George Makin

George Makin joined the City Bowling Club in 1949 at the age of 32 and was a member of the pair that won the Canberra City Pairs Championship only three years later. He transferred to Canberra South in 1959 and before he left Canberra in 1975 he had won his club’s singles championship nine times. He also competed in pairs, triples and fours during his club career and amassed 13 titles in these disciplines. At the Federal District Bowling Association and the National Capital Tournament he won ten Singles Championships, seven Pairs Championships and four Fours Championships. He also was the first Champion of Club Champions in Canberra in 1969 and won it again three times before 1975. In short, in the 23 years he was bowling in Canberra he won an average of more than two club or regional championships every year. At different times in his career between 1958 – 1970, Makin captained teams representing the Federal District Bowls Association. He also captained Queensland in 1976. Perhaps his most notable achievement came in 1958, after a series of elimination matches against the best bowlers in Australia. A four skippered by Makin won the right to represent Australia in the Empire Games in Cardiff, Wales. As bowls are not part of the Olympic Games the Empire Games are therefore the highest international level to which a bowler can aspire. In 1962, Makin’s four again won the right to represent Australia, this time at the Games in Perth. The most interesting achievement in George Makin’s career is that he was the first person in Canberra to captain an Australian team in any sport.   LAWN BOWLS Born: 20 April 1917 Deceased: 18 January 2005 Inducted: 1998   Full Member