CANTON — The Canton Amateur Sports Hall of Fame will be inducting a new class into its Bowling Hall of Fame in August.
A special committee screened nominations to determine the first class elected into the hall of fame in six years. It also is the first class inducted since the merger of the Greater Canton Bowling Association and Canton Women’s Bowling Association.
Members of the 2023 class include Carol J. Pittson, Jim Fellows, Joe Altimore III, Mark Herdlick, David Skelley and Jim Norch.
The honorees will be enshrined along with new classes for the fumbleball and disc golf halls of fame Aug. 20 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 320 Market Ave. S. Doors open at 5 p.m., with dinner being served at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $35, and must be ordered in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door.
For reservations, checks are payable to the Canton Amateur Sports Hall of Fame and must list names of those attending. The dinner is open to all friends and members of CASHOF.
For information, contact Jose Rante, CASHOF president, at 330-323-5330.
Here is a look at this year’s bowling inductees:
MEN
JAMES V. NORCH
Elected in the Recognition of Contribution category, Norch was a member of 40 championship teams during his bowling career. He averaged more than 220 for 20 of his 55 years as a sanctioned bowler. Norch was inducted based on his service to the game, serving as a league sponsor for more than 20 years and a team sponsor for many more. He is considered a true gentleman and team player on and off the lanes by his peers.
DAVID M. SKELLEY
Elected in the Superior Performance category, he was the anchor on several championship teams stretching from the 1970s through the early 1990s and consistently averaged over 200, with a high average of 217 in the Copeco Classic league at the former College Bowl. He ranked near the top in average in that league which contained many of the top Stark County players. Both of his 300 games came during a 10-year period when just 33 300s were shot in that league. He also turned in top performances in leagues at Imperial Lanes, ranking among the top five in average. He also owns one 800 series.
JIM FELLOWS
Elected in the Superior Performance category, Fellows is considered to be one of the top left-handers of his era. He averaged over 210 for 30 of his 38 years as a sanctioned bowler with 25 career 800 series (with a high of 856) and 45 300 games, including a high average of 231. He also owns more than 10 299 games. He has won the John Klonowski Memorial Scratch Singles twice and the Stark County Masters once along with a pair of Stark County USBC Open team titles.
JOSEPH C. ALTIMORE III
Elected in the Superior Performance category, Altimore has competed at a high level as a player and a high school bowling coach at Perry High School. He also bowled left-handed at one point while recovering from injury. He owns Stark County Masters and Stan Krizay Singles titles with top five finishes in several other area major events. Altimore owns 16 800 series (with a high of 856), 32 300 games and more than 15 299s. A former GCBA board member, he also has served as president of several area leagues, including the Northeast Ohio Travel League. He has led Perry to numerous OHSAA State Championship appearances.
MARK HERDLICK
Elected in the Superior Performance category, Herdlick was the 1985 Stark County Rookie of the Year and held the county’s high series record of 868 for several years before it was broken. … Herdlick owns 10 800 series and 20 300 games although he stepped away from the sport in recent years. The only three-time champion of the Glen Hannum Memorial Singles at Park Centre Lanes, he averaged over 210 for all 37 of his adult bowling seasons with a high of 236. He also won singles and doubles titles outside of the county and participated in the former Budweiser League of Masters.
WOMEN
CAROL J. PITTSON
Elected in the Superior Performance category, Pittson had a high average of 212 and averaged over 200 for eight seasons. She owns two 300 games and one 800 series (805) while being a member of 10 league championship teams. She has been a sanctioned bowler for 40 years, and owns top-five finishes in the CWBA Handicap Tournament and the state 600-700 Club events while also participating the Ohio Queens and Inter-City tournaments.
