Clearwater Lawn Bowls Club Keeps Rolling Alongby Sandi Fahy
Photo by SANDI FAHY CLEARWATER - The Clearwater Lawn Bowls Club has been rolling along for 85 years now. The club, which opened with two rinks in downtown Clearwater in 1924, now boasts 22 well kept greens and a large clubhouse at 1040 Calumet Street. On Saturday, January 3, participants gathered for yet another tournament at the facility. Al Ferguson and Angus McCrae teamed up to take first place in this year's Open Men's Pairs event. Lorne Reid and Alex Graham came in second. Jack Mein and Bill Haskins finished in third place, with Peter Bunce and Doug McCleese not far behind in fourth place. The men's club championships get underway on January 8, with games also scheduled on January 15, February 12 and February 19. Women will compete on January 13, January 20, January 27 and February 3. Many of the club's some 85 members will also take part in the Sarasota and Lakeland Invitationals on January 10 and 17, respectively, and the Bert MacWilliams Memorial Tournament in Sun City on January 24. The Clearwater group will host the Valentine's Tournament on February 10, 4-3-2-1 Mixed Pairs Tournament on February 14, Hall of Fame Mixed Triples Tournament on February 21, Mayor's Charity Tournament on February 26 and St. Pat's Cookout on March 17. Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard is expected to make an appearance at the February 26 event. Spectators are welcome at all events and persons interested in lawn bowling are welcome to join the club. There are several categories of membership available: active, junior, social and short term (less than three months). Members get together socially to play bingo and card games such as euchre and cribbage. Other non-bowling events, such as luncheons, are also planned throughout the year, including a party on New Year's Eve. For those not familiar with the sport, lawn bowling is a game one plays on a bowling green by rolling a ball (called a bowl) toward a stationary ball. Object of the game is for a player to throw weighted black balls down the rink (lane), placing as many as he or she can closer to a smaller white ball than his or her opponent. Cathie Stephan is president of the Clearwater Lawn Bowls Club. Other officers are Bruce Miller, vice president; Denise Marinaccio, secretary; Roy McCartney, treasurer; and Lou Ann Mulvaney, assistant treasurer. Directors are Joyce Lannan, Russ Tees, Betty Kelly, Barbara Roller, Bruce Miller, Cliff Bailey and Bill Farrell. The club's roster includes residents of Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Seminole, Tarpon Springs, Pinellas Park, South Pasadena and Holiday. For more information on membership or upcoming tournaments, call 442-5329.
 Al Ferguson rolls his way to a first place finish in Saturday's tournament.
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