Greg Griffo, a 5-foot-2 right-hander, may have been small in stature but he loomed large in the bowling arena. Griffo’s accomplishments in the sport are legendary. He won several local team championships and five Van Wie Doubles titles. In 1932, Griffo was on the first team in Syracuse history to bowl higher than a 1,200 game, contributing a 279 game. He also won the prestigious Peterson Singles Classic in Chicago in 1957.

 

He competed in an amazing 61 American Bowling Congress Tournaments and was the fourth player in ABC history to surpass 100,000 pins for their career. Griffo ranks among the top players in ABC history with 102,483 total career pins. His best finish at the ABC tourney came in 1934 when he rolled 702 series in singles at the 1934 in Peoria.

 

Griffo rolled four sanctioned 300 games during an era when honor scores were hard to come by. He also carried one of the top local averages for more three decades. He has been recognized by a number of bowling hall of fames over the years including the United States Bowling Congress (formerly ABC) Hall of Fame in 1995. He worked for New Process Gear and also was the owner of Imperial Lanes in East Syracuse.

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

 

1955: Inducted into Syracuse Bowling Hall of Fame

 

1956: Won Champion of Champions Bowling Tournament

 

1957: Won Peterson Classic

 

1961: Won Chester Twin Classic and Vargo Classic

 

1984: Won Amateur Bowlers Association event

 

1985: Received the Bowling Writers Association of America's Rip Van Winkle Award

 

1986: Inducted into New York State Bowlers Hall of Fame

 

1995: Inducted into the United State Bowling Congress Hall of Fame