Bathurst farewells a valued member of city's bowls community

On a sunny, but very cold Autumn afternoon, 16 of our Club Bowlers and two visitors, Our regular bowler from The Majellan Club, Peter Drew and our popular bowling member Trevor Kellock's Son - in - Law, Peter Douglas from Sydney, formed 3 games of Social Pairs and One game of Social triples.

Game No. 1: After the 8th end, Skip. Trevor Kellock and Peter Douglas were leading 9 shots to 7 shots over Skip. Peter Drew and Annette Myers, who won the next 4 Consecutive ends scoring 11 shots to lead 18 shots to 9 shots and after the 17th end, they led 24 shots to 12 shots. Both teams each scored 4 shots with Peter and Annette winning 28 shots to 16 shots over Trevor and Peter after the 21st end.

Game No. 2: By scoring 2 shots on the 6th end Skip. Ray Noonan and Michael Hope were just leading by 5 shots to 4 shots against Skip. Ian Shaw and Margaret Miller, who were down 9 shots to 12 shots after the 13th end to Ray and Michael, who won the next 5 consecutive ends scoring 11 shots, which included a great 6 shots to lead 23 shots to 9 shots after the 18th end. Although they scored 6 shots to 2 shots, Ian and Margaret were beaten by Ray and Michael 25 shots to 15 shots after the 21st end.

Game No. 3: Our great Bowling Club's longest playing member at present, Robert Lindsay, who is in his 43rd year of playing Lawn Bowls at the City and Annette McPherson were leading 7 shots to 5 shots after the 6th end against Skip. Garry Hotham and Jack Smith, who is our Senior Bowler, scored One shot on the 12th end to level the scores at 10 shots all with Robert and Annette, who were leading 14 shots to 11 shots after the 17th end over Garry and Jack, then by scoring 8 shots to 2 shots Garry and Jack won an interesting game by 19 shots to 16 over Robert and Annette, after the 21st end.

Congratulations to Robert, Annette, Garry and Jack on winning our Wednesday Jackpot and Jack was heard crooning Ginger Rogers' 1933 Hit song "We're in the Money."

Game No. 4: In this game of Social Triples the combined shots scored were 60 shots, which may be the highest combined score at the City for a long time. Skip. Kevin Miller, Paul Rodehuis and Phillip Murray easily led 16 shots to 7 shots after the 6th end over Skip. Joe Young, Jim Grives and Barry McPherson, who scored a great 6 shots on the 12th end to be down 16 shots to 24 shots. Then by scoring 12 shots to 8 shots Team Miller were successful winning 36 shots to 24 shots against Team Young after the 21st end.

Correction to Wednesday, 24th April, 2024 game result:

Game No. 3: As per the Scorecard the game report was correct, but, as there was a mistake in transferring their scores to the Final Score section on the scorecard, the winners of the game were Jack Smith and Annette Myers over Ian Cunningham and John McDonagh. Once again, both the Skips are to check and sign their scorecard.

Saturday May 4

During the playing of the No. 7 Pennant games at the Greens on William, against Wallerawang, we received the very sad news from our President, Garry Hotham, who was playing in our No. 5 pennant Teams against The Orange Country Club Teams, That one of our most popular Bowling members, Ray Noonan had collapsed whilst playing and was rushed to Hospital. Sadly, our beloved 'Shorty' passed away.

In a great show of supreme sportsmanship, both the Orange Country Club bowlers and our Bathurst City Club's bowlers decided to stop playing their No. 7 Pennant games and their two teams received five points in honour of remembering Ray 'Shorty' Noonan.

Ray was an exceptionally talented Sportsman, as he was a A grade tennis player, a tough little rugby league half-back, who played in the successful Bathurst St. Patrick's Rugby league team, who defeated the mighty Oberon rugby league team in the 1968 Group 10 grand final 9-8 at the Bathurst Sportsground. Our great bowls secretary of some years ago, Garry Knight, played with Ray and was a fearless prop forward in this grand final against the tough Elwin brothers.

Ray also worked for a variety of local Horse and Greyhound Bookmakers, firstly as a bagman then as a competent penciller. I had the extreme pleasure of working with Ray several times and we worked for a Sydney Bookmaker at the Orange Melbourne Cup meeting in 1975, when Think Big won the Melbourne Cup for the second time.

