Maplewood 10-Year-Old Who Bowled Perfect Game Honored

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – A 10-year-old Maplewood boy who set the internet ablaze in Januaryby bowling a perfect game was honored by the Essex County Board of Freeholders on April 24.

Kai Strothers was recognized as part of the annual “Essex County Celebrates Youth” Program at the Hall of Records in Newark. This annual event acknowledges outstanding young people throughout Essex County for their notable achievements.

This year’s honorees were:

• Kai Strothers of Tuscan Elementary School in Maplewood
• Benjamin Levitt of Livingston High School
• Jaala Williams of Montclair High School, the University High School Girls Basketball Team of Newark, and the East Side High School Boys Basketball Team of Newark.

Freeholder Vice President Wayne Richardson began the program with welcoming remarks celebrating the achievements of the honorees. He encouraged them to continue to strive for excellence, and, as the future of Essex County, he motivated each honoree to lead the way.

Kai Strothers, a 5th grade student at Tuscan Elementary School in Maplewood, made history in New Jersey on January 19, 2019, by becoming the youngest person to bowl a sanctioned 300 point perfect game at the age of 10, officials said.

Strothers has been bowling with the Junior league since he was 4 years old, is a member of the Metropolitan Bowling Senate, and has traveled extensively while bowling in tournaments. He was part of the winning team for The National Bowling Association, Inc. (TNBA) Eastern Regional Junior Tournament that traveled to Detroit, Michigan, for the National Roll Off in 2018. He also recently won 1st place in the TNBA Eastern Regional Junior Tournament in Durham, North Carolina. In July, he will travel back to Detroit, Michigan, to compete in the Youth Open and Junior Gold Championships.

On February 10, 2019, Strothers was invited by the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) to be a special guest to the Tournament of Champions in Akron, Ohio, and threw out the first ball. He is very passionate and knowledgeable about the sport and bears the nickname “Popcorn” because while bowling he was snacking on popcorn and it was said the secret was in the popcorn.

Strother attends Tabernacle Baptist Church in Newark where he is a member of the Youth Choir, the Youth Ministry, and is also a Youth Usher. After his perfect game, Strothers was a guest on "Jimmy Kimmel LIVE" where he spoke about his big night at the lanes.

At the ceremony Eliana Pintor Morin offered greetings to the honorees on behalf of County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, and the audience was graced with a performance of the “The Star Spangled Banner” by Jacob-Malachi Appiah of Montclair High School, as well as a rendition of “Tell the World” by Lecrae.

Also in attendance were Freeholders Robert Mercado of District 1, Leonard Luciano of District 4, Carlos Pomares of District 5, and At-Large Freeholders Romaine Graham and Patricia Sebold.

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