1971-72 League Booklet

[Sparky]

I eagerly borrowed a Mid-Sussex and District Bar Billiards League Fixtures 1971-72 booklet, and think that some others will find it even more interesting than me, especially those that were there ;D ;D ;D

Front and back cover.

Attachments:

[Sparky]

Officers of the League & Teams in 3 Divisions.

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[Sparky]

Locations of the Venues (those were real phone numbers eh!)

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[Sparky]

For the terminally 'need to get a life' here is Page one of the Fixture Matrix.

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[Sparky]

Page two of the Fixture Matrix

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[Q]

I'd love to see a players list...
perhaps Tommo can oblige ;D

No Bernie, I only started playing Mid Sussex round about the same time as you (and for the same pub !) in 1980. You were Victory A and I was in the B's. In that year R.T.P. (Tim Peacock) was the top dog and was the Singles Champion and Interleague Captain. League Secretary was Terry Gasson.

You've unearthed a gem there, Sparky, and I would imagine that you got it off your teammate Ron, who used to play for R.T.P. at the White Harte.

This is the sort of memorabilia which I would like (with your permission) to display on our new website. 8-)

So, analysis time...............

a) Do we recognise any of the Committee names ?
b) Do any of the venues bring back memories ?
c) Wasn't the individual fixture booklet a nice touch ?

I'll start it off.

a) The only names that mean anything to me are Di Langridge (who also played in both the Crawley and later the Horsham Leagues. I think her husband was Les who also played, and Rick (brother-in-law ?) still plays in the Horsham league.
Also Cyril O'Prey who was Chris Tupper's father-in-law and played for the Ugly Duckling, Jim Martin who I remember managed to get in a Singles Semi-Final when advancing in years, and J.Duncan, father of Peter and father-in-law of Jenny who both played - most recently for the Bent Arms.

[Sparky]

Dec 7, 2009 23:06:11 GMT tommo III said:

No Bernie, I only started playing Mid Sussex round about the same time as you (and for the same pub !) in 1980. You were Victory A and I was in the B's. In that year R.T.P. (Tim Peacock) was the top dog and was the Singles Champion and Interleague Captain. League Secretary was Terry Gasson.

You've unearthed a gem there, Sparky, and I would imagine that you got it off your teammate Ron, who used to play for R.T.P. at the White Harte.

This is the sort of memorabilia which I would like (with your permission) to display on our new website. 8-)

Good idea Tommo and I have .tif versions at about 25.5MB each (too big for the forum attachment system) or the .jpg versions you see at about 750-850KB. I'm sure I can hold onto the book for a while longer in case you need something better or different.

Interestingly Terry Gasson plays in the USC team with Ron (good guess as my source) while Tim Peacock is a club member but will not play, which is a pity as I did manage to get him to pick up a cue once in a friendly and he still had the touch.

Maybe TSO can ask Peter Geal if he has any memorabilia, as he goes back even further ?

b) Venues - I've actually played at a good many of those venues and many bring back good memories. These are the only ones I never got to play at: Country Club, T/Hill; Cock, Wivelsfield; Gardeners, Ardingly; Oak, Ardingly; Red Lion, Chelwood Gate and the Royal George, B/Hill.

Some famous players that I remember playing for the venues:
Crown, Newick - Trevor Rees
Cowdray, Balcombe - Roger Gardner, the Greensteds (later of the Balcombe Club)
Eight Bells - Peter and Lorraine (before the Reaper, Boball and Rolly were born !)
Green Man - Gerry Smith, Mick Roberts
Half Moon - some of the now-Watermill team, apparently ?
North Star - Nigel Tolhurst
Pierpoint - Peter Burchell, Paul Goodwin
Red Lion, Chelwood Gate - Reg Beard, Steve King
Rose & Crown - Tony Franks
Royal Oak - Mark and Dave Spicer
St Francis - most of those who still play there now !
White Harte - Tim Peacock
Wheatsheaf - Terry Gasson
Victory - Peter Wren


Mens Interleague was played at the North Star, Ditchling, and I have a vague recollection of Trevor Howes playing in the team, though when I spoke to him he denied it !
Ladies Interleague team, which included Sue Ixer, Marion Petitpierre and Jenny Duncan, was played at the Pierpoint.

[Sparky]

Dec 7, 2009 23:22:36 GMT tommo III said:

Also Cyril O'Prey who was Chris Tupper's father-in-law and played for the Ugly Duckling,

I know Kevin O'Prey (a little bit as a plumber) who I think is Cyril's son and vaguely remember him telling me about the Tupps connection.

c) the Fixture booklet was indeed a nice touch, and the Crawley League always used to produce one, which also contained a full set of their Rules.

I drew on the idea when I was Horsham Secretary, and used to print an A4 sheet which when folded twice would show Committee on the front, fixtures on pages 2 and 3, and list of venues with telephone numbers on the reverse. I would then send six to each team so that every player could have one.

Nowadays fixture lists are works of art, full of colour, and it's just as easy to carry one of those around as they contain sufficient detail !

[BB Warrior]

A lovely piece of memorabilia in the history of the League..... certainly a great thing to feature on the new Website! ;D

Yes, the League Handbook is a really good idea, interestingly West Sussex still produce one for their teams every season giving addresses and fixtures for each team individually. 8-)

Well done Sparky.... a great find. ;)

Have renamed the last page of the website as 'Past Times' 'Bygone Days'.

Have displayed Sparky's booklet and also added a couple of things that Peter Burchell has sent me.

Any other submissions which further our history will be gratefully received.

[specialone]

Can just remember Alan Cubbit. Played with Roger Gardner at Balcombe Club. Was an icecream man, and always wore shorts to Bar Bills no mater how cold it was. Jim Duncan is still about. Ran in to him last Feb/March when fishing the Sussex Ouse. Neil Henry has found a St Francis news from the late 60's or early 70's. It has a photo of Saints A, inclucing Tolhurst, Geal, and Carey. There is also info about trophies etc. Will get a copy and send to Tommo

Thanks, Shaun.

That's a definite 'must' for inclusion.

[specialone]

Have had a look at the photo. Played with Ken Doggat, though 12 or 13 years after the photo was taken. Could well be Ken, and I do remember he was very proud of his thick bushy hair, which is very prominent in the photo. Ken was also the winning jockey in the carthorse Derby many years ago. Will ask Peter when I see him.
Shaun

Peter Burchell of the Greyhound has kindly provided me with similar, but for the 1974/75 season's booklet:




Comparing the list of participating venues with those for 1971/72, we find we have lost:
Gardeners, Ardingly; Kings Head, Albourne; Plough, Plumpton Green; Red Lion, Chelwood Gate; Royal George, B/Hill, Sussex Hotel, H/H; and Snowdrop, Lindfield.

The League had, however expanded by one team in each division, thanks to some 'B' teams and the gain of the following:
Chequers, Maresfield; Kings Head, Cuckfield; Potters Arms, B/H; Red Lion, Lindfield, White Horse, Lindfield................and one I had never heard of before: the Stone Quarry, Chelwood Gate.

Here is an article I've dug up by googling the latter:

"Memories of the Stone Quarry, Chelwood Gate:
This was a great pub which unfortunately has now disappeared!
When I went camping in Ashdown Forest during the 1980's, this was my 'local'. The food was excellent and not forgetting to mention the KING & BARNES ales from the pumps. You always got a perfect pint. Many a time I staggered out of that pub ;-)
I was 'mortified' when I returned there in the early 1990's and found houses were standing where the pub once was. A criminal act in my opinion!"
John Mills (now living in the Canary Islands)