World Bowls Hall of Fame Inductees for Contribution to the Game

World Bowls is pleased to announce the next cohort of Hall of Fame inductees all of whom have made significant contributions to our sport.

Eight inductees are being honoured from seven countries around the world – Scotland, Australia, Hong Kong China, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Africa.

In making the announcement, World Bowls president Brett O’Riley said: “We are delighted to announce these super eight inductees to the World Bowls Hall of Fame for their contributions to the modern establishment of our sport, with service across three centuries and covering almost every aspect of bowls.

“From William Wallace Mitchell whose Laws of the Game unified our sport, to Dr. Neil Benjamin and George Atkinson who set new milestones for World Bowls championships, these Hall of Fame inductees have made a lasting impact.

“Betty Collins was instrumental in the gender amalgamation of our sport and establishing World Bowls, alongside Kerry Clark, who has actively excelled across an incredible six decades as an international player, administrator, and in the development of the Laws and technical aspects of our sport. Both Betty and Kerry remain actively involved to this day.

“The growth of bowls in the Asia region in former British colonies, India, Malaysia and Hong Kong China, was expertly guided by three outstanding administrators, Tun Ahmad, Raj Bengani and Vincent Cheung. Their contribution included leading the hosting of two Commonwealth Games in 1998 and 2010, and the development of the Hong Kong Classic as a major international event. Beyond that, they helped lay the groundwork for what would lead to revolutionary youth development programs and new infrastructure, that have built Asia into the leading growth region for bowls, and an inspiration to new Member Nations and regions globally.”

“The achievements and experience of these eight incredible servants to our game highlight important historic milestones in our sport and globally we all benefit from their legacies today”, said O’Riley.

The eight inductions will be held individually in their home countries over the coming months.

ABOUT THE INDUCTEES

WILLIAM WALLACE MITCHELL (1803-1884) SCOTLAND

King Charles II drew up a code for the sport of bowls in 1670. But it was William Wallace Mitchell, a Glasgow solicitor and cotton merchant, who was responsible in the 19th century for ‘cleaning up’ the game, which we understand was at times lawless and even violent.

Bowls had been banned as a game for the ‘common people’ by successive kings of England as early as the 1300s, though it continued to be played by royalty and their nobles. Part of the ban was because bowls games often involved fighting, gambling and neglecting of work duties, including soldiery.

It was the Scots who were credited with ‘tidying the game up’ after it was introduced north of the border in the 16th century and William Mitchell played a key role. Mr. Mitchell attended the first attempt to form a Scottish national association at the Glasgow Town Hall in Scotland in 1848, but the attendees failed to agree.

The meeting was reconvened in 1849 and again no agreement was made to bring the association together. But it was apparent that delegates were keen to have a uniform code of laws, so they appointed a consulting body with W.W. Mitchell as the Hon. Secretary. Mr. Mitchell had started playing bowls in Kilmarnock when he was 11, and he was a keen player. Working with the consulting body he undertook to formulate the Laws of the Game for general use. These Laws were initially adopted by all clubs in the West of Scotland in 1849.

In 1864 Mr. Mitchell published a Manual of Bowls Playing incorporating his Laws and giving instructions to skips as to how they could make visual signals to colleagues informing them of the position or giving directions without revealing the tactics verbally to the opposing skip!

Bowls in the 14th century

The Scottish Bowling Association was formed in 1892, and in 1893 the Laws were adopted with some modifications. W.W. Mitchell almost single-handedly compiled the set of ‘rules’ that formed the basis of the Laws that were adopted by the International Bowling Board in 1905 when it was established.

The Laws have been continually adapted since and are used globally today. In parts of the UK, a toucher is often referred to as a ‘Mitchell’ and it is thought that this is an affectionate nod towards the Scot who gave us the Laws of the Game and one of the foundations for the game’s growth.

DR NEIL BENJAMIN OBE (1902 – 1971) AUSTRALIA

Dr. Neil Benjamin was International Bowling Board president in 1966. He was the individual that was instrumental in getting the first World Men’s Championship approved by the IBB in 1962 and raising the funding necessary to host it at the brand-new New South Wales League Club Bowling Club at Kyeemagh in Sydney, Australia.

Bowls was not included in the Commonwealth Games in 1966 due to the unavailability of greens in the host city Kingston, Jamaica. This is the first and only time that bowls has not been part of the Commonwealth Games, or its antecedent Games, having been one of the original six sports at the first Empire Games in 1930, that was played at Roselawn Bowling Club, Gage Park in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Neil took the opportunity to establish the inaugural Men’s World Bowls championships as a replacement event to the Commonwealth Games that year, thus creating a legacy for the sport replicated with multiple World Bowls events since then. The inaugural 1966 event held between October 10 – 23 featured 16 teams from countries or colonies that were members of the IBB.

