Le Roy held off Warsaw's scoring barrage in the 4th quarter, when Warsaw hit 24 points, to manage a one-point victory in boys basketball on Tuesday night, 53-52.
Reece Tresco scored 18 and had six rebounds. Canyon Roster, 15, and Bobby Locke, six points and seven rebounds.
Ben MacConnell scored 17 for Warsaw and Ethan Grawe hit five threes for 15 total points. He hit three of those threes in the last 25 seconds of the game, the last one with one second left.
Dana VanValkenburg hit five three-pointers to help lead Byron-Bergen to a 53-31 win over Lyndonville on Tuesday night.
It was the seventh-straight win for the Lady Bees, who are now 7-3.
VanValkenburg finished with 23 points.
Julianna Amesbury scored 14.
Byron-Bergen hosts Elba on Thursday and then faces Le Roy and Notre Dame on the road next week.
Press release:
The Genesee Community College women's basketball team started its game against the Herkimer Generals with an 11-0 run and never looked back in a 78-35 win. The 43-point differential was Genesee's second-best this season as was its 78 total points and 28 points in a single quarter. Both the latter two categories were set against Mercyhurst with an 81-point total and 31 in a single quarter.
The Cougars out-scored the Generals by the half with 36 as four Cougars recorded double-digit point performances and two of those four ended the game with double-doubles.
TaLia Burgess and Rosalyn Sealey each scored 20 points, while Reika Murota added 17 and Kierra Perl 11. Both the former and latter had double-doubles with Burgess adding 19 boards and Perl 10.
Jasmine Holmes finished with 14 rebounds and two blocks, while Sierra Chudy had a team-high six steals for Genesee. In addition to Burgess' team highs in points and rebounds, she also led the team with five steals and co-led the team in assists with five and blocks with a pair. Sealey also had five assists and Murota added three steals.
Press release:
The Genesee Community College men's basketball team was on the verge of giving visiting Herkimer its first loss of the season after heading into the intermission with a five-point lead, but the Generals produced 51 second-half points to defeat the Cougars 86-74.
Brian Fobbs led all Cougars in points and rebounds with 34 and 13, respectively, in recording yet another double-double.
Two other Cougars hit double-digit points with Rahmel Thompson scoring 14 and Brandon Peters adding 10. Peters also had a team-high six assists, while Thompson and Tyrese Cherry each registered five boards.
The difference in the game may have come from three-point land where the Generals sank five more threes than the Cougars.
Team New Era Baseball will hold tryouts for its 8- and 9-year-old rookie elite travel baseball program at 2 p.m. on Sunday Jan. 21st at our Depew facility, 3950 Broadway.
Individual evaluations are also being scheduled for summer opportunities for players ages 10 thru 16.
For more information or to register for a tryout, visitwww.teamnewerabaseball.com.
For additional questions, contact Rich Wozniak at 716-681-3001 or tnemail@teamnewerabaseball.com.
Rich Wagner's 300 game and Scott Kern's 299 were among the highlights in Genesee Region league bowling action for the week of Jan. 8-14.
Wagner, a 35-year-old left-hander from Batavia, finished with a perfect game to post a 761 series in The North Pole league on Thursday night at Mancuso Bowling Center.
Kern, 62, of Basom, started with a 299 (leaving a 5-pin on the last ball) en route to a 652 series in the Wednesday County Line Stone league at Scopano's Lanes in Oakfield.
Other highlights ilncluded 700 series by two women in the G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen -- Caycee Landers' 706 and Laurie Morgante's 703. The 700 series is the first USBC-certified 700 series for Morgante.
Kim Williams posted a 647 series in the Monday Night Ladies league at Mancuso's.
For a list of high scores from the area, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.
Press release:
The Genesee Community College softball team announced the signing of Brittany Cole to its 2018 roster.
The high school senior from Baldwinsville brings her pitching talents to the Cougars while she pursues a liberal arts degree at GCC.
Cole plays the game year-round and her elite summer team has captured the Auburn Tournament in back-to-back seasons in part due to her pitching prowess.
"I'm excited to have Brittany on board as she will solidify our pitching," Cougars head softball coach Taylor Maurer said.
Genesee looks to improve upon a solid 19-16 season from a year ago that saw the Cougars advance all the way to the regional championship. This year's season begins again in South Carolina with a series of games against southern teams from March 10-15.
Submitted by coach Matt Holman:
Alpine Ski Results for Wednesday, January 10, 2018, at Swain Resort.
