Like Bowling? Thank this 100 Year Old Schenectady Native

The potato chip, the club sandwich and Jello are all products that were invented (or at least believed to be invented) in the Capital Region. New York State as a whole can take credit for many more including toilet paper, Pepto Bismol and chicken nuggets.

Well, if you hit up any of the popular bowling lanes around the Capital Region, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, the ball you use is likely the brainchild of Joseph Gentiluomo of Schenectady.

Mr. Gentiluomo holds over two dozen patents, one of which is the modern bowling ball. As an inventor, he focused heavily on different elements of sports and discovered that density was key when it came to a certain kind of golf ball he was working on. He basically took that same concept and applied it to the bowling ball. After years of wrangling with the US Patent Office (14 years to be exact), he was granted a patent in 1980.

An RPI graduate and veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, Gentiluomo worked for both IBM and General Electric. He even patented a type of mechanical glove used by NASA.

On Sunday, Gentiluomo celebrated his 100th birthday with family, friends and community members in Niskayuna. Senator Jim Tedisco was on hand to present him with a special certificate of merit.

Happiest of birthdays Joseph! From all of us at Q105.7 & 103.5 - here's to many more!