HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1987-06-10, Page 111
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ESTABLISHED IN 1873
"THE SEPOY TOWN" ON THE
HURON -BRUCE BOUNDARY
Lawn bowling: a sport for persons of all ages
By Lou -Ann Hope
When most people think of lawn bowling,
they automatically associate the game
with senior citizens but, as Jane
Treleaven, co -president of the Lucknow
Lawn Bowling Club, says, "Lawn bowling
is not a senior citizen's game."
"There is no law that says young people
can't become involved in the game. In
fact, we are encouraging and would be
happy to have young people play," Mrs.
Treleaven says of the 30 member local
club.
For too long there has been a stigma at-
tached to lawn bowling but by speaking out
and making the public more aware of what
lawn bowling actually involves, Mrs.
Treleavan is hoping to attract interested
people to the club's Tuesday and Thursday
evening games.
Lawn bowling is known as an old-
fashioned English game (where it
originated) and as a gentleman's game
(athough women also play and club
membership male-female ratio is about.
50-50). The sport of lawn bowling, which
runs from mid-May to the end of
September in Lucknow on bowling greens
located behind the tennis courts on
Havelock Street, could be compared to the
game of curling.
"The object of lawn boiling is to come
closer to the little white cat than your op-
ponent. This 'is done by adjusting the
weight of the ball as well as keeping the
ball going in the direction you want," Mrs.
Treleaven said. With curling, the object is
to get the rock as close to the "button" in
the house as possible.
Mrs. Treleaven explained the ball,
which is about the size of a five -pin bowling
ball, is weighted, causing the ball to roll a
certain way depending on how it is thrown.
The number of balls you throw depends
on the number of people playing in the
game.
"You can play fours, threes, pairs or
singles," Mrs. Treleaven said. She added
that when playing fours, each person
throws two balls; when playing threes,
each person throws three balls; and when
playing pairs or singles, each person
throws four balls. The ball is thrown down
the green, about 125 feet, in an attempt to
come closest to the "cat".
She noted the cat can be moved by a ball
that hits it and will remain in play as long
as the cat remains within the confines of
the green. •
"If the cat goes into the ditch at the end
of the green, it is still alive and any ball
that touches the cat is also still alive (if it
goes into the ditch)," she said.
When all the balls have been thrown,
they are then counted as the rocks are in
curling. Whoever has the most balls
closest to the cat counts that many points
for the game. It is possible to count eight
points but, as Mrs. Treleaven noted, it is
also very rare.
"You have to be fairly competitive. You
can make it as competitive as you want,"
she said.
The sport of lawn bowling also depends
heavily* on the upkeep of the bowling
green. Mrs. Treleaven noted that a well -
manicured green . involves a lot of. time
spent on keeping it in top-notch condition.
This involvesfertilizing seeding, cutting
(about " twice a week) and rolling. "It is
manicured like a putting green on a golf
course," she said.
She noted lawn bowling has become a
well-known sport throughout Ontario. A
book issued .by the' Provincial Lawn Bowl-
ing Association 'lists where each lawn
bowling club is located, its executive and
Turn to page 3
Della Slavin, of Clinton, looked to be con-
centrating hard on her shot (left), as she
fired this bowl at the Lucknow Lawn Bowl-
ing greens on Sunday, June 7. However,
things still didn't seem to turn out the way
she would have like them two, as evidenc-
ed by her reaction to the shot (right) .
(Patrick Raftis photo)
Up ... up ... and over
Despite being this close to the high jump bar, grade six Lucknow
Central Public School student Adrian Helm cleared the bar and
went on to win the. intermediate boys high jump division at the
school's annual track and field meet held Thursday. Adrian was
able to jump 1,5 m (4 feet, 10 inches) with the encouragement of a
number of enthusiastic onlookers. (Lou -Ann Hope photo)
Your Sentinel
this week...
Saying goodbye
In this week's issue, editor Alan Rivett
writes his last column and last editorial
for The Sentinel. He has accepted a
sports writer's position with the Ajax -
Pickering weekly newspaper beginning
next week. For his column, SEE PAGE
4.
Farm report
In this week's Bruce County farm report,
!earn how powder post beetles can be con-
trolled from destroying wood structures.
Also read about special grain payments
and Ontario's "pick your own" fruit and
vegetable season. For the farm report,
SEE PAGE 8.
Winning essay
Grade 6 students at LCPS recently took
part in an essay contest sponsored by the
Lucknow and District Horticultural Socie-
ty. For a picture and the winning essay on
marigolds, SEE PAGE 11.