Five area residents will be inducted into the Jamestown Area Bowling Hall of Fame at its annual induction dinner in October.

The Class of 2025 includes Donna Clark, Ralph Clark, Todd Clark, Tom Mattson and Jeff Wadsworth. Their enshrinement is set for Oct. 4 at the Falcon’s Nest in Falconer. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, priced at $35, may be purchased from either Patty Hurtack (716-499-5932) or Mary Gayton (716-397-7154) by Sept. 20.

DONNA CLARK

Donna Clark’s bowling career, which spans four decades, is still active in leagues and tournaments. Her outstanding performance and dedication to the sport have earned her a spot in this hall of fame.

She started league bowling in the mid-1980s, but really ramped it up in the 1990s with many first-place league champion awards. Donna traveled to many different houses, including Valley Bowl, Penn Bowl, Frewsburg Lanes, Sugar Bowl and Jamestown Bowling Company to name just a few. Bowling at all these houses didn’t hamper her game as she excelled and scored at all of them. Bowling in several local, dozens of state and 10 national tournaments, Donna especially enjoyed traveling with a dedicated group that went to Central States in Cleveland before the tournament was eliminated after a long run.

Her average games and series accomplishments are too many to list, but over time achieved a high average of 207 (2009-10), high series of 752 (2010-11) and high game of 290 (1999-2000). Through the years she has held several league officer positions and was a member of the National 500 and 600 clubs. She also was a director for the Jamestown Area Bowling Association and a board member of the Warren County Association.

Donna recently retired after running a successful catering business. She lives in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania with her husband Bryan — personal coach — when they’re not travelling.

TODD CLARK

Todd Clark’s life was centered around bowling from an early age, until his unexpected passing in 2022. His behind-the-pinspotters knowledge and on-the-lanes superior performance are central to why he’s being inducted into this hall of fame.

He started bowling at an early age at Pine Lanes in South Dayton and continued until his transition to adult bowling. Todd quickly learned the machines and worked as a pinspotter there. He eventually moved to the Jamestown area and was hired part-time as a mechanic at Lakewood Bowling Company in the 1990s. He then went to work at Jamestown Bowling Company as its full-time mechanic. His vast knowledge of the machines served him well, and the fact that he could fix just about anything made him a valuable longstanding employee.

Of course, his exceptional performances on the lanes were very noteworthy. He accumulated six 300 games and a high series of 857, which broke a longstanding association record. Unfortunately, it lasted only two weeks. Todd achieved a high average of 221 and was consistently in the 200-plus category for years. He won several individual awards and was on numerous five-man teams that achieved game and series honor scores, including with fellow inductee, Tom Mattson. Todd also appeared on Jamestown’s TV Bowling Challenge multiple times.

At the time of his passing, Todd was residing in Jamestown. He is survived by several cousins, who will be accepting his award at the induction banquet.

RALPH CLARK

Even though Ralph Clark has been away from sanctioned league play for more than 20 years, he remains active in local club bowling, where he still excels. His past superior performances have paved the way for recognition to this hall of fame.

The southpaw started bowling in his early childhood at Sugar Bowl Lanes and was on his high school bowling team. In the 1980s, he attended Jamestown Community College where he was on the bowling team and qualified for the NJCAA national singles championship.

Ralph bowled his first 300 at Valley Bowl in Youngsville, Pennsylvania, and was a member of many winning teams during association tournaments while achieving many singles titles. Ralph appeared four times on the Jamestown TV Bowling Challenge held at Jamestown Bowling Company and qualified for the Beat the Champ television show as well. His scoring highlights include five 300 games, a high series of 818 and too many 220-plus league averages to count.

Ralph was born in Jamestown and comes from a very sports-minded family, playing numerous sports growing up. He’s lived in Warren for the last 32 years with his wife, Cheryl.

TOM MATTSON

Tom Mattson was an active member of the Jamestown Area Association for two decades before having to reluctantly retire in 2008 after becoming disabled. His resume during that time was quite impressive and earned him a spot in this hall of fame.

He started bowling in adult-sanctioned play in the 1980s, but his scoring in the late 1990s and early 2000s was impressive. He bowled on several five-man teams that earned high honors for their team games and series. During this time, Tom tossed several 800 sets with 832 being his high and had five 300 games. One season he averaged an outstanding 227 and typically averaged in the 215-plus range seasonally.

Tom was on the Jamestown TV Bowling Challenge 13 times and the TV Pepsi Challenge at Tonawanda Bowling Center. He was also the defending champion of the Cattaraugus County TV show taped at Twi-Lite Lanes. Tom won the long-running cancer bowl-a-thon pro-am in the early 2000s and traveled with a group to the World Team Challenge in Pittsburgh many times.

Besides his on-the-lane performance, he worked behind the scenes as a pinsetter/mechanic at Jamestown and Lakewood Bowling Companies, and at Twi-Lite Lanes for many years. Bowling wasn’t the only sport that he loved as he also played tennis and golf.

Tom lives in Jamestown with Aimee, his wife of 23 years. They have seven children and 21 grandchildren.

JEFF WADSWORTH

Even though Jeff Wadsworth is one of our younger inductees, he has amassed quite the resume in his 20-plus years of sanctioned play. And for that reason, he is being inducted for his superior performance.

Jeff started junior bowling at the age of 12 at Flamingo Alleys (later Lakewood Bowling Company) where he eventually bowled for the Southwestern High School team from eighth grade until he graduated. Several years later, he served as the Trojans’ assistant bowling coach.

Jeff is an active member of many associations, including Jamestown, Salamanca, Buffalo, Lakeshore and Greater Buffalo. To date, he has 22 300 games and nine 800 series, including a high set of 862. His season averages have been in the 220-plus category for more than two decades and no doubt he will continue to dominate on the lanes.

In 2009 he won the Lilac City Singles Tournament, which attracts thousands of bowlers and earned him a $30,000 cash prize. Also, that same year, his five-man team captured first place. Jeff has competed and won multiple times on the Jamestown TV Bowling Challenge, and he has won the Jamestown Masters Hall of Fame Tournament in 2006, 2008 and 2013.

Jeff runs a very successful hardwood flooring business and resides in Lakewood with his 5-year-old daughter, Harper.