This year’s tour was scheduled to coincide with the
Wigginton Club 40th Anniversary Dinner held at the York
Race Course.
Unfortunately, from a starting line-up of 23 or so, we
finished up with 3 old hands, who know what a good weekend
it usually is, and fortunately Allen Barwise and Polly
Woodward who showed extreme enthusiasm from the start.
Without these 2 it is unlikely that tour would have gone
ahead. The weekend was dampened slightly due to the
atrocious weather on the Saturday.
I intend starting the story at the end rather than the
beginning, because the last match on Saturday afternoon
proved to be the deciding battle as whether we became
outright winners or not. Possibly having to resort to a
countback. Having won 3-2 on Friday night, The Friday
Night’s winners were losers and the losers, Winners, so
the Last Saturday tie was at 2 all With Nick Clifford
scheduled to play Martin Wright. On Martin’s first
appearance at the York venue he did lose to Nick when I
had won about 5 years ago.
But when I do rarely get the chance play my son these
days there is usually only one winner, and I had
confidently stated to a member of the opposition that I
felt that Martin would be too strong and we would win. I
was later forced to eat my words. Having lost myself on
Friday night to Nick, for the first time I did not give
Nick enough credit. Apparently out for 12 months and only
having had 3 games since, we perhaps underestimated him.
His game with Martin proved to be the game of the weekend.
Losing the 1st drastically being well down, Martin then
recovered but lost 11/9 .He then took the next 2 only 2
lose the 4th and left the tie hanging in the balance. Nick
had beaten me with some superb lob serves, never far away
from being perfect. And Martin had the same trouble, but
in the end he just had the edge to finish off a cracking
game, many of whom thought was the best of the weekend.
Polly’s debut on Friday night got off to a brilliant
start going 7 up in the first to a very strong looking
youngish Chris. Polly managed to hang on and win that game
and had some deft finishes to keep in the next 3 but
eventually lost.
Allen on at the same time took on another fit looking and
younger Angus. This was a very close game with some
excellent squash by both players Allen winning in the 5th.
Tommy the Elf had 4 close games before edging out Mark.
Martin had his first 5 setter after going 2-1 up before
winning the 5th 11-7.
With the pressure off, were winning 3-1. My regular
game with Nick was the end of the tie. A struggle in the
1st but then 2-1 up I made the mistake of underestimating
my opponent when he was finishing stronger and l Iost the
4th 12-10 which proved the end of me in the 5th. But still
A 3-2 win for the vets.
On Saturday Allen came up first against the current
club champion. After losing 3-0 Allen admitted that he
never comes across anyone that could hit the ball so hard.
A very strong 40 year old who I thought might do well on
the circuit. No disgrace for a 62 year old to lose.
Polly had a lady to play for her match and she reversed
her defeat on Friday with a 3-0 victory. I again missed
Tommy’s game to a much younger player to whom he lost 3-0
and I managed to reverse my Friday defeat beating Mike
3-0. Which left Martin to bring us home winning both days
3-2.
Nick did a splendid job matching up the players as well
as organising the weekend. I think it was Rob Cooper and
his wife who prepared the Friday meal of Chilli and rice
finishing off with 2 superb sweets. I selected the barrel
of beer for the night “Yorkshire Terrier” – This had gone
by time we got back to the club on Saturday for a
pre-dinner drink – had to make do with Guinness. The first
time a barrel had disappeared in a day I was told. A
preamble by Nick Clifford to the assembled 140 dinner
guests, in which the GB Vets got a mention, was followed
by 2 buses operating to the Race Course for the Annual
Dinner Celebration.
There were numerous raffles and speeches, all proceeds
going to local charities, one of which was to Parkinson’s
disease. Appropriate as Nick’s wife Shelia has recently
been diagnosed with it. In private on behalf of the GB
Vets I passed on our sympathy and best wishes for which
inevitably will be a strain on both of them. My wife’s
sister had it for nearly 30 years before passing away last
year unable to speak, walk and bent over like a hunchback
in the end. An awful disease. The dinner dance went well
and dancing by some, allowed the joys of relative youth to
flourish. Personally, I could not stand the noise and
showed my age by moving to the back of room.
Allen Barwise and Polly enjoyed the event so much he
felt a desire to express his own thanks and on behalf of
the GB Vets as part of the speeches. I have expressed my
wish and now confirm my desire to stand down from my
duties in respect of this tour and hope that I have primed
Allen to take over.
One suggestion was not to overkill the event by making
it bi-annual.
Adrian Wright
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Adrian Wright (lt)& Nick Clifford (rt) |
Alan Barwise (lt) |
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Polly Woodward(rt) |
Tommy Elves (lt) |
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