Bringing Lawn Bowling Back to its Former Glory

By Joni Johnson

Did you know that one of RVM’s residents reached the quarter-finals in the National Lawn Bowling Championship in Seattle? That was Eleanor Ritchie in 1985, when more than 200 men and women from all over the United States had competed in that event.  In addition, in 1983, also at the Nationals, Eleanor won the “triples” (bowling with 2 others) and was runner up in doubles.  It is still possible to find her name on the internet.

       First Bowling Green at RVM

Did you know that 1961, the very same year the Manor opened, was the year that RVM broke ground for a natural grass, three-rink green that existed approximately where the current exercise room and indoor pool exists today?  That was also the same year that the indoor one-rink green was built.  One might wonder why an ecumenical community group of Methodists, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians who were creating Rogue Valley Manor for retirees might be so interested in creating two lawn bowling greens at the very beginning of RVM’s existence.  No one knows for sure, but the guess is that one of the members of the RVM executive Board, the Rev. R.V. Bolster, who was a native of County Cork, Ireland, educated at Trinity College, and a member of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was the initiator.

                Bowling in 1973

What happened next? you ask.  After more than 10 years, the natural-grass green became very difficult to maintain, so a new green was created in 1973 using donations from 27 people for the artificial turf.  The single green ran between the old health center and what is now the gym area, but went north south. And then, in 1992, to make room for the new health center addition, the current, two-rink green facing east-west was created.

All sorts of tournaments took place in the ensuing years.  Someone said that “a day without bowls is like a day without orange juice.”  In 1987, RVM’s bowling club accepted invitations to tournaments with three clubs in Oregon and individual members bowled in Arizona, California and Washington.

I started bowling shortly after I arrived on campus in the spring of 2019.  At that time, Alan Bushell gave us several classes to understand the game and how to roll the bowl.  For those new to the game, it’s called a bowl rather than a ball because it is not symmetrically round and therefore, when it leaves your hand, it goes straight for a while and then it curves. So it’s not only a physical game, it’s also a game of strategy.  When I started, there were meetings and dinners, and it was very hard to get on a team.  I was a sub for quite a while until someone decided to quit and there was a place for me.

Then Covid hit and all turned to naught.  While people still played, rather than being a club that felt cohesive and strongly bonded, we became just a gaggle of teams.  Nobody met as a group beyond the teams and so enthusiasm sort of waned.

                 Norm Boice

Norm Boice, the new president of our RVM Lawn Bowls Club, wants to return us to our former glory.  He would love to have receptions and tournaments and events and meals again. “We have to be a little cautious because of the pandemic,” he says, “but with almost all of the residents and employees vaccinated, life might return somewhat to normal here at our cocoon on the hill.  Lawn Bowling used to be THE sport.  And the fact that we have both a beautiful outdoor two-rink green and an indoor green for winter is extraordinary.  There are only two other lawn bowling clubs in Oregon.  One is in Portland, and the other is in a retirement center in King City. How lucky we are, and we should take full advantage of our good fortune.”

If you are interested in knowing more about the game, please contact Norm Boice at X6164 or email him at normb2306@gmail.com