It was a warm night for ski racing at Swain on Wednesday, the snow was soft but the course did hold up as the field of 96 racers completed a two-run Slalom Race on Wheels Run.
The Boys Batavia Alpine Ski Team finished 4th out of 8 teams in the Southern Tier Race League. Top finishers included Alec Wagner (13th), Zack Wagner (23rd), Jack Keenan (27th) and Ryan Bowen (28th).
The Girls Team competed individually (no team time), the top finishers were Aubrey Towner (16th) and Lily Whiting (17th).
The Boys team returns to full strength on Saturday, January 13th at Swain. When we release the hounds on a double race (both GS and Slalom).
Press release:
Longtime Notre Dame football Coach Rick Mancuso (ND Class of 1976) has announced his retirement from coaching with the goal of spending more time with his family especially his grandchildren.
In announcing his decision, Rick said: “All of us reach a time of reflection on where we’ve been and where we are going. Over the course of the last 35-plus years my family, as all coaches families, sacrificed to allow me to be a part of something special.
"At this moment of my life I would like to spend more time being a part of our children and grandchildren’s lives and create memories that we will forever cherish.”
Coach Mancuso’s retirement ends a 37-year relationship with ND football during which he coached for 22 seasons and spent the other 15 as a key member of the football program’s support staff. Rick began his football coaching career at Notre Dame as the Head JV coach in the fall of 1981. In 2005, he took on the daunting task of replacing retiring HOF Coach Bill Sutherland as Varsity Head Football Coach.
This was the beginning of a very successful coaching career the highlights of which include qualifying for sectional competition in nine of his 13 seasons as Varsity Football Coach, winning Sectional Championships in 2006 and 2012, advancing to the title game on three other occasions and winning three GR League championships.
Although most recognizable for his football coaching role, Coach Mancuso has also been a successful coach at his alma mater in other sports as well. He coached Varsity softball for five seasons from 2011-2015 winning a State Championship in 2012 after advancing to the State finals in 2011.
His softball squads brought home “the Block” in 2011 and 2012 as well as earning three GR championships. He also was a successful JV and Varsity baseball coach and even coached Modified basketball where his squads only lost one game in two seasons.
Rick has had a positive impact on the lives of numerous Notre Dame athletes and has always been there for them both on and off the field. He has built relationships that have stood the test of time and has always been a resource for young coaches seeking mentorship as they begin their careers. He has always taken pride in the numerous alumni on his coaching staff.
A prominent local businessman who is a lifelong resident of Batavia, Rick and his wife, Julie, are parents of five Notre Dame graduates Morgan (’01), Alexandra (03), Rick (05), Pat (’08) and Maddie (’14). They have both donated countless hours to the betterment of the Notre Dame experience for all our students as well as helping to keep the school vibrant and an affordable option to any who would like to attend.
Photo: File photo
Batavia High School Ice Blue Devils played Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a crosstown game tonight.
A packed arena was there to witness Notre Dame's total domination of Batavia HS. Notre Dame scored in the first few minutes of the first period and continued scoring until the end of regulation.
Batavia HS had a few shots on goal and at the end of the first period was able to control the puck for a few minutes. Outside of that, they did not offer much resistance to Notre Dame.
Final score, Blue Devils 0 Fighting Irish 10.
After the game players form both teams posed for pictures together for their parents. Hockey aside, the players from both teams are all friends and neighbors.
Le Roy took a 14-0 lead to start the game and rode it to a 74-47 victory over Wellsville in boys basketball on Monday evening.
Luke Stella scored 27 points and have five rebounds. Canyon Roster, 18 points, three assists and six steals, and Cole Biggins had 11 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists and three steals.
For Wellsville, Joe Tronetti scored 23 points.
Scott Culp of Lima put on a dominating performance over the weekend to capture his second straight Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial Tournament title.
The high-revving 39-year-old right-hander posted a wire-to-wire victory – leading both the qualifying and semifinal rounds and capping it with a 215-180 win over Jerry Blair of Le Roy in the championship match of the stepladder finals on Sunday at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.
Using a Storm Crux, Culp, a 240-plus average bowler at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo, rolled 900 to place first in the four-game qualifying round and added 873 in the four-game semifinals to earn the top seed for the stepladder finals with a 1,773 total (221 average).
Both rounds were contested on “Sport” oil patterns (considerably more difficult than “house” shots) – with the qualifying round rolled on Kegel Middle Road (39 feet) and the semifinals and finals on Kegel Route 66 (45 feet).
The event drew 46 entries – down from the 69 that bowled when Culp won the title last year at Medina Lanes.
