence River following a collision with a Norwegian collier in the early hours of 29 May 1914. Of the 1,477 persons on board the ship, the accident claimed the lives of 1,012 (840 passengers, 172 crew The number of deaths is the largest of any Canadian maritime accident in peacetime.

Further into the diary of  The British Bowlers in Canada, 1906. Mr. Hamilton further writes

As previously intimated, arrangements had been made for the team leaving Liverpool on Saturday, 2ist July, by the Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Empress of Ireland, but the date of departure of that boat has been postponed until 27th July.
 As all arrangements had been made by the Ontario Bowling Association on the assumption that the team would arrive in Montreal on 28th July, the committee of the International Board have decided that it is impossible to delay departure until 27th July.
 It was necessary, therefore, that other arrangements should be made." I have now completed arrangements with the Allan Line, whereby that company accept the party on the same terms as those which had been previously arranged with the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, viz. 25 143. first-class return from Liverpool to Montreal.
 The team will leave Liverpool by the turbine liner Virginian on Thursday or Friday, iQth (19th) or 2Oth July, and it is expected that the boat will arrive in Montreal on 26th or 27th July. The tour will extend to 3ist August, when the Virginian is posted to leave Montreal for Liverpool."

 Another interesting fact found in WIKIPEDIA,  about these ships involved in this Canadian Lawn Bowls Tour is that  the Virginian was Built in 1905  in Glasgow for the Allan Line of Canada and commissioned as SS Virginian, ...... In 1912, she was one of several ships in wireless radio communication with RMS Titanic, giving iceberg warnings, and at one point "erroneous wireless messages"  had Virginian towing Titanic to Halifax, Nova Scotia and that all on board Titanic were safe. (Such a report appeared in the Daily Mirror on 16th April 1912).  She operated from 1920 to 1948 for the Swedish American Line as SS Drottningholm 

At right is a photo from Wikipedia of Greta Garbo & Mauritz Stiller on board the SS Drottningholm in 1925 en route to the United States.

Next blog...The cost of such a trip,  A list of Canadian Clubs involved in welcoming the 1906British Tour and the unique costume that was designed for the bowlers.