To Neil’s delight, Australia won the WM Leonard Trophy for the best team overall. David Bryant (England) won the gold medal in the singles, Australia’s Bert Palm and Geoff Kelly won the pairs and John Dobbie, Athol Johnston, and Don Collins won the triples, and New Zealand’s Bill O’Neill, Gordon Jolly, Ron Buchan and Norm Lash won the fours gold.

This inspired the newly incorporated International Women’s Bowling Board to hold their first Women’s World Bowls championships which were held in 1969, at the Elizabethan Bowls Club, Rockdale in Sydney, Australia from 4-12 December. The British Isles nations had not yet joined so six nations took part, South Africa, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Canada and USA.

South Africa dominated the event and secured the overall Taylor Trophy, with golds in the pairs from May Cridlan and Elsie McDonald, triples from Kathy Bidwell, Yetta Emanuel, and Sara Sundelowitz, and fours from Cridlan, Bidwell, Emanuel and Sundelowitz. Gladys Doyle from Papua New Guinea won the singles gold medal.

For his services, Neil Benjamin was made a life member of the International Bowling Board, having been involved as a member of the IBB from 1958 until 1968. He was from Wagga in New South Wales where he served as club president of the South Wagga Club. Neil was a Royal New South Wales Bowling Association delegate to the Australian Bowling Council in 1958 and first rose to international prominence when he managed the Australian team at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff.

GEORGE HARTLEY ATKINSON (1920 – 1991) SOUTH AFRICA

Those who attended the World Bowls Championship in South Africa in 1976 remember it as the greatest championship ever. Not only was the venue fantastic but the crowd support (10,000 people per day), the quality of bowls played, and the way in which the athletes and officials were hosted has never been matched since.

The leadership of the organising committee was in the hands of prominent businessman and bowls administrator George Atkinson. The commentary about him in the official record of those games says it all: “Without any doubt, George, honorary life president of the South African Bowling Association, honorary life member of the Southern Transvaal Bowling Association, convenor of the national selection committee and generally known in South Africa as ‘Mr. Bowls’ deserves the accolade of ‘a legend in his lifetime.’

“His unparalleled career of bowls administration at all levels, including his recently concluded two-year term of office as honorary secretary of the International Bowling Board and his managership of the Springbok bowls side in Worthing in 1972, has been climaxed by his inspiring leadership and incredible efforts since November 1972 to ensure the success of the 1976 World Bowls Championship Tournament.

Through example, his pleasant personality and sense of humour, he has received outstanding support from his colleagues which, in turn, has contributed significantly to the team spirit which has characterised the tournament committee. It is noteworthy that he has been ‘capped’ as a Southern Transvaal player and as such was a member of a fours team which won a South African Inter-District Tournament.”

George was a great leader and personality. The organising committee for World Bowls 1976 included 103 members of 23 sub-committees, including his wife Joan Atkinson leading the catering sub-committee – quite an undertaking.

The result for South Africa was overwhelming. They won the overall WM Leonard Trophy with an unprecedented clean sweep of all four gold medals, which has never been repeated. There were golds to Doug Watson in the singles, Kevin Campbell, Nando Gatti, Kelvin Lightfoot and Bill Moseley in the Fours, Watson and Moseley in the pairs, and Campbell, Gatti and Lightfoot in the triples. Across all four disciplines they only lost five games during the championships, urged on by the huge crowds of local fans.

There is little doubt that George would have been an IBB president in the 1980s but for the Gleneagles agreement which banned South Africa from international sport from 1977 to the early 1990s.

TUN AHMAD SARJI ABDUL HAMID (1938 – 2021) MALAYSIA

Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid was coerced into becoming the president of Lawn Bowls Malaysia. He was a very successful public servant, having served as the ninth Chief Secretary to the Government from 1990 – 1996, the highest position in the Malaysian Civil Service. When he retired as a civil servant, Tun Ahmad served in governance for major Malaysian organisations like Sime Darby and PNB.

Despite having no background in lawn bowls, Tun Ahmad was approached by his very good friends A. Razak Hitam and Dato Kamaruddin Mahmood, the founding president of the Malaysia Lawn Bowls Association, to become involved at a critical time for the sport which was to be part of Commonwealth Games 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the same time, the association was facing de-registration for missing filing annual returns.

