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 Although
Mark Jackson was born in Whitehorse, he was a youngster
when his family moved to Wetaskiwin where Mark started and
completed his schooling. As his older brother had the only
pair of skates in their home, Mark took up bowling rather
than hockey. During his bowling career he was a champion
at the local, Provincial and National levels. In his
amazing career, he represented Alberta at twenty-one
different National Championships. It is for his many
accomplishments over thirty-nine years in 5 Pin Bowling that
Mark is being inducted into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports
Hall of Fame.
Represented Alberta at Twenty-one
Different National Championships
Mark started bowling as a
twelve year-old in the Wetaskiwin Youth Bowling Council (YBC)
league and in 1969 was a member of the Wetaskiwin YBC
Team that won the Provincial Championships. From 1971-1974
Mark participated in the Alberta High School Provincial
Championships and won the team gold medal in 1974.
Once out of high school, Mark
participated in many weekly bowling leagues in Wetaskiwin,
Leduc and Edmonton. While bowling league in Wetaskiwin, he
attained the League City High Average, High Triple and High
Single for many years. Mark holds the City of Edmonton
record for High Average of 286 in league play. Mark has
bowled more than 25 games of 400 and over and bowled one
perfect game of 450 in 2004.
25 Games of 400 and Over - One
Perfect Game
 For twenty-seven years Mark
participated in the Alberta Open Provincial Championships in
both single’s and team events and was selected Tournament
All-Star at several of these Championships. He was a member
of winning Provincial teams five times (1989, 1990, 2000,
2003, and 2004). As a member of those five Provincial
Championship Teams, Mark represented Alberta in the Canadian
Open National Championships where he and his teammates were
National Champions twice (2000, 2003), third once (2004) and
fourth two times (1989, 1990). Three of those years (2000,
2003, 2004) Mark was selected as a Tournament All-Star. At
the National Championships in 1988, Mark was the Alberta
representative in Men’s Singles competition where he
finished fourth and in 2004 Mark set the record for High 16
Game Pinfall (4734 - 295.8 average/game).
Mark also participated in the
Master Bowlers’ Association of Alberta for ten years and was
on the winning Provincial Team four times (1988, 1991, 1994,
1998). Those four years his team traveled to the National
Championships and won the team gold medal twice (1988, 1994)
and placed fourth once (1991). In 1998 Mark also won the
silver medal in Men’s Singles Competition at the National
Championship.
Named Century of Excellence Top 100
Male Bowlers
Besides competing in the Open
and Master’s bowling competitions, Mark represented Alberta
in ten National TV Championships. He competed three times
in the TSN Pins Game and was the Champion in 1998. As well,
he competed seven times in CBC Champion Series, reaching the
quarter finals in 1989 and the semi finals in 2003.
 For over twenty years Mark
also competed in open tournaments across Western Canada. He
has won top prize two times in each of the Manitoba, Regina
and Edmonton tournaments and won once in each of the
Saskatoon, Calgary and Kelowna tournaments.
Mark retired from competitive
bowling in 2007, ending his long and illustrious career.
Besides competing, Mark also obtained his Level I Coaching
Certificate. He has coached a YBC Bantam boys team in
Wetaskiwin, a Provincial Open men’s team as well as a
Master’s National Ladies team. He also served as a member
of the Wetaskiwin local 5 Pin Executive.
Mark was recognized for his
accomplishments with the City of Edmonton Salute to
Excellence Award in 2000 and 2003. He was a member of the
Master’s Tournament Division for 10 years and the Alberta
Five-Pin Bowlers’ Association for 27 years. In 2009 Mark
was named one of the Century of Excellence Top 100 Male
Bowlers by the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association on the
100th anniversary of 5 Pin Bowling in Canada.
We recognize the hours of
practice, effort and dedication that Mark has put into his
sport and that have contributed to his successes. His
outstanding achievements and longevity in 5 Pin Bowling are
being affirmed by his induction into the Wetaskiwin and
County Sports Hall of Fame.
Information
about an inductee is collected from published sources,
sports archives, scrapbooks,
anecdotal information from family, friends and fans, and the
athlete.
However,
sometimes the best stories and personal insights are gleaned
at the
induction dinner from the
introductory comments or acceptance speech of the inductee
or their representative.
Where
possible we have included this type of
information for your enjoyment.
Read the
opening comments made by Collen Grinde when introducing Mark
Jackson.
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