Oak Orchard Bowl’s Randy Hanks to be honored at Genesee Region bowling banquet

Randy Hanks

Press Release from Mike Pettinella

Randy Hanks, proprietor of Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, will be honored as the first recipient of the Joe Mortellaro Memorial Award at the annual banquet of the Genesee Region USBC next month.

The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 9 at Batavia Downs Gaming’s Genesee Room on Park Road.

Hanks and his family purchased the 18-lane Oak Orchard Bowl in 2005 and have invested heavily into the bowling center, turning it into a popular league, tournament and entertainment destination.

“Randy consistently goes above and beyond to make bowlers of all ages and skill levels feel welcome and valued,” said GRUSBC President Gary Kuchler. “Without a doubt, Joe Mortellaro would be proud and honored to know that Randy is being recognized as the initial selection of this award.”

Hanks is a founding member of the Youth Bowlers Tour in the Rochester area, is a member of the New York State Bowling Proprietors Association and is a former delegate to the New York State USBC annual meeting. In 2014, he was named “Proprietor of the Year” by the NYS USBC.

Oak Orchard Bowl conducts several fundraising tournaments for worthy causes, including the PAWS Animal Shelter in Albion and the Scott Whittier Memorial Scholarships.

The Joe Mortellaro Memorial Award is being presented by the GRUSBC and the Mortellaro family in memory of the association’s “Mr. Bowling,” who passed away on Dec. 27, 2024 at the age of 88. Joe was a two-time Batavia Masters tournament champion and winner of the Autumn Classic at Oak Orchard Bowl in 2000.

A former longtime president of the Batavia Bowling Association, he competed in 50 USBC national tournaments, a remarkable accomplishment.

The GRUSBC annual banquet will honor Hanks, along with tournament and regular league season champions, Hall of Fame inductee(s) and scholarship winner(s). It also will include an election of association officers and directors.

Tickets can be obtained by contacting Tom Fluker, GRUSBC association manager, at 585-354-2199 or at tomfluker@bowlgr.com. Reservations must be made by May 3.