Hastings bar billiards league is still alive

[mikedaw1985]

Yes, there is still a bar billiards league in Hastings.
I play for a team called The Fox which is based in the centre of St.Leonards. (next to hastings).
We currently are just about hanging on to just 6 teams. For those who know the area, these teams are:

The Fox
Ashburnham Arms A
Ashburnham Arms B
The Bulverhythe (not sure how long, as the pub is meant to be closing)
The Oddfellows
The Old Courthouse.

The Old Courthouse is our newest team. They are based in Westfield and this is only their second season.
There is talk of another team wanting to join next season, which would be great. More teams the better.

[H]

This is great news. Please keep in touch. I thought Hastings had died out years ago!

[mikedaw1985]

If anyone knows any players who haved moved to this area and are wanting to carry on playing, please let them know we are still going. There are teams that are struggling for players and would welcome anyone who would want to play. Thats of any ability. We dont have any where near the high quality players that we once did. So its quite a competitive little league. Im not sure if anyone in this league (thats left) has scored a 20k break. The last time our league had a 20k break was way back in about 2002. That was by Sean Taylor. He has since stopped playing, as far as im aware. We play on Wednesday nights, and we generally start play at about 8.30.

Hastings ah ?
It would be nice to welcome them back into the SCBBA fold. I don't believe the League affiliates anymore, but it would be good to see them taking part in Sussex competitions again.

Kim Beeching was a top lady player right to the 'end'.

I remember Sean (and Anna !) and also Julian Deeprose who was a 20k merchant.

I have some fond memories of Hastings, and high scoring tops at the Marina, Fountain and the Warrior Gate from when I used to captain the Horsham Interleague side.

[mikedaw1985]

The Fountain no longer has a table and I now play just round the corner from where the Warrior Gate used to be.The Warrior Gate closed a while ago now. The remainder of that team play at The Fox. You may know Tony Gates, who once ran the warrior gate. He has played inter league. Denis Cole is the other that played there for years.

Yes Julian and Sean were both 20k merchants as you say. Kim Beeching has now gone to live in Spain.
I've also been in a team with Martin Leach as well for a brief time when he was down this way.

I didn't know that Kim had emigrated.

Another emigre (but only to the other side of the county) is Graham Lewis of Worthing. He played in Mid Sussex for a good many years, but come originally from Hastings.

[mikedaw1985]

I dont believe I ever met him. Probably before my time.

Kim emigrated last year at the end of our last winter league.

[Martin Leach]

Hi Mike! Good to hear from you again!

How's your brother, and Dad? I hope they are well.

I haven't been in touch with anyone from the Hastings league for some time now. As you know I had a mixed experience there! There are plenty of nice people down there, but the few idiots (no names) put me off. It seems like things are getting better again, thank goodness.

I Play in Tun Wells now, and I'm really enjoying my billiards again.

Anyway, say hi to anyone who knows me.

Catch you soon.

Martin.

[mikedaw1985]

Hi Martin,

Good to hear from you. Glad to see your still playing the game and now enjoying it again.

The league is getting better thanks to a certain departure.
We might even have another team joining next year which would be great.

My brother and my dad are both well. My brother no longer plays as he doesn't live round here anymore.

The new team that are joining are apparently from broad oak. The Rainbow Trout. (I think).

[bigtj]

Great news that there is still a league in HASTINGS, and prospect of a new team encouraging.
As Tommo says it would be good to see affiliation to Sussex.
Not sure what rules are for the one day inter league events, but might be an avenue to explore if you could get seven people interested in playing at the roffey Club, Horsham. I will talk to the committee and see if there is any chance you could be invited if interested.
Tony Jenner.

[Martin Leach]

I just wanted to add my support for Hastings to re-affiliate with Sussex.

With some of the less willing "old guard" now gone, it would be a good time to make a fresh start, and I'd love to see a few of my old mates from Hastings again. :D

[mikedaw1985]

Yes I would like very much to do something like the one day inter league. As you say we'd have to get 7 players together to do that. That could prove a stumbling block. Getting 7 players to travel to Horsham might be difficult. A few of my team might like to give it a go, but trying to get anyone else from other teams probably wont be easy.

I'll speak to a few people next week when we have a game and see what they think.

