St. Mary's Bowling League

Frank Kessing, Treas.; John Mack, V. Pres.
Andrew Von Hendy, Sec.; Ralph DeSocio, Pres.

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St. Mary’s Bowling League is an outgrowth of the Holy Name Athletic Association which was organized in 1931. This organization was composed of the Catholic Parishes in the city of Elmira, Elmira Heights and Horseheads. One of the first activities of the Association was a bowling league and St. Mary’s was represented by a team that gave only a mediocre exhibition as most of the bowlers had never had a bowling ball in their hands before. Bowling on the K of C alleys, the members of the St. Mary’s team were: Father Irvin Sullivan, Owen McCarthy, Joe Sandore, Edward Sweeney, Andy VonHendy, Johnny O’Brien and Walt Redder. That team ended in last place in the league but in spite of its poor finish the members enjoyed themselves so much they decided to explore the possibilities of a parish league so that more men in the parish could also enjoy the same good times.

In August of the following year at a meeting in the school auditorium St. Mary’s bowling league was formed and the officers elected: Walter Sullivan (now deceased) was elected president, Joe Capozzi, treasurer, and Andy VonHendy, secretary. The league was made up of four teams and some of the members included: Father Sullivan, Owen McCarthy, Joe Sandore, Joe Capozzi, Ed Sweeney, Johnny O’Brien, Walt Redder, Walt Sullivan, Andy VonHendy, John Mack Bill Davis, Dan Sheedy, Joe Gourley, Jim Tunney, Joe Rice, Ronny Bacon, Jim Golden, Ralph DeSocio, Berny Kelly, Florance Curran, Jack Ryan, and others. That league bowled on Sunday afternoons at the K of C. Many of the men mentioned above are still bowling today with St. Mary’s.

In the year 1933 the league increased to 6 teams with two shifts. This worded a hardship due to the fact that there were only four alleys available and the second shift was unable to start until four thirty. This was also the year that St. Mary’s league began to send representative teams to the Catholic Tournament in Rochester. The names of some of the new members included: Jerry Keefe, Frank Kessing, Earl Golden, Jerome Fitzpatrick, Joe DeWandler, Leo Sweeny, Tom Donahue, Tom Touhy, Lewis Mann, Ed Elston, Bill O’Brien, Bill Pint, Tom Ryan, Ed Connelly, Howard Donahue, Bill Dunn, Bill Deveraux, Francis Farr. This league bowled on Sunday afternoons from the year 1933 through 1941.

During this period the league prospered and each year at least one of the teams won prize money in the Catholic Tournaments. These trips were always an added attraction that were looked forward to from the beginning of the bowling season. Also during this period many of the Assistant Pastors took part in the bowling. Besides Father Sullivan, Rev. Fathers Haffey, Burns, Gaynor, Hogan and Schnacky and our present Assistant Pastors Fathers Lane and Lynch.

The war took many of our younger bowlers in 1942 and only a few of the old timers got together on Sunday afternoons to bowl in the league and it dropped to a four team league.

Bowling took an upsurge in 1943 and it was decided to move the league to the Stancliff Alleys which were then operated by one of our parishioners, Frank Bedenk along with Johnny Heher. The games were bowled there during the years ’43, 44 and 45, with an eight team league. As the boys began to return from service they rejoined the bowling league, consequently to care for the increased numbers it was necessary to look for more alleys. It was decided at the same time to bowl on a weekday night instead of a Sunday afternoon. At this time, due to the change, the league lost John Dunn, Art Lutz, Mike Masia, Ralph Reed, Father Kameen of Bentley Creek and Peter Baker.

A most enthusiastic organization meeting was held in October 1946 and a 12 team league was set up. The officers elected at that meeting are still in office: president, Ralph DeSocio; vice president, John Mack; treasurer, Frank Kessing; secretary, Andy VonHendy. At the same time the league moved to the Rossi Alleys on W. Washington Avenue where the league bowls two shifts on Monday evenings on alleys 19 through 24. Here on Monday nights the men of St. Mary’s meet in a friendly competitive group and enjoy themselves in real fun and sport—knowing that at the end of the season a trip to Rochester and the final get-to-gether banquet will mark the finale of another year of bowling.