Editor's Note: This is the second in a series that will include all of the 2006 Auburn Bowling Association Hall of Fame inductees.
AUBURN #- The inductees of the Auburn Bowling Hall of Fame have set many records on the lanes, but this year one inductee is making a first even among all the other distinguished bowlers with whom he is being honored.
Gary Wager's induction this year in the distinguished service category, will mark the first time a mother and son have both been members of the hall of fame.
Joining Wager will be Pete Bommersbach in the outstanding bowlers category.
Bommersbach's connection with the game spans back to the time when he was just 6-years-old.
“My father was into bowling,” Bommersbach said. “My whole family was. And that got me into the junior leagues and I just kept moving up from there.”
Bommersbach, who has been a member of the Auburn Bowling Association for 35 years, has wracked up some impressive numbers from his early days on the lanes. His average has been over 200 for many years, with a high of 220. He has bowled a 700 series more than 200 times, including an 807 series and three 300 games to his credit.
“It was something that was fun to do and I liked being competitive,” Bommersbach said “It was fun to win and see what I could do. And I made a lot of friends from doing this, so it has always been something that was fun to do.”
Bommersbach has qualified for The Citizen Maters more than 20 times and been among the final eight competitors five times. He has also won the ABA all-scratch events in 1995, ABA team championships in 1988 and '89 and made the final eight in the Herald Masters twice as well as winning the Senior Masters in 2005.
But in 1986 he finally took home the trophy, winning The Citizen Masters.
“I always did pretty good in the masters,” Bommersbach said. “And I bowled in a lot of other tournaments. But winning that felt really great when it finally happened. It was a great feeling to know that for one year I was the best.”
But as many honors as he has earned and as many trophies as he has taken home, there is nothing to compare with being recognized and chosen for induction into the hall of fame.
“It is such a nice honor,” Bommersbach said. “I have bowled for a long time and it feels really good to have made the list and to be a part of this.”
For Wager, bowling was also the family business.
Wager's mother, Betty Burroughs, for whom Wager and his family sponsor a trophy in the The Citizen Women's Masters, may have been one of the biggest influences on Wager.
A bowler with numerous accomplishments under his belt, Wager told the hall of fame that his greatest accomplishment was bowling his first 700 in the Moose Mixed Doubles Tournament with his mother.
At 61, Wager has been a member of the Auburn Bowling Association for 30 years, serving on the board of directors for five years; Wager also sat at all the chairs of the 700 club and served as president of the Auburn Bowling Council.
He stayed active serving as secretary of the George Sedor Civic League, president of the Pepsi 700 Classic, George Sedor and Winnie Gallo leagues.
During his career, Wager was also instrumental in bringing several state tournaments to Auburn including the VFW, Moose, and Moose Mixed Doubles.
Wager has also served as the 10th district sports chairman for the Moose Club, all the while maintaining his bowling activity in leagues in Auburn as well as Syracuse, Geneva, Fulton, Oswego and Seneca Falls.
Gary Wager's induction this year in the distinguished service category, will mark the first time a mother and son have both been members of the hall of fame.
Joining Wager will be Pete Bommersbach in the outstanding bowlers category.
Bommersbach's connection with the game spans back to the time when he was just 6-years-old.
“My father was into bowling,” Bommersbach said. “My whole family was. And that got me into the junior leagues and I just kept moving up from there.”
Bommersbach, who has been a member of the Auburn Bowling Association for 35 years, has wracked up some impressive numbers from his early days on the lanes. His average has been over 200 for many years, with a high of 220. He has bowled a 700 series more than 200 times, including an 807 series and three 300 games to his credit.
“It was something that was fun to do and I liked being competitive,” Bommersbach said “It was fun to win and see what I could do. And I made a lot of friends from doing this, so it has always been something that was fun to do.”
Bommersbach has qualified for The Citizen Maters more than 20 times and been among the final eight competitors five times. He has also won the ABA all-scratch events in 1995, ABA team championships in 1988 and '89 and made the final eight in the Herald Masters twice as well as winning the Senior Masters in 2005.
But in 1986 he finally took home the trophy, winning The Citizen Masters.
“I always did pretty good in the masters,” Bommersbach said. “And I bowled in a lot of other tournaments. But winning that felt really great when it finally happened. It was a great feeling to know that for one year I was the best.”
But as many honors as he has earned and as many trophies as he has taken home, there is nothing to compare with being recognized and chosen for induction into the hall of fame.
“It is such a nice honor,” Bommersbach said. “I have bowled for a long time and it feels really good to have made the list and to be a part of this.”
For Wager, bowling was also the family business.
Wager's mother, Betty Burroughs, for whom Wager and his family sponsor a trophy in the The Citizen Women's Masters, may have been one of the biggest influences on Wager.
A bowler with numerous accomplishments under his belt, Wager told the hall of fame that his greatest accomplishment was bowling his first 700 in the Moose Mixed Doubles Tournament with his mother.
At 61, Wager has been a member of the Auburn Bowling Association for 30 years, serving on the board of directors for five years; Wager also sat at all the chairs of the 700 club and served as president of the Auburn Bowling Council.
He stayed active serving as secretary of the George Sedor Civic League, president of the Pepsi 700 Classic, George Sedor and Winnie Gallo leagues.
During his career, Wager was also instrumental in bringing several state tournaments to Auburn including the VFW, Moose, and Moose Mixed Doubles.
Wager has also served as the 10th district sports chairman for the Moose Club, all the while maintaining his bowling activity in leagues in Auburn as well as Syracuse, Geneva, Fulton, Oswego and Seneca Falls.
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