Kitty and Jack Newsletter
Newsletter One 2019/2020
We welcome one and all back for the 2019/2020 season. Normally Kitty mentions all the new members by name in our first newsletter. We do welcome you all to our great club, the reality is though that there are so many this year we would need half the newsletter to mention every name. Slowly all those who were lucky enough to be away are drifting back to the club, Whilst we who have been inside by the heaters watching sport all winter may not think much of all the stories emanating about the lovely warmth of the north, but from the stories being told some great trips have been undertaken by the lucky few, Gary Hamilton and Lynne Kelson took in the Ashes whilst travelling the British Isles and parts of Europe, Bill Candy took in Norway, Jeff Clack was off to England, Dave and Joan Murphy flew to America and half the club went to Northern NSW and Queensland. To all those who have kept the club running over winter we say a very BIG Thank you
Arriving back at the club for the first Friday night soiree how sad it was not to be greeted at the door by Toni. It is with the deepest of regret that we acknowledge the very sad passing since last pennant season of several club stalwarts, Antoinette (Toni) O’Sullivan and John Lewis were club legends and have left an indelible impression at City Oval. Toni and John both loved City Oval and gave tirelessly for this club. Two outstanding members whose friendship and companionship we will truly miss. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Dave and Bev and their families. Sadly former member Joe Powell also passed away and our sympathies go out to the Powell family.
We saw at the latest AGM a complete restructure of all levels. Meaning there will be more accountability for the way the club is run. Although as always we must remember that we are a volunteer based club and as such the club will only thrive if each member contributes in their own unique ways. It was fantastic to receive Chairman Lloyd’s email verifying the reappointment of Mark Firman until 2022.Those in the know realise that Mark was being approached by other clubs, so for those members who appreciate playing on the best greens we are truly happy. If and when you see Mark it wouldn’t hurt members to acknowledge and thank him for all his tireless efforts.
Great to see the Table of Knowledge is still in existence, albeit in front of the heater. The usual suspects all sitting around enjoying David Flintoft’s much loved morning teas ( Dave’s obviously a great cook) The most recent topic centred on what the club needed to do to improve. The GURU had this to say. A farmer had three sons who were always bickering amongst themselves, eventually he brought them together and showed them a bundle of sticks tied together. ‘Can you break these sticks in half with your hands?’ he asked. The eldest son strong from years of hard work on his father’s farm, tried several times before admitting he could not break the sticks. The second son’s efforts brought the same result. ‘Let me try,’ said the youngest boy. His elder brothers sneered. If we couldn’t break the sticks how do you expect to?’ But the father insisted the youngest son be given his chance. The boy untied the bindings around the sticks and one by one broke them in half. The older brothers protested that this was not the task their father had set them. The father replied that he did not say the bindings had to remain in place, ‘But,’ he added ‘here is the message for you, my sons. If you work together, remain close as brothers and are loyal to each other no one or no force will ever be able to break or divide you, and so it should be at City Oval.
Mid week Pennant
Round one saw a mixed bag of results, Premier Division were at home and a very slow start proved very costly. The score cards indicated they were down by twenty shots after 9 ends. From there however they did manage to claw their way back into the game only to lose to deserved winners Clunes by seven shots.
Division One. Went out to Buninyong and in an impressive display took the honours by sixteen shots.
Division Two playing on the carpet at Invermay had a titanic tussle which ended fittingly in a draw.
Division Three were away to Ballarat. In a great team performance the eventual margin of twenty four shots highlighted City Oval’s dominance
Weekend Pennant
Club Legend and Life member Charlie Bolte and his rink Helen Sculley, David Murphy and Peter Croft scored the maximum eight. It is hard to believe that after more than 700 games and his much celebrated career this was Charlie’s first ever 8 badge. Congratulations to Charlie and the team.
All teams playing at the Hawks Nest recorded good wins whilst those that travelled away went down.
Division One played host to Ballarat East recording a good solid win with three rinks up. Peter Cameron, Leigh McKenzie, Mark Firman and Gavin Mann were best with 21 shots up.
Division Two travelled to Victoria. In what was a hard fought game on Victoria’s new synthetic green which bowled very well by all accounts the Hawks went down by 5. Unfortunately only John Hoffman, Bryan Coutts, Ken Birch and Chris Smith managed to claim a rink win.
Division Four were at home to Webbconna. In what eventually proved to be a comfortable win with three rinks and 31 shots up. Peter Oxlade in his new role as skipper lead his rink of Alan Hawkes, Debbie Stark and Terry Grano to a 19 shot win.
Division Five also played against Ballarat East at home, what can one say we were just too strong for the opposition with all rinks up. John Ryan, Peter Keppel, John Tansley, Eddie Harman, winning by 36 shots as did Jeff Clack, Ray Kinna, Col Gibson and Max Sargent.
Division Six crossed the Lake to take on Central Wendouree and in a very entertaining, close game went down by only 8 shots. Lynne Rhodes, Maureen Lynch, Jim Fitzpatrick and Margaret Willmott took the honours winning by 7
Division Eight travelled out to the Wind Farm territory taking on Waubra, One rink up and one rink down. In a good day for the Rhodes family Ray along with Tony Johns, Les Finger and Bernie Clebney got up by 1 shot.
How good was it to come back to the club and see all the smiling faces at the club,
Kitty was speaking with Melinda O’Connor who along with many others played her first game on Saturday. The smile and delight on Melinda’s faced summed it all up. Kitty was reminded exactly what we were playing for. That is in the first instance the delight and enjoyment of playing a game of bowls with our friends at City Oval.
Good Bowling
Kitty and Jack