Page 130 - BCM June 2024

One of Us

(continued from page 68) ing the shutdown, among other efforts.
A native of Buffalo, Borowski gradu-
disabled, “to experience the joy of ated from the University at Buffalo
athletic participation at a level within with degrees in finance and manage-
each individual’s capabilities.” ment information systems, and soon
Borowski promotes fund raisers — a joined Brunswick Bowling and Bil-
lot of them — stressing their value and liards as an auditor. He moved back to
ease. “An attractive and relatively easy the Buffalo area (Amherst) and bought
way to raise needed cash is a bowling two centers, selling one in 2000.
fund raiser,” reads the website. “One “This gives me the opportunity to
of the advantages of this approach to focus on just one center, Allie Brandt
fund raising is that you do not need a Lanes, and the ability to breathe once
lot of money to start out with to hold in a while,” he says.
the fund raiser.” Borowski is a good bowler, having
MSSucks (a multiple sclerosis chap- rolled an 802 series on two separate
ter), a Masons lodge, schools, church- occasions. He got a USBC ring for
es and youth sports teams are among the first one — a ring that was stolen.
non-profits that have made bowling a Police recovered it and returned it two
big part of their fund raising. days before he rolled the second.
It’s this sort of effort that led BPAA “I had to get the last nine strikes to
President Kevin Krauss to select achieve it. You can’t make this stuff The namesake of Allie Brandt Lanes
Borowski for the 2024 President’s up.” stood just 5-foot-5, but one evening in
Award. He and Joe Sagasta “had the most 1939 he bowled like a giant when he
strung games of 297, 289 and 300 for a
His center “is a local community fun” in winning the 2019 Hall of Fame long-standing record 886 series.
center. He works hard every day,” Xtravaganza, a fund raiser for the In-
Krauss notes. What tipped the scales ternational Bowling Museum and Hall
was Borowski’s response to COVID-19. of Fame held at Red Rock Lanes in Las open only every other lane. But within
“He never wavered,” Krauss says. Vegas, not quite a year before COVID the first hour, “we had 14 of our 18
As New York State BPA president, shut down Allie Brandt Lanes. available lanes being used. It was just a
Borowski fought what were among That closure lasted five months and great day.”
the most draconian restrictions in the one day. But who’s counting? The fact that he (and owners before
country. him) chose to keep the
“Our New York asso- Allie Brandt name on
ciation just made a big the center was applaud-
full-force effort to bring “Our New York association just made a big ed by those connected
bowling back by writing full-force effort to bring bowling back by to the sport, including
legislators, writing the then-USBC Lockport
governor and sending in writing legislators, writing the governor association manager
bowling pins,” he says. and sending in bowling pins. We did Tim Kirsch.
“We did so much to try “There had been
to bring bowling back.” so much to try to bring bowling back.” rumors that the name
Those pins admon- — Brian Borowski might change and that
ished Cuomo to let upset a lot of people
bowling centers reopen, because Allie Brandt is
and they were signed a local icon.”
(in Magic Marker) by customers who “I was,” Borowski says. “People had Allie Brandt and Brian Borowski.
sometimes reminded the guv that they been itching and they’d been calling They’ve meant the world to Lockport
also were voters. Then there was the everyday wanting to know when they bowling. And for the foreseeable
petition started by Doug Liquori and could come in, and finally we were future, they’re going to continue
posted on change.org’s website that able to get good guidance.” one of the sport’s most interesting
argued the economic costs of continu- The guidance told him that he could partnerships.

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