The victory was worth $600 for Culp, while Blair earned $350.
Blair moved up the ladder by defeating Brady Weber of Perry in a 10th frame roll-off, 20-9, after the bowlers had tied at 212-212; stopping Don Parrott of Warsaw, 215-176, and edging Kevin Gray Jr. of Warsaw, 220-214. In the semifinal match against Gray, Blair struck on the first ball in the 10th to secure the win.
Gray won $260 for his third-place finish, while Parrott earned $210 and Weber $160.
The five other finalists were Dana Freeman of Silver Springs ($150), Dean Cadieux Jr. of Oakfield ($140), Mike Pettinella of Batavia ($130), Ron Bacon of Warsaw ($120) and Brian Green of Batavia ($110).
Parrott had the tournament’s high game (279), followed by Culp (278).
The GRUSBC contributed $400 to the prize fund.
Photo -- Scott Culp, left, and Jerry Blair.
Things got a little wild today in Oakfield as local fans got ready for the first playoff appearance by the Buffalo Bills in 18 years.
Sadly, for the fans, the Bills lost to Jacksonville 10-3.
Above, Brad Hilchey, Peter Hilchey, Matthew Doran and Tom Porter.
Second photo, Tom Porter, Brad Hilchey and Matthew Doran.
Third photo, Tom Porter, Brad Hilchey and Matthew Doran.
Photos submitted by Samantha Hilchey.
Attention Genesee Region USBC league secretaries:
If you would like your league's weekly high scores to be published on The Batavian, send an email to mikepett2002@yahoo.com. Men's scores of 220 (game) and 600 (series) or better and women's scores of 190 (game) and 540 (series) will be posted. Photos of honor score bowlers or those with newsworthy accomplishments will be posted as long as they are emailed to the same email address.
MANCUSO BOWLING CENTER
Monday Morning Ladies
High Series
Mary Ann Stone 205-223--588
High Games
Kathy Pacino 222
Georgene Della Penna 193
J.E. Currier/Rebel Liners
Wednesday Night Ladies
High Series
Darleen Balduf 235--549
High Games
Dawn O'Neill 213
Wednesday Night Misfits
High Games
Gary MacDonald 222
Toyota of Batavia Thursday 5-Man
High Series
Rich Wagner 290-258-246--794
Steve Krna 268-235-246--749
Mike Lambert 259-238-245--742
Geoff Harloff 277-248--734
Tom Baker 278--696
Jason Gallo 289--692
Marshall Merle 233-267--677
Rob Stefani 234-235--674
Nate Cordes 226-268--667
Gary Kuchler 246--643
Jeremy Vallance 226-221--635
James Townsend 245--633
Matt Balduf 632
Josh Elliott 621
Vin Pontillo 226--618
Jason Quilliam 617
Nick LaFarnara 237--617
Roger Stone 224--616
Rick Underhill 612
Brian Green 226--611
Denny Rogers 220--610
Chuck Bobo 225--609
High Games
Jennifer Johnston 191
ROSE GARDEN BOWL, BERGEN
Wednesday Men’s Handicap
High Series
Rodney Jopson 245--678
Joseph Scott 234--657
Jeff Parton 267--653
Laurie Morgante 257--651
Jason Heimlich 235--636
Frank Stumpf 223--616
Charles Gelsomino 266--614
Brandon Fisher 610
High Games
Dillon Giboo 240
Thursday Owls
High Series
Frank Jarkiewicz 277--725
Tom Sardou 235--674
John Hertz 615
Frank Stumpf 223--600
Laurie Morgante 216--595
High Games
Gary MacDonald 257
Every-Other-Saturday
High Series
Kevin Wezeli 276--756
Frank Jarkiewicz 259--706
Colleen Pimm 213--561
High Games
Robert Cassidy 223
SCOPANO'S LANES, OAKFIELD
County Line Stone
High Series
Dean Cadieux Jr. 246-299--751
Frank Jarkiewicz 258-247--706
Bruce Kraus 300--687
Paul Spiotta 223-249--674
Scott Gibson 258--659
Aaron Chamberlain 227-224--655
Tom Fluker 244-224--642
Roger Stone 246--631
Chauncey Vanice 222--616
Rick Saunders 223--615
Mike Lyons 230--607
High Games
Dean Cadieux Sr. 236
Charlie Pangrazio 227
High Games
Press release:
NYS Snowmobile Safety course will be taught at Darien Fire Hall, from 7 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday Jan. 10 (Part 1), and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday Jan. 13 (Part 2).
