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Doug Miller changed the course of the bowling history. During a ten-year period, 1960-1970, Doug’s creative genius initiated several programs that have become the foundation of our sport as we know it today.

Included are the Youth Bowling Council and Four Steps to Stardom. The formation of the Bowling Proprietors Association of Canada. The Golden Age Bowlers Club, the Bowling Proprietors Association of Ontario zoning system and the World Bantam Tournament. Doug was also instrumental in forming the Master Bowlers Association of Ontario.

Originally born in Peterborough, as a youngster Doug was an avid sportsman, participating in lacrosse, football, hockey and boxing. Lacrosse may have been his favourite sport, as not only did he play professional lacrosse in Toledo, Ohio in 1948 and 1949, he also coached a Peterborough juvenile lacrosse team to the Ontario championships in 1952.

Doug’s bowling connections began through his father’s construction company, which built Allencourt Lanes in 1959. With the bowling boom in full swing, Doug decided to stay on as manager, and in a three year period tested many of the programs that became provincial and national events.

Doug moved to provincial and national prominence in 1962, with his appointment as Executive Director of the Bowling Proprietors Association of Ontario and Five Pin Bowling would never be the same.

As well as starting several new programs, Doug took part in meetings that resulted in the elimination of the Counter Pin, the organization of fundraising campaigns for the Youth Bowling Council, insurance and taxation aids for the bowling proprietors and sponsorship and positive public relations programs.

In 1969, Doug resigned from the proprietors association to join Seaway-Multi Corp. as Assistant General Manager of the Seaway Hotel Chain. He continued on until 1972 when the hotels were sold, at which time he moved on to CCM as product manager for hockey and lacrosse equipment.

In 1978, Doug was offered the opportunity to return to the bowling scene and this time the benefactor was Canada’s largest bowling chain, Bowlerama Ltd. As food and beverage manager for Bowlerama, Doug introduced control systems for the chain’s snack bar operations and also formulated the original presentation for positive liquor licensing throughout the chain. For his efforts, Doug was named Concessionaire of the Year for Eastern and Central Canada by the National Association of Concessionaires.