Kerry Clark was the International Delegate Observer for the 1998 games and was closely involved in working with Razak Hitam, Dato Kamaruddin Mahmood, and Ramble Dallan Rice-Oxley in the efforts to get Tun Ahmad involved. Tun Ahmad eventually agreed to undertake the role in 1997 and then took a very active part in the preparations for 1998, including the development of the National Bowls Centre at Bukit Kiara, in Petaling Jaya, then a satellite township, now a city, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

What followed has been the tremendous growth of the game in Malaysia, aided initially by assistance running seminars and workshops from Kerry Clark, umpires John Butterworth, Norman Deeprose, and coaches Robbie Dobbins and Lachlan Tighe. Tun Ahmad was very proud of Malaysia’s national and international achievements including Commonwealth Games and World Bowls gold medals, having established the vision to “Be the Best in the World”. This history was captured in his book “Lawn Bowls in Malaysia – the President’s Memoir”, first published in 2005.

He was one of the driving forces of the formation of Asia Lawn Bowls Association (Bowls Asia) in 2000 and was elected inaugural President. Tun Ahmad and the Association helped drive growth around the region including the establishment of the annual Asian Lawn Bowls Championship. The overall champion receives the Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji Cup. He also promoted participation in the SEA Games, Commonwealth Youth Games, and organised matches between Asia and Europe, and various multi-nation events, to give Malaysian players as much international competition as possible.

Tun Ahmad’s legacy includes many honours bestowed upon him in Malaysia for his public service.

VINCENT CHEUNG (1945 – 2025) HONG KONG CHINA

Cheung Yuk Fung, who chose Vincent as his preferred English name, was President of the Hong Kong Lawn Bowls Association (HKLBA – now LBAHK) from 1999 until his death in 2025.

He was a driving force behind bowls in the former British Colony, which is now a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. Over the years, Vincent saw through many key organisational changes that meant that bowls not only survived what was known as ‘The Handover’ in 1997 (of the colony from the UK to China) but emerged as a vibrant sport enjoyed by indigenous Hong Kongers.

Thanks, in no small measure to Vincent’s influence, there are now more clubs and more bowlers in Hong Kong than ever before, and a dynamic junior development program. Anyone who has attended the Hong Kong International Classic will confirm that Vincent possessed the charm of a soft-spoken diplomat – but there was no doubt of his strength of character, as he exercised his considerable authority in a quiet, unassuming way, and always had a steady hand on the tiller.

A tribute from the LBAHK summed Vincent up very well: “Vincent dedicated his life to advancing lawn bowls in Hong Kong, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy of passion, leadership and unwavering commitment to the sport. His contributions not only enriched the lawn bowls community but also inspired countless individuals to appreciate the game’s beauty and camaraderie.”

It is claimed that Vincent holds the record as the longest serving president in any bowls organisation in the world. In 2008, Vincent received a Commendation Award from the Hong Kong China Government for his significant contribution to the sport of lawn bowls.

Vincent was also heavily involved with Bowls Asia and joined the Board of Governors in 2001, when Hong Kong China hosted the 1st Asian Lawn Bowls Championship from 17th – 23rd June at Craigengower Cricket Club and the Hong Kong Football Club. He continued to be a driving force on the Board of Bowls Asia for many years working closely with Tun Ahmad from Malaysia and V. Ronalyn Greenless from the Philippines.

Under Vincent’s leadership Hong Kong China became a regular host of World Bowls events including Asia-Pacific Championships and World Junior championships.

RAJENDRA BENGANI (1946 – 2009) INDIA

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Raj Bengani’s singular efforts from his base at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (India’s oldest bowling club), enabled the sport to survive in India from its colonial origins dating back to the 19th century. Raj was Secretary-General of the Bowling Federation of India at a pivotal time for the development of bowls and expanded the sport into new states in India. 

BFI was formed in 1985 and joined the International Bowling Board in 1990. Raj got recognition of bowls by the National Olympic Committee in India which resulted in the sport being included in the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games.

Raj led the team to Auckland where they played in the Men’s Singles, Pairs and Fours, and the Women’s Singles, and Raj played in the Men’s Fours team. Across the championships they came very close to ‘upsetting the apple cart’ of some of the favourites but found the fast New Zealand greens very different.

Inspired by that experience, Raj then played a major role for getting the sport included in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Right from that beginning the potential for bowls in India was clear. 

Raj worked tirelessly for the sport in India and formed a close and brotherly relationship with Raja Randhir Singh who was the Secretary General of the Indian National Olympic Committee and an executive member of the IOC. Raj was also a member of the Indian National Olympic Committee.

