Chester A. Kowal
Encyclopedia
Chester A. Kowal was an American politician, a basketball
player, a box
er and a World War II
veteran. From 1962 to 1965 he was mayor of Buffalo, New York
.
He was born into a Polish-American family in Buffalo on August 17, 1904. The family operated a grocery store
at 55 Gittere Street. He attended Hutchinson Central High School
. He turned down a basketball scholarship to Canisius College
in Buffalo in order to play professionally to earn money. He played with the once world champion German Orioles and the Buffalo Lincolns basketball teams, and also played semi-pro baseball with the Easter Brands. He boxed with the Western New York AAU and was a contender for the U.S. Olympic boxing team. He was married to a Polish-American woman, Stephanie Adamski. His family started Walden Bottling Works in 1924; he managed the company in his spare time.
In late 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Force as a private and was sent to Officers' Training School. He saw service in the U.S. Southwest before serving five months in the Pacific Theater
during World War II
. In April 1946 he was discharged as a lieutenant-colonel. He was active in veterans organizations.
In 1951, Kowal was elected Buffalo city comptroller
on the Republican
ticket. He was defeated in his run for mayor in the 1957 election by Frank A. Sedita
, but prevailed in the mayoral election held on November 7, 1961. He served a single term as mayor. On September 28, 1966, he died in his sleep.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, a box
Box
Box describes a variety of containers and receptacles for permanent use as storage, or for temporary use often for transporting contents. The word derives from the Greek πύξος , "box, boxwood"....
er and a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran. From 1962 to 1965 he was mayor of Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
He was born into a Polish-American family in Buffalo on August 17, 1904. The family operated a grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
at 55 Gittere Street. He attended Hutchinson Central High School
Hutchinson Central Technical High School
Hutchinson Central Technical High School, informally known as Hutch-Tech, is a high school in the City of Buffalo, New York. Its founding on September 14, 1904 under the name Mechanics Arts High School marked the beginning of technical education on the secondary level in the city of...
. He turned down a basketball scholarship to Canisius College
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
in Buffalo in order to play professionally to earn money. He played with the once world champion German Orioles and the Buffalo Lincolns basketball teams, and also played semi-pro baseball with the Easter Brands. He boxed with the Western New York AAU and was a contender for the U.S. Olympic boxing team. He was married to a Polish-American woman, Stephanie Adamski. His family started Walden Bottling Works in 1924; he managed the company in his spare time.
In late 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Force as a private and was sent to Officers' Training School. He saw service in the U.S. Southwest before serving five months in the Pacific Theater
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
during World War II
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
. In April 1946 he was discharged as a lieutenant-colonel. He was active in veterans organizations.
In 1951, Kowal was elected Buffalo city comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
on the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
ticket. He was defeated in his run for mayor in the 1957 election by Frank A. Sedita
Frank A. Sedita
Frank Albert Sedita was Mayor of the City of Buffalo, New York, serving 1958–1961 and 1966–1973. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 20, 1907. The family moved to Buffalo in 1911, and when he was 10, Sedita began work by hawking newspapers and shining shoes around the downtown area...
, but prevailed in the mayoral election held on November 7, 1961. He served a single term as mayor. On September 28, 1966, he died in his sleep.