Dennis O'Donnell and Benny Appleby have done a lot together on the local lanes.

Both began their careers at an early age. They met each other not long after and have maintained a life-long friendship.

The pair will be honored in November, when they are inducted together into the Auburn Bowling Hall of Fame as outstanding bowlers.

“It is a really great honor,” O'Donnell said. “Especially to get inducted with Benny, it is really an honor to be recognized like this.”

Appleby echoed the same sentiment.

“It is outstanding,” Appleby said. “It is a real honor to be recognized by your peers like this. And Dennis is an outstanding bowler and a friend that I have known for most of my bowling career. This is a really excellent honor to be a part of the hall of fame with all of those other outstanding bowlers.”

Both O'Donnell and Appleby started bowling because it was a popular activity amongst family members.

“I started when I was 8,” O'Donnell said. “I've been bowling for 42 years now. I went with my parents a lot; they bowled in the mixed league at the West End Club. Then I started bowling in the junior league at Cayuga Lanes. I just always liked the atmosphere and the friends I made. There are guys that I met and have been bowling with for well over 20 years now.”

Appleby followed a similar path, going with his mother and father while they bowled. He took an instant interest in the game.

“I was 12 when I started bowling at Sicz Lanes,” Appleby said. “I was able to find that I was able to bowl well right away and that made me even more interested. I also met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. I also really liked the competition of bowling against other guys and always trying to get better.”

After graduating from high school, Appleby became dedicated to the game, working at Cayuga Lanes. Appleby said he was able to bowl all the time and at one point he was bowling around 100 games a week.

Both O'Donnell and Appleby have proven their skills on the lanes time and again.

O'Donnell said that one of his career highlights was earning an 846 high series.

“That was my first 800 ever,” O'Donnell said. “That was a really big thing.”

O'Donnell has also earned numerous titles in city tournaments and was runner-up in The Citizen Masters in 1988.

Appleby has been no less impressive, racking up 16 league 300s and 10 800 games.

Appleby has also competed at the state level, earning four state titles and two doubles titles.

Appleby also won The Citizen Masters in 1979 and 1982.

“That was really prestigious,” Appleby said. “Around here that is the number one title you can win and to be able to win it twice, that was really outstanding.”

In the past three years, O'Donnell has had two surgeries for cancer, but it never infringed on his bowling.

O'Donnell said that since he started 42 years ago, he has rarely missed any time on the lanes.

But his focus now is on things behind the scenes, serving as president of the Auburn Bowling Association and watching his two daughters, both of whom have become excellent bowlers.

“I've met a lot of great people,” O'Donnell said. “I still bowl twice a week. But I really like working on things behind the scenes to help promote bowling in Auburn and to help keep it growing and getting more people involved.”

Appleby, who recently underwent surgery on his rotator cuff, has just recently gotten back into bowling in October, bowling twice a week with no intentions of slowing down.

“I love the game,” Appleby said. “I really enjoy the game and all the people. I'm really honored to be in the hall of fame and I'm really looking forward to the ceremony and dinner next week.”