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The Bea Martain Story

Bea Martin along with Albert Jackson started the YCAP League at Homefield Bowling Lanes, in Yonkers. She was the secretary/treasurer, and he was the president. She introduced people who had never picked up a bowling ball along with a few who had bowled before. Those who had a few skills taught those who didn't. It was something new and fun to do on a Friday night!

Bea Martin also introduced over 250 children to bowling. taking them to the former Yonkers Bowl on Central ave, the former Lincoln Park Bowl on South Broadway and HomeField Bowl on Sawmill River Road. The children were given free shoes, three games of bowling, and lessons on how to bowl and afterwards they were also given a hot dog and a soda. Some of these children grew up to continue practicing the sport, others still remember the experience.

Bea Martin also started four leagues being the secretary / Treasurer and introduced over 200 adults to the sport.

Through it all she loved the sport and was even featured on the TV show Bowling 4 dollars in 1975.

After her passing in 1977 the league was renamed the Bea Martin League in her honor because she did much to promote bowling in the African-American community.

There was also a league at Yonkers Bowl named in her honor called the Bea Martin Friday Night Mixed League and when that house closed down it was no more.

Sandra King Was introduced to bowling by Bea Martin in 1975 when she joined the YCAP Bowling League.

After the untimely passing of Bea Martin in 1977, Sandra King was then elected secretary.

Over the years Sandra held the league down doing what it took to fill the slots needed to have a full league.

Once the league fell to 10 teams Sandra was given the guarantee by the owner, Dave Limekiller, that as long as there was a Bea Martin League they would have a place there, because he loved and respected Bea Martin as a person and he knew the good that she had done for the African-American community.

When the league started to have trouble filling all of the slots Dave worked with Sandra to help her maintain those 10 lanes. Since that time there has been a full League.

Sandra king passed in February 2014 and the Bea Martin League was renamed the Sandra J King memorial League

These two ladies made history: Bea Martin, by having two bowling leaves named after her during the 1970s, one of which was the longest running African-American bowling in Westchester 37 years. Sandra King made history by being the longest running African-American secretary in Westchester for 37 years.

My name is Mavis Martin-Gilham, and I am the CEO of the Bea Martin Foundation, Inc., which is a 501c3 non-profit organization. This non- profit was started in 2015 to honor my mother, Bea Martin, who introduced many people into the sport of bowling. She was a life-long bowler. I teach my beloved sport of bowling to children. hoping they would love the game as much as I do. This will be our fifth Bea Martin Summer Youth Bowling Camp, and we have seen growth each year. My goal is to turn this into a sanctioned bowling league, with hopes of the children competing for scholarships!

Mission statement: To give inner-city children the opportunity to gain experience through education and sports. To help the children to learn leadership, teamwork and sportsmanship through our bowling intramurals. We will work continuously to find ways to keep the children interested in school and eventually help them get to college.

Statement of Need: Many of the children from Southwest Yonkers will not get the opportunity to go to camp or anywhere outside of their neighborhood for fun activities during the summer months. The Bea Martin summer bowling Camp will give that opportunity to 50 children. It will take them from their environment and introduce them to the sport of bowling. Due to the high price of the activity many of these children will not have the opportunity to experience bowling. The Bea Martin foundation will change this.

A message from the founder Mavis Martin:

Follow me thru the journey of building the Bea Martin Foundation. As we create and improve our programs thru grants, fundraisers, and donations from our supporters.