The fire hall is located 10537 Alleghany Road (Route 77) in Darien.
The course is free to children from 10 to 18 years of age. New York State’s Snowmobile Law requires that youngsters ages 10-18 acquire a safety certificate before they may lawfully operate a snowmobile. Youngsters may qualify for their safety certificates by taking an eight-hour safety course and passing the examination given at the end of the course.
The course and all materials are furnished free. The course is also open to adults.
The instructors for snowmobile Safety Course are certified by NYS.
You must sign up for the course and attend both classes where you register. Those who pass the written exam will be issued a patch, certificate, and a license.
If your child is interested in taking the course and would like to lawfully drive a snowmobile, preregister by calling 585-599-6431 after 5:30 p.m.
The class is sponsored by the Millgrove Sportsmen Club, Darien Fire Hall, Genesee Sno-Packers Snowmobile Club.
In a rematch of last year's Rotary Tournament finale, Notre Dame, this time, was the more dominant team, beating Cal-Mum, 43-35.
"We didn't really have an identity early in the season last year and it showed," said ND's head coach Tom McCulley. "They were a mature team and we weren't really there yet. This year I think we probably had the edge maturity."
The star of the game was Stevie Wilcox, who scored 17 points and seemed in command of her game from the start. She was named tournament MVP.
"We were ready to bring it and play as a team and work together because when we do, we're unstoppable," Wilcox said.
The Lady Irish are always tough on defense and McCulley said that's what he saw from his team again, especially in the first half, when Notre Dame held the Lady Raiders to six points. Guard Morgan Rhodes was a big part of that, he said.
"Morgan was steady all throughout," McCulley said. "She got some steals and helped us with ball pressure so we weren't allowing them to get comfortable in their sets, maybe not as quickly as they would like. I think most of the time, when I looked up, by the time Cal-Mum got in their sets there was 16 seconds off the close. I was shocked by that. That puts a lot of pressure on the offense to execute."
Margret Sutherland and Natale Thornton also had big games. Sutherland scored 10 points and Thornton scored nine. Both were a strong presence under the boards.
Callie McCulley added six points.
For Cal-Mum, Elyse Van Auken scored 12 points.
Besides Wilcox at MVP, the all-tournament team was Taylor Gadd, Attica, Ryann Stefaniak, Batavia, Elyse Van Auken, Cal-Mum, Margaret Sullivan, Notre Dame, and Callie McCulley, Notre Dame.
To purchase prints, click here.
It will be Notre Dame and Cal-Mum facing off tonight in the championship match of the Batavia Rotary Club Girls Basketball Tournament.
After Batavia delivered an uninspired performance leading to a loss to the Red Raiders 43-40, the Lady Blue Devils will face Attica in the consolation game at 6 p.m.
NOTE: the games have been moved from Friday night to tonight because of the anticipated cold snap tomorrow.
The Lady Raiders will face a motivated Lady Irish team that had two of the squad's top players both in sync Wednesday night, with Callie McCulley scoring 22 points and Margaret Sutherland scoring 16 to help lead a dominating 64-42 win over Attica. Natalie Thornton added 13 points.
Attica was led by Taylor Gadd with 13 points and Kacey Pearce with 10.
Top scorer Wednesday night was Cal-Mum's Elyse Van Auken, who scored 24 points. Makenzie Wilson scored eight points.
For Batavia, Ryann Stefaniak scored 13 points, Bryn Wormley, eight, and Kenzie Reigle, seven.
Two Batavia players missed the game due to illness.
A newcomer to watch with Batavia is 5' 11" sophomore Emma Krolczyk, who scored six points.
To purchase prints of pictures, click here.
The finals of the tournament, which took place in November during the World Series of Bowling IX in Reno, Nev., were telecast last Sunday on ESPN.
The victory marked Belmonte’s third major championship in 2017, setting a PBA Tour record, and was his ninth career major crown. It also virtually locked up another PBA Player of the Year title (voting will take place later this month) for the 34-year-old two-hander and added another $60,000 to his bank account.
Furthermore, Belmonte moved into third place on the PBA’s list of all-time major champions behind PBA legends Earl Anthony and Pete Weber, who both won 10 majors.
As far as the show itself, two matches were decided in sudden-death roll-offs – the opening match between Matt Sanders of Evansville, Ind., and Kyle Troup of Taylorsville, S.C., and the semifinal match between Belmonte and Cheektowaga’s Ryan Ciminelli.
