Webster’s dictionary defines the word gem in a number of ways including:“Someone who ought to be treasured,” “exquisite,” and “brilliant.” These same definitions can be applied to captain Julia Hanusiak, Jeane Wood, Lil Steeves, Betty Peppard, Ella Mae Greene, Iris Powell and Lorraine LaFrance - the seven ladies who, between 1953 and 1981, won 22 Provincial and 6 Maritime titles in candlepin bowling, including a string of 8 in a row in the decade of the ‘70’s and 10 of 11 between 1959 and ’69!They topped that off with 78 consecutive defences of the Schooner Trophy. In early July of 1989 they were honoured by the International Candlepin Bowling Hall of Fame.Historian Earl McAuley called them “. . . the best bowling team . . . ever,” and added:“. . . I haven’t seen any teams, even down in the States, who would come even closed to a record like that.”Brilliant! Exquisite! A Provincial treasure! 

Enrolled in the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, June 2, 1990.