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi Hastings

Eastbourne has a small core of teams all pretty bored with playing the same old players, if you want to organise some friendly games let me know, perhaps others could do the same

Good luck

CS

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi Tommo

Hastings league info all hearsay at present

The oddfellows has a new manager, the old team has apparantly moved to the Kings Head? but the table remains, have left message for Graham Dean to get in touch

The plough Westfield has a new manager since christmas, he believes his team has played in the Rye league, Met Gerald from Tarrats there he mentioned that tarrats have 80 tables out at present (down from 400).

talked about Summer singles knockout comp/league Sponsorred by Tarrats

Have picked up details of current league secretary Bob Osbourne, not sure i should post this here, will report if i get a response

regs cs

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi Tommo

Hastings is not dead ....its alive and kicking got hold of Bob Osbourne will email Lifesabitch his contact details separately

There are 4 venues in the league with 7 teams  and paly Wednesday nights

The Courthouse
The Old King John
The Ashburnham
The Nags Head

Other tables in the area

The Oddfellows Hastings
The Plough Westfield
The Anchor George Street Hastings
The Queens Head Rye

Hastings is now interested in affiliating next year, having an interleague team and registering for Whatney Mann and or summer league friendly matches etc.

Result or what!

Regs cs

Thanks for all your efforts, Gandalf, useful for the AEBBA map (will now disseminate the information).

What a result though, if they wish to re-affiliate to the County!

I even know of one really top-rated player who lives in Hastings but hasn't a proper home venue, although he enters (and does well in) the Opens.  He might be just willing to have his arm twisted to help in any revival.

tommo

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi tommo

Trust you will twist againt at the appropriate time

regs cs

It so happens he's just won Bournemouth, if my news sources are correct. ;D ;D ;D

[gandalf the untidy]

Have had further contact with hastings The Star and The Hurst (eastbourne) will be arranging Home & away friendlies with Hastings teams in the summer.

regs cs

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi Hastings BB fans

Popped over to the Old King John hastings tonight with a couple of Star Players (thats the Star Eastbourne not John Virgo!) to try out the Bar Billiards Ltd. table.

Bit slow with a slight roll, perhaps a bit uphill, nothing too serious though, pleased to see a 50p slot for a change, wonder how many there are still left in the area.

Remember playing a few years back on a table that had a 6d slot the landlord kept a specialbottle of 6d's which cost 50p to exchange

regs cs

[Pete S]

Greetings Hastings and Eastbourne

Tunbridge Wells would be interested in a couple of friendlies during the summer as we have palyers who do not play in our Sussex Interleague team that would like to play matches against other players that are outside our league.

Regards

Pete S
(TWBBL Secretary)

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi BB Fans

Same old stars visited the Ashburnham tonight for a muck about, we found a score sheet from last week, which was quite illuminating!

Ashburnham B  played Nags Head B

M Osbourne 230 S Taylor 15140
C Sexton 5180 R roberts 1310
R Harmer 12480 D Pearce 250
S Harmer 8230 D Rowan 300
R Young 3150 L Woodall 1320

Perhaps there are some names from the past you recognise, if they do affiliate next season probably not worth putting them in a lower division provided it does not contravene points of order

regs cs

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi BB Fans

I have had confirmation from Bob Osbourne that will attend the next AGM on 8th Aug 2011

regs cs

[mikedaw1985]

I would definately be up for playing a inter league match against a few other teams. Just hope others would be up for it too.
Im now playing for the Courthouse B in Westfield. We are the old Fox team. The Fox is now closed.

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi Mike

Nice to see some activity on the Hastings thread, have been in contact with Bob Osbourne as Eastbourne are hoping to play a few friendlys with Hastings teams in the summer.

regs CS

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi Mike

fancy posting the scores of your Courthouse v Ashburnham Match being played tonight!

regs cs

[mikedaw1985]

sorry I didn't realise until today that you had posted. I cant remember the scores themselves. But the result was:

Courthouse B 3:2 Ashburnham was the result.

Dave White hit the best break of the night with just over 7000 I think.

[mikedaw1985]

Also in terms of the friendly, all we need to do is to exchange some dates between yourself and Bob and we should be good to go. Hopefully we can get it going fairly soon.

[gandalf the untidy]

Hi mikedaw

we're up for 24th and 31st july just need to confirm interleague or pub team available, have just left same message with Bob awaiting a response

regs cs
Eastbourne League

[mikedaw1985]

I know I can probably make the 24th but the 31st I doubt I can do as I'm getting married on the 29th. My thinking is that it'll probably be an interleague game.