In the first match, Sanders and Troup finished in a 248-248 tie, before Troup struck in the extra frame to edge Sanders, who left a 7-pin. Ciminelli then topped Troup, 193-180, before battling Belmonte to a 257-257 tie.
Unfortunately for the Western New Yorker, he left the 2-5-6 on his first shot in OT after Belmonte had left a 7-pin.
Then in the title match against left-side two-hander Svensson, Belmonte got a break when he struck in the fifth frame despite the finger grip coming out of the ball. The match was close throughout, but Belmonte came through in the 10th frame with a pair of strikes to seal the deal.
Svensson earned $30,000, Ciminelli $25,000, Troup $20,000 and Sanders $15,000.
ESPN’s coverage continues at 1 p.m. this Sunday with the World Bowling Tour Women’s and Men’s Finals. Competitors are Malaysia’s Shalin Zulkifli, Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y., and Diana Zavjalova of Latvia, and Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash.; Svensson and Belmonte.
The local bowlers on the Beat the Champ TV show at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia ran into a “buzzsaw,” and were unable to unseat "the champ," Dana Voytovich of Cheektowaga. The show was taped on Nov. 29 and televised on Dec. 23-24 on WBBZ-TV (MeTV).
Voytovich concluded a perfect month – running his winning streak to eight matches – by knocking off Batavian Rich Wagner, 268-213; Brockport’s Chris Bardol, 245-237, and Batavian Rob Stefani, 255-185.
The victories enabled Voytovich to enter this month’s competition at Rapids Bowling Center in Niagara Falls as the champ. Those shows will be televised on Jan. 6, 13, 20 (repeated on Jan. 7, 14, 21).
The fourth show from Batavia featured eight youth bowlers form the Turnbull Heating Junior League at Mancuso’s, bowling as boy-girl doubles teams.
Emma Miller and James Townsend emerged victorious by defeating Corinne Saluste and Sam Miller in the final match. Miller/Saluste had advanced with wins over Samantha Balbi and Benjamin Sputore, and Tara Clattenburg and Skylar Laesser.
All in all, the Batavia-area bowlers competed at a high level, and put on a good show for the viewers.
Genesee Region USBC men and women bowlers have a chance to see how they measure up against the best in the association this weekend by entering the 64th GRUSBC Scratch Memorial Tournament at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.
Qualifying squad (four games) times are noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday. One in five from each squad will advance to four-game semifinals and, from there, the five bowlers with the highest eight-game total pinfall will advance to the stepladder finals.
Two different oil patterns will be used -- the 39-foot Kegel “Middle Road” during qualifying and the 45-foot Kegel “Route 66” during the semifinals and finals. First place, based on 80 entries, is $1,000; the entry fee is $55 and re-entry is allowed. To enter, call 585-861-0404 or send an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.
Other tournaments this weekend include the Scott Whittier Memorial three-person, no-tap on Saturday at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion (squads are at 1, 3, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.) and the 60-and-over Tour at noon Sunday at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.
While one hopes that all tournaments are successful, having two other events the same weekend as a major GRUSBC tournament forces bowlers to choose – and that’s not a good thing.
Since the GRUSBC schedule is out before the season begins, it shouldn’t be difficult for promoters of other tournaments to avoid any conflicts. It’s simply a matter of common sense and working together – and that’s something to remember when setting up tournaments for 2018-19.
-- Kevin Gray Jr. of Warsaw captured the $700 first prize at the Domm’s Christmas Eve Sweeper at Domm’s Bowling Center in Rochester, rolling a 300 game during the qualifying round and surviving through three eliminator rounds. Other GRUSBC bowlers cashing were Tom Rohl of Le Roy, Rob Husted of Spencerport and Scott Gray of Warsaw.
-- Lefty Bob Santini opened the New Year with a bang by rolling a perfect game – his second of the season – in the Monday Night Merchants League at his (he’s the proprietor) Mount Morris Lanes. Santini now has 11 USBC-certified 300 games.
And on Tuesday night, Dave Emler of Rochester rolled a 300 game and 759 series in the G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl.
-- Matt Slocum of Perry and Curtis Foss of Medina cashed at the Mike & Ruth Rose New Year’s Day scratch tournament at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Rochester, with both bowing out in the early rounds of the finals. PBA standout Brad Angelo of Lockport pocketed the $1,500 top prize, rolling a 299 game in the title match.
-- GRUSBC directors welcomed Steve Krna of Alexander to the local association board at their meeting last Saturday. An avid league bowler, Krna is president of Genesee Patrons insurance Cooperative Insurance Co. in Batavia.