It was a tragedy that Raj passed away in August 2009 and didn’t live to see the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the growth and success of the game since then. His efforts for our sport have never received the recognition that they deserved.

India is now a major force in the sport of bowls, having secured their first gold medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games at Leamington Spa, through the Women’s Four of Lovely Choubey, Pinki Singh, Nayanmoni Sakia, and Rupa Rani Tirkey. India has also won medals at Asia Bowls championships and at the 2025 World Cup.

Raj’s son Ravi has continued his legacy as a president of the Bowling Federation of India.

BETTY COLLINS OAM AUSTRALIA

Betty was the first female president of the unified world body and is a life member of World Bowls. Only those intimately involved in the 1990s and early 2000s will be aware that the effort to get one unified world body agreed was a very challenging task.

It took several years and Betty was the key leader on the women’s side of the sport who supported the change. There were many who did not! First Betty played a key role in the unification of the Australian Women’s Bowling Council with Bowls Australia, before undertaking the same task with World Bowls, resulting in the formation of World Bowls Limited, based in Scotland.

Betty was initially Deputy President and on becoming World Bowls president, Betty was instrumental in getting approval for there to be one uniform set of Laws of the Game (previously there were three versions). She also got Board approval for New Zealand’s application to host the first combined World Championships in Auckland in 1988.

Betty was a gracious but strong president whose leadership over two terms played a big part in the modernisation of the game. During her presidency there were many new events introduced including the World Champion of Champion Singles, and other innovations like rankings.

Betty was honoured with the Order of Australia Medal in 2002. She was inducted into the inaugural Bowls Australia Hall of Fame in 2011.

Previously, Betty was president of both the Australian Women’s Bowling Council and the Victoria Ladies Bowling Association. She was a Victorian State selector, Committee member, and Councillor.

Betty was an Australian team manager at the Commonwealth Games and Chair of the Women’s World Championships in 2000 held in Moama, New South Wales, Australia.

In retirement Betty continues to enthusiastically support our sport, and the Betty Collins Trophy is awarded to the top performing women’s team at the Australian Senior Sides event.

KERRY CLARK OBE CNZM NEW ZEALAND

A New Zealander whose scope of contribution to bowls over his lifetime has been massive, Kerry Clark is a true giant of the game. Kerry’s involvement in so many areas of our sport is unparalleled.

Kerry was New Zealand’s youngest international player at 21 years of age when first selected for the World Bowls Men’s championship in Worthing, England in 1972. He was a gold medalist in the Christchurch (New Zealand) 1974 Commonwealth Games men’s fours with Dave Baldwin, Jack Somerville and Gordon Jolly. Kerry also narrowly missed singles medals at both World Bowls 1976 in South Africa and at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.

In 1980, Kerry became a New Zealand selector and team manager during their golden era in the men’s game with unparalleled success at World Bowls 1984 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and 1988 in Auckland New Zealand, and strong performances in the 1982 (Brisbane, Australia), 1986 (Edinburgh, Scotland) and 1990 Commonwealth Games (Auckland, New Zealand).

Kerry first joined the International Bowling Board in 1982 and was president from 1988 – 1990. He became Chair of the New Zealand Bowling Association in 1992 and CEO in 1996 a position he held until 2018 by which time it had become Bowls New Zealand, governing the amalgamated sport. With the establishment of World Bowls in 2000, Kerry became a board member and led New Zealand’s hosting of the 2008 and 2016 amalgamated World Bowls championships held in Christchurch, along with a host of other World Bowls initiatives including regional championships.

Kerry also became involved in leading the World Bowls Laws Committee and supervised the revision processes for the editions. He was also the World Bowls Technical Lead at many international events and successive Commonwealth Games. The latter included the 1998 edition in Kuala Lumpur where he worked with Tun Ahmad and his organising team, and the 2010 edition in New Delhi, where Kerry had worked with Raj Bengani before his passing, and directly led the development of the bowls infrastructure with fellow Kiwi Bill Fowlie.

FOOTNOTE: Having retired Kerry was lured back to be the inaugural chair of the World Bowls Hall of Fame Committee by World Bowls president Brett O’Riley. It was the committee that proposed Kerry for this recognition to the Hall of Fame Committee (in Kerry’s absence) and the World Bowls board unanimously endorsed the recommendation.

World Bowls announced its first-ever Hall of Fame inductees in 2025 when 31 of the sport’s most outstanding players, both past and present, were honoured at a special induction ceremony attended by Bowls Malaysia’s royal patron, the Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, during the inaugural World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in November 2025.