KofC125 — Glenn Brewer bowls perfect game

This is the latest in an occasional series of posts leading up to the 125th anniversary of the founding in December 1896 of the Glens Falls Knights of Columbus and the centennial of the start of construction in 1922 of the former Knights of Columbus hall at the corner of Warren and Center streets. The building is now the offices of the FitzGerald Morris Baker Firth law firm and Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Bowling became a spectator sport on Jan. 12, 1946 when Glenn A. Brewer bowled a perfect game in the Saturday Afternoon League at the Glens Falls Knights of Columbus lanes.

Even the scorekeeper — Herman “Turp” Celeste, a city fire fighter — got credit for the feat, the first perfect game on record in Glens Falls in five years.

“As Brewer reached the eighth frame of his perfect game, bowlers and spectators around the alley drifted over to watch him, forgetting their games or whatever they were engage in at the moment,” The Post-Star reported on Jan. 14. “By the time he chalked up ten perfect strikes, one of the largest crowds to witness a pin exhibition in the city this year had gathered behind alleys five and six.”

It was Brewer’s first perfect game in 10 years of bowling, coming in the third game of a three-game 681-point set.

“Brewer completed his second game with four straight strikes and entered his third game ‘right in the groove,’ giving him a total of sixteen consecutive strikes.”

He remained calm during the feat.

“At no times during the final game did Brewer display any signs of nervousness, keeping steady throughout every frame.”

Brewer’s team mates were Elmer S. White, Harry Hall and Ernest Cronquist.

Ed Warmer, five years previous, had bowled the most recent prior perfect game in Glens Falls, also at the Knights of Columbus lanes.

Click here to read the most recent previous post in the series.