The board voted to bring back the GRUSBC Invitational tournament, a 64-bowler “by invitation only” handicap singles event, and tentatively scheduled it for Sept. 29 at Mancuso Bowling Center.
Also, the board is accepting nominees for the GRUSBC Hall of Fame through Feb. 1. Nomination forms can be found at www.bowlgr.com.
-- Following a successful first half of its first season, the Sunday Roll-Offs league at Medina Lanes is gearing up for its second half, starting this Sunday at 10 a.m.
The format of the USBC-sanctioned handicap singles league is three games of qualifying with bowlers divided into groups by their averages. Winners from each group then bowl one more game to determine the weekly champion.
Additionally, points are awarded each week, which are worth prize money at the end of the season. The weekly fee is $20. For more information, call Medina Lanes at 585-318-4474.
-- The Genesee Region Youth Travel League reached its halfway point last Sunday at Mancuso Bowling Center and the Rose Garden I team from Bergen continues to hold a 12.5-point lead over second place Batavia Strike Force.
Weekly leaders were Josiah Yantz of Scopano’s Lanes with a 234 game and 660 series, James Townsend of Batavia Strike Force, 222—638; Ben Lennox of Oak Orchard I, 233—617; Paige Snook of Oak Orchard I, 192—554; Corinne Saluste of Strike Force, 205—554, and Logan Cadieux of Scopano’s, 177—476.
The league bowls again on Jan. 21 at Rose Garden Bowl.
-- The GRUSBC Adult-Junior Doubles Tournament is set for Jan. 12-14 at Mancuso Bowling Center, with squad times at 7 p.m. on Jan. 12, and noon and 3 p.m. on Jan. 13 and Jan. 14. Competition will be in two handicap divisions -- based on youth bowlers ages: 12 & under and 13 & over. The entry fee is $40 per team. To enter, contact Tom Fluker at tfstrikeforce@msn.com.
For the 29th year, the Batavia Rotary Club will host its annual girl's basketball tournament at Genesee Community College starting at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
The club hosted a tip-off luncheon today the Arc Community Center in Batavia.
First game tomorrow pits Notre Dame against Attica and the nightcap matches Batavia and Cal-Mum, the defending champions.
The consolation and championship game will be Friday at GCC.
UPDATE: Because of anticipated bad weather, the finals will be played on Thursday.
Photo: Margaret Sutherland, Notre Dame, Taylor Gadd, Attica, Mackenzie Wilson, Cal-Mum, and Bri Janes, Batavia.
Below, the Attica players who attended the luncheon pose for a group selfie after the event.
(Photo from 1953 Golden Gloves fight "Franny Bond (left) vs. Edson Brown" from the archives of the New York Daily News.)
By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
Batavia, NY --- Francis R. Bond, 86, a longtime owner, driver and trainer at Batavia Downs and Buffalo Raceway, died peacefully Tuesday morning, Dec. 26, at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.
“Franny” Bond was born in Buffalo on July 27, 1931. He became a Marine after leaving school and began boxing while in the service in the Armed Forces Title Fights.
He fought in the lightweight class and eventually worked into the featherweight division. The then 126-pound “fighting Marine” was described as “a game and lively scrapper who could take a hit and come back with a better one.”
Corporal Bond became one of the Marines' top boxers, winning a featherweight title in 1953 while often times fighting men from the professional ranks between service bouts and sometimes competing in higher weight classes.
Bond continued to fight professionally in the Golden Gloves after he left the service under the name Bobby Bond and was trained by Angelo Dundee who also conditioned the likes of Muhammad Ali, George Foremen, Sugar Ray Leonard and Carmen Basilio. He competed in 15 professional fights all over the Eastern Seaboard including New York City at Madison Square Garden.
Bond first got involved in harness racing in 1966 and eventually got his trainer and driver’s licenses. He ran a small stable for the next 39 years, seeing most of his driving success in the 1970s (where he scored 135 of his 189 careers victories) and most of his training accomplishments (total of 108) between 1990 and 2000. Bond also occasionally catch-drove horses when the opportunity arose.
Bond’s last winning effort came on May 16, 1996 behind H F Harriet at Buffalo Raceway.
Bond was an entrepreneur and made a buck anyway he could. He owned a soft drink distributorship, ran the track kitchen at Batavia Downs and sold hay, straw and feed for many years while, and after, he was competing himself. He was known by everyone on the backstretch and was an affable individual his entire life.
No memorial information has been relayed.
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