In the Pocket: Donato ready for new challenge

Tom Donato is back in the bowling business.

After a six-year hiatus, the former owner of Sportsman’s Bowl is now the co-manager of Redwood Lanes in Colonie.

The son of the legendary Joe

Donato, arguably the greatest bowler in Schenectady history, Tom Donato spent 35 years as a bowling proprietor, either helping out his late father, running the center himself or sharing partnership in the D.T.A.G. group (Donato, Bob Tedesco Jr., Paul Adkins and Mike Guidarelli).

Donato sold his share to the rest of the group and has worked several jobs since, including a stint as Huck Finn/Northeast Bowling Proprietors of New York “Capital Region Bowling Show” tournament director Jeff Segel’s assistant.

Donato also continues to run an annual scratch tournament named after his father.

“I’ve been out of the business for six years, and I thought it was time to get back in,” said the

58-year-old Donato. “I grew up in a bowling center, and I know a little bit about the game. Without question, the business got to be difficult, but now, it’s refreshing to get back in it. It’s a challenge for me.”

Stan Reed is the other co-manager for owner Ralph Deso, who wants to continue the improvements he’s made over the last couple of seasons.

“There are a lot of things that still have to be done here,” said Donato, who began working at Redwood just after Labor Day. “I’m working with Stan, and we’re trying to better promote the business. That’s something I know how to do. Also, we’ve cleaned the place up over the last three or four weeks, and the machines are working better. We brought in some people who know what to do with the older equipment they have here.”

Donato has always had bowling in his blood, so he feels comfortable moving back behind the desk at one the region’s oldest centers.

“I’m just here to help out,” he said. “I want to bring Redwood back to where it should be. It was a great center when the Vigarses ran it, and that’s what I want to see the place become again.”

Although not quite the bowler his father was, Tom Donato’s bowling resume is solid. A member of the Schenectady Bowling Association Hall of Fame, Donato has rolled a 300 game in five decades, won several league average titles and finished fifth in a PBA regional.

He’s appeared on televised tournaments 30 times, and has won numerous Northern Bowlers Association titles, including the Tournament of Champions.

“I think the bowling accomplishment I’m most proud of is when I won the U.S. Open local qualifier, which was a big thing here for a long time. At the time, my father and I were the only father-son combination ever to win it.”

Donato said he is looking forward to returning Redwood to prominence.

“It’s a different world over here,” he said. “I know a lot of people here, because I know so many people in the business already, but it definitely will be a challenge to get everything back in shape.”

LECLAIR UPDATE

Brian LeClair of Athens, who was the only Capital Region bowler competing full time on the PBA Tour for 22 years, still plans on bowling his share of tournaments this year, even though he is no longer exempt.

LeClair, who will be 44 later this month, earned more than $550,000 between the regular PBA Tour and the PBA regionals. He has 10

regional titles to his credit. He never won on the PBA Tour, but he lost his first two TV appearances by a total of three pins, including a

208-206 loss to Walter Ray Williams Jr. in the finals of the 1996 Track Synergy Open. He also lost to Williams, 258-257, in the finals of the 1996 Showboat Invitational.

His other two losses on television were to Parker Bohn III.

“I plan on bowling a few tournaments here and there. It all depends on how well I do when I’m out there,” said LeClair, who runs a pro shop at Hobo Lanes in Catskill.

“I’m going to play it by ear, but I’m already planning on bowling in all the majors. I’ll bowl in the U.S. Open, the Masters, the World Championships and the Dick

Weber tournament. I think there is another one I can also bowl in. Plus, I’ll bowl in a few TQRs [tour qualifying rounds].

“The problem with the TQRs is that I’ve never been one for the seven-game crapshoots for just four or five spots available. When you only have seven games, if you hit a bad pair, you’re done. It always comes down to a little luck. If you don’t follow the right bowlers, or the lanes break down the wrong way, you might be in trouble. You hope you have the ball reaction and can shoot a big number.

“I’ve never been a huge qualifying guy. I rarely qualify high, even when I won my regionals,” he said. “I usually qualify between 10th and 14th. That’s just part of my nature.”

Although LeClair’s bowling this year depends on how well he qualifies from week to week, he could end up back on the tour full time next year if he wins the PBA East Region point title again.

In the meantime, we can expect to see him bowling in the Capital Region from time to time.

“I plan on bowling some Huck Finns and NBAs,” he said. “There’s some pretty good money up there in the Capital Region.”

STRIKES & SPARES

u Karl Wolf, the former proprietor of both Imperial Lanes in Amsterdam and Hi-Roc Lanes in Saratoga Springs, will be helping run the Huck Finn/Northeast Bowling Proprietors of New York “Capital Region Bowling Show” for the next few weeks until Segel returns from Arizona. Segel is still looking for a full-time assistant to run the weekly tournaments while he is away. Wolf and Warren Guernsey continue to run the pro shop at

Hi-Roc, which is now called Saratoga Strike Zone.

u Qualifiers for the first Huck Finn tournament of the year will be Sunday at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. at Spare Time Clifton Park. The two-game finals and head-to-match play for the 16 qualifiers will follow

directly after the 11:30 a.m. qualifying squad. First place is $1,000 guaranteed. Call Segel at 439-7628 for reservations or more information.

u The first Western Diner Northern Bowlers Association event of the season will be the Western Diner Open Oct. 19 at Town ’n Country Lanes in Guilderland. Entry fee is $50, plus a $10 membership for the season. In order to compete in the season-ending Bob Guild Championship, bowlers must compete in at least two regular tournaments. Contact Karl Bieber at 368-5539 for more information.

u Qualifying for the first Northeast Bowling Proprietors Huck Finn handicap bowling show begins Monday and continues through Oct. 19. Bowlers with an average of 220 or less can qualify by using their scores from regular league play. The handicap is based on 100 percent of the difference between the bowler’s average and 220. Entry costs $10. In the first part of the tournament, bowlers only compete against other bowlers in their bowling center. One in eight bowlers from each participating house will cash and advance to the next round of the tournament, which has a match-play format similar to the PBA. That part of the tournament will be held at Spare Time Latham on Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. In the second stage, each qualifier will bowl two games for total score including handicap, with the top 32 bowlers advancing to one-game individual match play eliminations. These bracket-style eliminations will continue until there are four bowlers left, who will then complete the tournament on TV. Minimum guaranteed first place prize is $600. The TV finals will be taped at Middleburgh Lanes at 4 p.m. on Nov. 2. The actual telecast is scheduled 11 a.m. on Nov. 9 on WXXA Fox 23. Contact personnel at your house or Bill Wray at 878-9641 for more information.

u Sportsman’s Bowl’s Family Fun Night Adult-Child league begins its 10-week run Oct. 19 at

5 p.m. Entry fee is $14 per team per week and includes three games of bowling and shoes. Every child receives a trophy. Call Sportsman’s at

355-4330 for more information.