Striking Leaders

1. A lot of people like to ask how old you were when you started bowling, which you can answer if you’d like, but when did you really start to get serious about it? What was the turning point for you?

  I was 17 years old in my first adult league at Colonial Bowling Alley candlepin lanes. The turning point for me, was receiving cash at the end of the season.  I was into that for about 4 years in Worcester. 

Photo: Colonial Bowl in Worcester MA – Candlepin

2. What is your overall bowling history?

  I bowled candlepin for 3 seasons. My older brother Jim (2 years older and by one week) came home when his tour in the Marines was over, and he told me he bowled ten pin down south. He averaged 165 in a league on their base. My ten pin career started at that time. I used to play with my brother recreationally and then we joined a fall league. I averaged 165 and he only averaged 135 in the league we bowled at Lincoln Lanes in Worcester; they were always tough lanes. We bowled Lincoln Lanes until they closed about the early 90s. After that league I haven’t stopped since. We used to bowl “King of the Hill” tournaments, local qualifying events with TV bowling. On one of those tournaments, I came in second, lost to my best friend, but we split the pot!

3. Who are some of the most influential people in your bowling history, coaches, peers, etc.?

  My biggest influence was a teammate in the Worcester Businessmen’s league, former president Peter Wex. He taught me how to Spot Bowl and it helped me increase my average by 25 pins. [Spot bowling is shooting over a mark.] Another person that comes to mind is my best friend, Bryan Benicaso, (the one who won “King of the Hill”) who I bowled alongside for upwards of 40 years. He became a dear friend to me where my daughters called him their uncle, my best man at my wedding, and a part of my family until his passing in 2023.

Photo: Bryan G. Benicaso, Worcester County

4. How many Titles, if any, do you have?

 I have acquired several titles over my years of bowling. Most notably in my local area of Worcester County tournaments. The most important one for me was during the 1982 MA state tournament at Riverdale Lanes in Springfield Massachusetts. My coworker Edmound Rezuke and I, took first place in Doubles, both handicap and scratch that year.  Every house has a different shot, sometimes I would find myself on the 8 board!

5. What was one of your most memorable bowling moments?

  The most memorable moments, I’d have to say when I bowled my two 300 games and 299 game.

Photo: Gerard and wife Nancy.

6. How do you feel about pro bowlers?

I have the utmost respect for how grueling it is to make a living bowling the elite bowlers in the PBA. My favorite PBA bowler is the 2024 Rookie of the Year, Nate Purches. I am so proud to see him grow into the amazing and talented young man he has become.

Photo: Nate Purches – 2024 PBA Rookie of the Year. Taken at Bowlero Worcester, in Auburn MA.

7. Would you consider yourself a “Covid” bowler, that is, beginning bowling during the pandemic years 2019-2022?

 I would have to say no, since I have been bowling long before the Pandemic.

8. Do you remember Bowlero Worcester when it was AMF Auburn, or even before that? What was it like and how would you like to see the alley grow?

  I bowled in Auburn when it was Auburn ten pin, even before AMF took over, Freddie Denafrio was the manager and he always made sure the alley was catered towards its league bowlers. I have a lot of great memories at both locations. I met my late wife Nancy, the mother of two of my daughters at AMF Town & Country bowl in Shrewsbury, and watched my children and grandchildren bowl there growing up. Unfortunately since Bowlero has taken over, there has been a sharp decline in the upkeep of the lanes, in turn destroying the sanctity of league bowling.

Photo: Bowlero Shrewsbury (formerly AMF Town & Country Bowl).

9. What would you do if this location decided they wanted to move to String bowling?

  As I mentioned before, the direction in which Bowlero has made the bowling alley geared more towards money grabbing entertainment rather than leagues. I would have to honestly answer, that my bowling career would be over if this change was implemented.

10. Who are some of the current or former employees you’d like to acknowledge for their service to the center?

Betty Wilson; Who ran the snack bar at AMF Shrewsbury.

Jonny Broadbent; Assistant desk manager, who always took extra care and attention to the Saturday morning youth league that my daughters bowled in.

Mike and Lauren Eramo; Although not employees, they ran the Saturday morning youth league for decades, only stopping once Bowlero took over.

Eric Mahoney; Current manager at Bowlero Worcester.

Photo: Ugly sweater contest in Bowlero Shrewsbury with the Digital Company League.

11. What comes to mind with the words “Bowling Family”?

 The Worcester County USBC, which I am a life member of, and the lifelong connections I have established via couching the youth and high school leagues, and as a bowler myself.

12. If you could be remembered for ONE thing regarding bowling, what would it be?

  Coaching; being a bowling coach has single-handedly given me friends and family I would have never had otherwise. Even after I’m gone, I am confident that the connections I’ve made by coaching people will remain strong through the shared love and passion for the sport. Case and point, Rena, someone who I met through coaching!

*[Editor’s Note: Gerard insisted I leave this part in, my humble thanks to a great mentor and coach]