Walter Torry began setting five pins in the 1950s and hasn’t stopped since. The long-time Burnaby resident was inducted into both the B.C. Tenpin Federation and American Bowling Congress halls of fame in 2000.

A player, certified coach and organizer of league teams, Torry helped create and later served on the board of the BCTF, including as its president from 1979 to ’91. He was also a director in the CTF for 17 years. As the CTF chair, Torry was responsible for bringing the prairie provinces into the youth championships, creating the first true national championships.

He represented Canada as a coach in the first World Games, as well as being a rep on the rules committee.

Torry has worked on developing many teaching coaching levels. From 1976 to 1996, Torry taught the tenpin university coaching course which preceded the U.S. Olympic gold program. In 1980, Torry was named coach of the year by the Bowling Federation of Canada. Torry has also spent 38 years in the Greater Vancouver Tenpin Bowling Association.

Burnaby’s Frank Fillinger was truly a bowler for all seasons. A nine-time Western Canadian triallist, Fillinger was also twice named bowler of the year and is a member of the B.C. Bowling Hall of Fame. Known for his consistency over decades of competitive bowling, Fillinger set records or maintained near-record averages for almost 30 years.

In the 1950s, Dillinger rolled the first-ever 260 average in five pins in the city posting a 267. Following an industrial accident to his throwing hand in 1958, Fillinger came back as good as ever, winning the high average three out of four years in the early 1960s. During that time, he also led his Western Canadian mixed team to a Canadian title.

In 1967, Fillinger was the Western Canadian trials champion, while also sharing the major B men’s 10-pin team championship with a high 657 triple. In the late ’60s, Fillinger posted the all-time, all-star league high average for a second consecutive year, with a 276 average. He also bowled a perfect 435 game in five pins in 1967.

Fillinger passed away in May 2014. He was 91.