Just 34 years of age, Brian Marcellus has already put together a bowling career worthy of Butler County Bowling Association Hall of Fame recognition.

He was part of the team that set the county record for highest three-game series. He was part of a team that reached the youth state finals in 1988.

Marcellus has rolled seven perfect games and more 700-series than he can remember.

But when it comes to induction into the Hall of Fame? Get in line.

"It'd be a dream come true, a tremendous honor," Marcellus said. "But there are a number of bowlers around here who should go in before I do.

"Tom Fry is the best bowler in Butler County. Carl Vinroe has had a great career. There are a lot of good bowlers out there."

The BCBA Hall of Fame has only existed since 1995 and has 22 members. Marcellus was named BCBA Director of the Year for the 2004-05 season.

He is second vice president of the organization and does a lot of work with the local Hall of Fame.

"That (Director of the Year) was a nice honor because there's a lot of people on that board who work hard," Marcellus said. "Handling registrations, setting up tournaments … There's a lot of behind the scenes work that needs done."

Born and raised in Butler, Marcellus began with YABA bowling when he was 5 years old. He was 17 when he joined Jim Fields, Travis O'Day, Shasta Wilkerson and Michelle Zurzollo on a team that reached the junior state finals in 1988.

"I've stayed in touch with them through the years," Marcellus said. "We're all still friends."

His average really elevated once he took a job behind the desk at Family Bowlaway at age 19. Marcellus worked there for six years and watched his average increase by more than 20 pins.

He said unlimited bowling had a lot to do with that.

"Employees there could bowl as much as they wanted," Marcellus said. "I used to bowl at least five games a day. You almost have to get better."

Marcellus has carried an average of 200 or better for the past 14 years. The first adult league he ever bowled in was his parents' league: the Cycles League on Friday nights.

He's bowling in two leagues this year, averaging 218 in the men's traveling league and 198 in the Butler Ten-Pin City League.

"My parents introduced me to the game," Marcellus said.

Of his seven perfect games, one was rolled in the 1992 state tournament in Erie. Marcellus has also rolled 300-games at Bon-Aire, Sherwood and Family Bowlaway.

"I didn't even roll a 700 (series) in Erie that year," Marcellus said. "That was disappointing."

He's also never bowled an 800-series, topping out at 791 twice.

"The 800 is what I'm chasing," he said.

One of the 791's Marcellus bowled helped the five-man team that included Kurt Huff, Jeff Blank, Kevin English and Warren Watson set a Butler County record three-game series of 3,646 during the 1993-94 season.

Marcellus rolled a 279, 255 and 257 that night.

A longtime member of the men's traveling league, Marcellus owns three perfect games in that circuit — only Fry and Ron Henry have more — and a 218.1 average in 1999-2000. Only Fry and Dwight Crowe have ever averaged higher in that league.

"That's a good, competitive league because you're bowling in different houses all of the time," Marcellus said. "The more houses you bowl in, the better you're going to be."

Marcellus became a certified USBC youth bowling coach this year. He and his wife, Karen, have been married eight years and have two sons, 5-year-old Shawn and 2-year-old Braden.

Shawn is a first-year YABA bowler.

"I want to be able to help coach Shawn and I want to coach other kids, too," Marcellus said. "The future of bowling is in the youth organization. I want to help it grow."