What do hard work, lightning, and baseball gloves have in common? Just ask Bruce Mayer. Bruce is a member of the Class of 1964. He attended Trinity-Pawling for three years along with his brother Tucker Mayer ’65, was a Prefect, and member of the varsity baseball, football, and basketball teams. He was inducted into the Trinity-Pawling Hall of Fame with the 1963-1964 varsity football team.
As a baseball player, he was the leadoff hitter and versatile field player filling whatever position was needed including shortstop and left field. He even enjoyed an undefeated season in 1964. Bruce went on to play football and hockey at St. Lawrence University and had a long career in coaching, teaching, real estate, and insurance. The key to his success was to work hard and be better, a virtue passed on to his children and grandchildren.
When his son Guard was asked by his grandson Bear for gas money, Guard told him that maintaining the car was Bear’s responsibility. But how does a 16-year-old make money? It was then that BRUCE BOLT was launched in Austin, TX. The company was started in 2017 by Bear Mayer, a 16-year-old baseball player who wanted better batting gloves but also needed money for his first truck, a ’93 Landcruiser named Jennifer! Knowing that the baseball gloves Bear used only lasted two weeks, he figured out how to make ones that could be better.
The name of the company was inspired by Bruce, a hard-working athlete with the distinction of being one of the few people to be struck by lightning … twice! Hence the name, BRUCE BOLT. A big shoutout and many thanks to BRUCE BOLT for donating batting gloves, sleeves, and pads for all the Pride varsity baseball players.
by Matt Soper
Photo: Bruce Mayer ’64 with grandson Bear