For over 20 years, Bob McEachern was one of the best bowlers in Manitoba. McEachern sported an average of 250 plus during those years. Bowling almost down the centre of the lane and using just a slight hook, he literally exploded the pins for those many strikes he would register.

In 1947, he captained the Winnipeg team to the Western Canada 5-Pin Championship and won the men’s singles title in Calgary. At the Canadian Championship in St. Catherines, Ontario, Winnipeg bowlers swept the men’s, women’s and mixed team honours.

In 1966 McEachern, who was just sparing in the Winnipeg All-Star Men’s, rolled his one and only perfect game. But it was the way it was accomplished that made it just a little unique. McEachern rolled no less than 19 consecutive strikes in this achievement. He finished his second game with seven strikes in a row and then in his third game, he rolled another 12.

He was a member of three Manitoba National Champion Men’s teams. Locally he wore the city high average crown on three different occasions, in 1940-41 at a 256 clip, in 1941-42 with a 257 and in 1958-59 with a 255. He attended 13 Western Canada Championships. Besides that 450 perfect game, he topped the 400 mark on 15 different occasions and had 1,000 series ten times during a bowling career which covered 60 years.

Doug Wood described McEachern in this manner, “Why was he so good? Well, the physical greatness was an easy thing to pick out...his approach and delivery were as smooth as silk and he could throw one of the most devastating strike balls I have ever witnessed. Despite his outward calm, he was a fierce competitor and possessed a tremendous amount of desire. The only way you could see it was by looking in his eyes.”