BINGHAMTON FLASHBACK: PBA Champ and Endicott Native Gus Lampo

Next month 12 local sports legends and one local sports team will go into the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame, among those to be enshrined, is Endicott native, and one of the greatest bowler’s in our history, Gus Lampo.

A few weeks ago I attended a news conference at the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame in the Oakdale Mall.

I hadn’t looked at all the inductees that will be honored next month, but one of the committee members said “oh look here comes Gus Lampo” to which I immediately drew my attention  to this man coming towards me, this woudlk be the second time I met the PBA champ, so first a quick flashback on the first time I met Mr Lampo.

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When I was a young boy my dad introduced us to bowling, he was a Sunday father and that was something we could do together during our time with him.

I quickly became a fan of the game and bowled in a Saturday morning kids league at Laurel Bowling Alley.

I started watching professional bowling on television and I was amazed at how easy these guys were getting strikes and picking up spares like it was nothing.

Gus Lampo was one of the bowlers used to watch on national television, and one morning during our Saturday league someone pointed out a man in the food area sitting at a table, that’s Gus Lampo someone said.

I got up enough nerve and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and walked up to him, “Mr Lampo can I have your autograph” my words squeaked out.

He gave me his autograph and I walked away and couldn’t wait to show my dad.

I had the opportunity to speak with Gus Lampo a few weeks ago during the news conference and I was thrilled to have a minute with him.

During our conversation I asked him his thoughts on the way the game of bowling has changed, and he said very calmy and casual “everything changes”

Here is a man who bowled 34 perfect games in competition, and I’m sure many more in non-league play

He was the third leading PBA money winner in 1972, Gus Lampo won 4 PBA titles and is a member of the Bowling Hall of Fame.

On September 27^th Gus Lampo will be inducted into the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2020.

READ MORE: Meet The Greater Binghamton Sports Hall Of Fame Class Of 2020

Coming from an era in which if you bowled close to a 200 average you were considered all most a professional.

Now a days with the lanes being set up for more scoring many bowlers average around that or more.

Gus was an elite bowler when bowling wasn’t as easy, and he did it with skill and dedication.

We are honored and proud to have Gus Lampo in the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame.