Bowling Champ Steve Cook Will Be Honored With Memorial Scholarship Fund for Bolivar-Richburg Athletes

OLEAN, NY — The late Steve Cook had been a four-sport athlete in high school at Richburg Central School, playing basketball, track, soccer and baseball. As he got older, Cook found a new love: bowling.

Cook bowled 10 perfect games, including the first perfect game at Good Times of Olean. And he bowled two 800 series and also won the Olean Bowling Association Singles and All-Events championships.

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Good Times, 800R E State St., will commemorate the life of Cook, who died on Dec. 26, by sponsoring the inaugural Steve Cook Memorial Scholarship Fund No-Tap Bowling Tournament on May 4.

All proceeds will go toward an athletic scholarship benefiting a student-athlete in the Bolivar-Richburg School District.

“We want to make this a yearly thing,” event organizer Liz Cook said. “Hopefully, every year we can make this a bigger donation.”

She noted, “Steve was my father-in-law; I am married to his middle son, Kyle. Steve was an amazing man. He was full of life, made everybody laugh, and enjoyed every sport.”

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Cook, a husband, father and grandfather, had been inducted into the Allegany County Sports Hall of Fame in 2017 for his athletic feats at Richburg Central.

The tournament entry fee for a team of four people is $100.

As of Friday, four open spots remained for the 4 p.m. time slot, and six remained for the 7 p.m. time slot, according to Good Times facilities manager Matthew Lauber. To sign up, people can email Lauber, matt@goodtimesolean.com , or stop at the Good Times front desk.

First place will have a guaranteed payout, Lauber said. If shifts fill up, second and third place will also receive payouts.

“I am only going to assume that we are going to be full,” Lauber said. “Steve was a great guy. He was well known, especially in the bowling industry. I can almost guarantee both shifts will end up being full.”

Food and drink specials at the event will center around Cook’s go-to order of french fries and pink lemonade, Lauber said.

A Chinese auction featured at the event will include a grill, a handmade quilt, a lottery basket, a handmade Buffalo Bills corn hole set, plants, an alcohol basket and a barbeque set basket, Liz Cook said. A 50/50 raffle also will be conducted.

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