Indiana bowler celebrates 50 years at USBC Open Championships
June 25, 2026
RENO, Nev. – From early on in his bowling career, Joe Gemmato has appreciated the importance of being part of the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships and has looked forward to his annual trip each year.
The 70-year-old from Portage, Indiana, recently celebrated his 50th consecutive appearance at the tournament, and he received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin in recognition of his longevity at the National Bowling Stadium.
“I had a lot of anticipation looking forward to this,” Gemmato said. “Getting 50 is a big deal. With injuries, work issues and this and that, to make 50 consecutive tournaments means a lot. I know that several times I bowled injured, but I wasn’t going to miss it.”
Gemmato made his debut at the 1976 event in Oklahoma City after getting recruited to join through his local leagues in Illinois.
He already had his eyes set on the tournament, though, thanks to his coach – USBC Hall of Famer Ed Brosius.
“My bowling coach was Ed Brosius – he’s in the hall of fame and bowled on the PBA Tour,” Gemmato said. “He’s the one that drilled it into my head how important this tournament is. He told me that if you want to get into the hall of fame, you’re not going to do it without bowling this tournament. It’s very, very important to be here, and you don’t miss.”
The tournament also gave him the chance to see parts of the country he never expected to see.
“You got to see a different city every year, and that was kind of amazing,” Gemmato said. “There are a lot of cities I would have never gone to except for this tournament. Billings, Montana, is one that sticks in my head.”
He’s also enjoyed the addition of the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas as a regular tournament host, noting it as one of his favorite spots.
The significance of the National Bowling Stadium entering the mix in 1995 and being part of that record year, however, is something Gemmato believes caused a shift in how the sport was perceived. A total of 17,285 teams competed that year in Reno for the Open Championships.
“When I bowled in this tournament in 1995 and this place was built – the National Bowling Stadium – to me, that finally acknowledged that bowling was really a sport,” Gemmato said. “To excel at this thing, people don’t realize what kind of shape you have to stay in and routines you have to get into.”
Along with staying in shape, Gemmato knows execution and staying ahead of the moves are keys to success on the lanes.
“This is a tough shot and always has been,” Gemmato said. “And, it changes every year. I’m willing to bet I’ve bowled on 50 different shots coming to this tournament, and you need to know what you’re doing and make the right adjustments. You can’t complain about the lane conditions – you need to execute.
“The last seven or eight years in this tournament, I haven’t bowled well and a lot of it is getting older. If you see me coming off the lanes and shaking my head, though, I’m mad at myself. You have to execute.”
Gemmato has put together teams at the Open Championships for 25 years as well, taking care of the hard work in the tournament’s offseason to make sure those traveling to the event with him can focus on competing.
He spoke passionately about his teammates and made sure they were part of his big milestone in Reno, too.
Gemmato’s teammates in 2026 as part of Galka’s Pro Shop included Edward Perry III, Alan Czajka, Louis Liberto and Brandon Goeringer.
“Team is everything,” Gemmato said. “These guys I bowl with, we’re all together and working together as a team. We praise each other for bowling well and not beating anyone up for bowling badly. We’re always there to help each other. To me, getting that picture taken … I wanted my teammates with me. That was very important to me.”
Looking ahead, Gemmato’s next goal is to reach 55 years at the tournament.
He closed his milestone appearance in 2026, however, by offering praise to the tournament’s staff.
“I think what everyone needs to realize is that this staff for the Open Championships works every day for us,” Gemmato said. “They go above and beyond to make sure everything is right and we’re taken care of, and I think that needs to be out there.”
Through 50 appearances at the Open Championships, Gemmato has accumulated a pinfall of 78,872 for an average of 175.2 at the tournament.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The 70-year-old from Portage, Indiana, recently celebrated his 50th consecutive appearance at the tournament, and he received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin in recognition of his longevity at the National Bowling Stadium.
“I had a lot of anticipation looking forward to this,” Gemmato said. “Getting 50 is a big deal. With injuries, work issues and this and that, to make 50 consecutive tournaments means a lot. I know that several times I bowled injured, but I wasn’t going to miss it.”
Gemmato made his debut at the 1976 event in Oklahoma City after getting recruited to join through his local leagues in Illinois.
He already had his eyes set on the tournament, though, thanks to his coach – USBC Hall of Famer Ed Brosius.
“My bowling coach was Ed Brosius – he’s in the hall of fame and bowled on the PBA Tour,” Gemmato said. “He’s the one that drilled it into my head how important this tournament is. He told me that if you want to get into the hall of fame, you’re not going to do it without bowling this tournament. It’s very, very important to be here, and you don’t miss.”
The tournament also gave him the chance to see parts of the country he never expected to see.
“You got to see a different city every year, and that was kind of amazing,” Gemmato said. “There are a lot of cities I would have never gone to except for this tournament. Billings, Montana, is one that sticks in my head.”
He’s also enjoyed the addition of the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas as a regular tournament host, noting it as one of his favorite spots.
The significance of the National Bowling Stadium entering the mix in 1995 and being part of that record year, however, is something Gemmato believes caused a shift in how the sport was perceived. A total of 17,285 teams competed that year in Reno for the Open Championships.
“When I bowled in this tournament in 1995 and this place was built – the National Bowling Stadium – to me, that finally acknowledged that bowling was really a sport,” Gemmato said. “To excel at this thing, people don’t realize what kind of shape you have to stay in and routines you have to get into.”
Along with staying in shape, Gemmato knows execution and staying ahead of the moves are keys to success on the lanes.
“This is a tough shot and always has been,” Gemmato said. “And, it changes every year. I’m willing to bet I’ve bowled on 50 different shots coming to this tournament, and you need to know what you’re doing and make the right adjustments. You can’t complain about the lane conditions – you need to execute.
“The last seven or eight years in this tournament, I haven’t bowled well and a lot of it is getting older. If you see me coming off the lanes and shaking my head, though, I’m mad at myself. You have to execute.”
Gemmato has put together teams at the Open Championships for 25 years as well, taking care of the hard work in the tournament’s offseason to make sure those traveling to the event with him can focus on competing.
He spoke passionately about his teammates and made sure they were part of his big milestone in Reno, too.
Gemmato’s teammates in 2026 as part of Galka’s Pro Shop included Edward Perry III, Alan Czajka, Louis Liberto and Brandon Goeringer.
“Team is everything,” Gemmato said. “These guys I bowl with, we’re all together and working together as a team. We praise each other for bowling well and not beating anyone up for bowling badly. We’re always there to help each other. To me, getting that picture taken … I wanted my teammates with me. That was very important to me.”
Looking ahead, Gemmato’s next goal is to reach 55 years at the tournament.
He closed his milestone appearance in 2026, however, by offering praise to the tournament’s staff.
“I think what everyone needs to realize is that this staff for the Open Championships works every day for us,” Gemmato said. “They go above and beyond to make sure everything is right and we’re taken care of, and I think that needs to be out there.”
Through 50 appearances at the Open Championships, Gemmato has accumulated a pinfall of 78,872 for an average of 175.2 at the tournament.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.