IGBO recalls a fantastic bowling tournament in Cleveland

FGG member organization IGBO (International Gay Bowling Organization)has been around since 1980 and has hosted many bowling tournaments through its history. Sports Coordinator Toby Pineau shares his recollections of an IGBO Annual Tournament held in Cleveland:


One memorable tournament was held in Cleveland, Ohio in May 1998. Over 500 bowlers from the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand gathered for a superb
bowling tournament.

Cleveland showed us a fabulous time, starting with a registration event and party at the historic Cuyahoga Country Courthouse with dancing and refreshments on tap until midnight. The state-of-the-art Palisades bowling center was able to host all bowlers on its 100 lanes.

We also enjoyed visiting the city. I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Museum, the Galleria shopping center, and Tower City, to name of few of the attractions on offer to IGBO bowlers that weekend.

Cleveland LGBT bowlers are old hands at organizing great tournaments. They've hosted the GIFT (Gay/Lesbian Invitational Fellowship Tournament) bowling tournament each year since 1988 and by 2014 will have over a quarter century of experience in tournament organization. The organizers of the GIFT tournament know that the sports experience has to be great, but that people come to have a good time, and they ensure that all participants have the best time possible every year, with events such as the "GIFT Cruise" on the famous Goodtimes III Lake Erie cruise ship.

We're looking forward to plenty of bowlers in 2014. The nearby cities like Columbus and Toledo in Ohio, Detroit in Michigan, Buffalo in New York, and Toronto, Hamilton, and London in Ontario are just the biggest of the many cities near Cleveland and Akron. IGBO's "North American Heartland Region" includes 42 leagues and offers 10 tournaments each year.

The LGBT bowling community represented by IGBO is very happy to see one of our founding cities host the next Gay Games. We know from our own experience that they'll put on a great event, and more important, will be fantastic hosts, full of warmth and friendship, for everyone who comes to Northeast Ohio for Gay Games 9.

Game on!