Angling to make more Canadian history: Bill Rowe Jr. has won international medals by the boatload, but that elusive first PBA title is what motivates him today - Then & now: Bill Rowe Jr

Bowling Digest, Dec, 2002 by Dick Denny

"This past summer I went to Costa Rica for the American Zone Youth Championships, and then to Thailand for the World Youth Championships with the Dominican Republic national team. We won no medals, but the country's performance was significantly better than it had ever been. The country's first center was built in 1997 in Santa Domingo. It has 48 lanes, and that's where the national team trains."

Rowe can still score in big numbers. He shot 856 at Skyway Lanes last year on games of 279, 277, and 300, one of eight sanctioned perfect games he's recorded. The 856 was a Hamilton and district association record.

Not only is Rowe coaching Dominican Republic bowlers, but he also is tutoring his five-year-old daughter, Madison. That might be an even tougher assignment than his international gig.

"She's a lefty," father reports. "Madison averaged about 46 last year. What we're working on right now is getting her through a whole game without having a temper tantrum."

Bowling isn't Rowe's only sporting lure these days. He's taken up bass fishing and goes out in his boat as early as 5 a.m.

"Bass fishing is one of my big passions," Rowe says. "I don't know if that's a sign of getting old or what. We have a cottage on Rice Lake in Ontario, and I'll go there to fish with my dad. Marc Doi's birthday is August 12. In 2001, he said, `Here's what I want for my birthday.' That was to enter a bass fishing tournament." How did Bill and Marc fare? "We didn't finish last," Rowe chuckles.

Overall, Rowe is poised to push his already successful career to an even higher level: "Life is good. And I still have this dream of becoming the first Canadian to win a tour title as a PBA member."