LGBT Ten-Pin Bowling League, The Sydney Rams, Celebrates 40th Anniversary Season
Image: Sydney Rams Tenpin Bowling Facebook. Supplied
by Chris Pepin-Neff
Last Saturday night, Sydney’s LGBTQI ten-pin bowling league, the Sydney Rams, celebrated its 40th anniversary season.
First started in May 1983, the Rams have 13 teams of three people that bowl weekly on Mondays in Mascot at the Manhattan Super Bowl.
In attendance were several original members including Kim Shephard, who is the current Vice President. Shephard was named a Life Member of the Rams this week.
This 40th season saw a number of highlights including only the second perfect 300 game, by a member (Mick), and a special visit during World Pride, by the Los Angeles Rams American Football cheerleaders. Seriously. Look for the Rams booth at Fair Day this year to join the league for their 41st year and season, which starts in February.
Have Provided Valuable Social Capital To LGBT Communities
LGBTIQ+ groups like the Sydney Rams have provided valuable social capital to the queer, trans, and gender-diverse community from terrible days of AIDS to the heights of the Gay Games in Sydney in 2002.
Community members have bowled since before sodomy was legalised in NSW in 1984, and through Marriage Equality in 2017.
The Rams have been an institution of community, hosting Charity Bingo nights over the years which has gone to groups such as the Gender Centre, as well as annual picnics, nights out at The Pollys Club, Mardi Gras tournaments, and three to four “Bring a Buddy nights per season where anyone can bowl.
You may even run into some brilliant drag performances by Lyndon Gaskin, who has also been a member for 40 years.
The Sydney Rams are also part of Team Sydney and the International Gay Bowling Association, which they joined in 1999 at the mid-year tournament in Honolulu, HI. The future looks bright with the Rams led by President Darren Kepert, Vice President Kim Shephard, and Secretary Norman Mitchell.
Chris Pepin-Neff is a writer, academic, and Sydney local. He has been a member of the Sydney Rams since 2022.
