They say that only two things in life are certain: death and taxes. But Benjamin Kamekona seems to have redefined another of life’s certainties, at least for the employees of Sea Bowl. Come hell or high water, he’ll be there waiting at the doors every morning, ready for another day of bowling. 

“He’s here 10 minutes before we open every day. He’s usually waiting for us to open,” says Tracie Tang, Sea Bowl’s Special Events Director.

Kamekona turns 89 this August and is part of an elite club at Sea Bowl.

“It’s called the 80s club,” Tang says. “Anyone over the age of 80, on their 80th birthday, they can come in a pick up a VIP card.”

The card grants members three free games a day. Tang estimates there are only about a half dozen members currently in the 80s club.

“When you get into your 80s you have a hard time walking, let alone bowling. These guys that have made it to the 80s-plus group, it’s quite an accomplishment,” says Tang.

For his part, Kamekona maintains an ambitious schedule. He bowls five days a week, practicing Monday through Friday at Sea Bowl for two hours every morning. On Tuesday and Wednesday he does double duty by bowling in two different senior leagues after his morning practice. He is a member of both Sea Bowl’s senior league and Classic Bowling Center’s senior league in Daly City.

“He’s here like clockwork. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining outside—he’s here,” says Tang. “He’s usually sitting down by the same pair of lanes that they get. It’s just a routine for him.”

“You’ve got to have dedication to do what he does,” she says.

And dedication is something Kamekona seems to have spent a lifetime practicing. Originally from Hilo, Hawaii, Kamekona worked for the Merchant Marine for 31 years until he retired to Daly City in 1976. Then he spent the first 16 years of his retirement working as a janitor in Daly City schools to supplement his income.

Coincidentally, he says that the very first job he ever held was at 8 years old, where he worked in a bowling alley in Hawaii.

“We used to set up the pins and we’d get 25 cents an hour. We were getting money to go to the movies,” says Kamekona.

After his 1976 retirement, he began bowling daily and joined the senior league at Sea Bowl almost five years ago. Every day he meets up with a rotating group of friends from his senior league community for practice.

For most of Kamekona’s weekday practices, the bowling alley is nearly empty. On the day Kamekona was photographed for this story, he practiced with John and Jeffrey Goias, twin brothers who also play on the senior league. Their game was full of high-fives and smiles. 

“You know they’re going to be here and you like to mingle with them, knowing you’re part of the same bowling league. It makes you feel happy. Once in a while I beat them and it makes me feel good,” says Kamekona.

He doesn’t put much emphasis on his score. 

“Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose in the game,” he says. “But that’s the reason why I like it.” He credits bowling for keeping him young.

“That’s the only exercise I get. That’s why I come here. It keeps me moving,” he says.

“You look at him and you think it does pay to keep yourself in shape,” says Tang, who has been with Sea Bowl for about 10 years. “For you to be able to do this at his age, that’s pretty amazing. There’s only a couple of other people that I’ve known that have actively bowled into their 90s.”

Kamekona says he has had to make some small adjustments. Recently, he found his 14-pound ball was getting too heavy to throw, so he traded it in for a 13-pound ball. Still, he can’t recall ever missing a day of bowling.

“I’ve got to be really sick not to bowl,” says Kamekona. “But I’ve never been sick.” 

And for those that see him regularly in the quietude of that bowling alley, Kamekona seems to have reinforced another age-old wisdom that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.

“I’m not a good bowler,” says Kamekona. “Sometimes I do good, sometimes I don’t. But it doesn’t matter to me. I’m here to have fun.”