Around 2010 Ray joined the Bathurst City Bowling Club and soon became a very competitive lawn bowler, an A-class skip and possibly won more games of lawn bowls than he lost during his career at the City.

No. 7 Pennant Games against The Wallerawang Bowling Club on Saturday, 4th May, 2024.

Game No. 1: Beginning exceptionally well, Skip. Kevin Miller, Paul Rodenhuis, Ian Schofield and Jim Grives were leading by 8 shots to One shot after the 6th end against Skip. Alan Davies, Geoff. Howden, Arron Bailey and Michelle Lane. Team Bathurst then led 14 shots to 5 shots after the 12th end. Finally, Team Bathurst defeated Team Wallerawang by 17 shots to 12 shots after the 18th end, when all the games were stopped because of the pending heavy rain.

Game No. 2: After the 5th end, the Wallerawang Team of Skip. Peter Williams, Ken Clarke,Ross Harrington and Judy Egan were ;leading 5 shots to 4 shots, then they led 10 shots to 6 shots after the 10th end over Team Bathurst, Skip. Neville Townsend, Louise Hall, Jack Smith and Margaret Miller, who then scored a Magnificent 7 shots on the11th end to lead for the 1st and only time 13 shots to 10 shots. By winning the next 6 consecutive ends Team Wallerawang led 20 shots to 13 shots after the17th end. Both teams each scored 2 shots with Team Wallerawang winning 22 shots to 15 shots over Team Bathurst, after the 17th end.

Game No. 3: The Bathurst Team, Skip. Neville Hayes, Daniel Prasad, Annette McPherson and Barry McPherson, after the 8th end were down 4 shots to 10 shots by the Wallerawang Team, Skip. Lance Gillespie, John Williams, Jeremy McMillan and Wayne O'Brien, who then won 5 consecutive ends scoring 11 shots to lead 21 shots to 4 shots. Team Bathurst then scored 10 shots to One shot to be down 14 shots to 22 shots against Wallerawang after the 17th end.

Congratulations to the Wallerawang Team, who won the Big Board 56 shots to 46 shots. Winning 9 points to One point.

By the Bowling Shark

All the Majellan Pennants Teams travelled again away from the club to bowl in what was some very bitter, wet and cold conditions. The Club was also shocked to hear the sudden passing of Ray 'Shorty' Noonan of Bathurst City, the thoughts and prayers from all the club members goes out to his family and friends at this time of grief. This is how the week rolled:

Tuesday 30 April

Rink ten: Bryce Peard, Ron Hogan and Max Elms had no luck from the start of their match against Robert Raithby, Dick Graham and Terry Burke. With Team Elms behind 19-4 by the 11th, Team Burke did not take the pressure off and won the match 29-12.

Rink eleven: Kevin Arrow, Russ McPherson and Brian Hope had a great start with a 13-0 lead by the 8 th against Terry Chifley, Peter Phegan and Peter Hope. Brian was too good in this family battle and won the match 24-11.

Rink twelve: Bill Dawson, Graham Scott and Noel Witney had the lead under control with a 16-5 lead by the 11 th end of play against Jake Shurmer, Gary Cameron and Trevor Sharpham. Team Witney cruising to victory, 23-20.

Rink thirteen: Darryl Howard, George Ballard and Ron McGarry failed to start on the first five ends, being 11-0 down against Kevin Dwyer, Jim Clark and Peter Zylstra. The gap at the start of the match is what hurt Team McGarry going down 18-10.

Rink fourteen: John Mackey (swing bowler), John Bosson and Allan Clark struggled for points early in the match being 16-4 down by the 11 th against John Mackey, Bill Mackey and Tim Pickstone. Team Clark just couldn't get the lead in the end going down 19-14.

Wednesday 1 May

Rink ten: M. Taylor, D. Howarth, R. Stenhouse and K. Evans never saw double figures against D. Cox, V. Zylstra, J. Ballard and A. Clark. Team Clark was to strong from the start to the end winning 21-5.

Rink eleven: C. Howard, G. Scott and M. Stephens had the opposition on the ropes with a 17-6 lead by the 13 th against B. Flannagan, Ray Miller and P. Mcintosh. Team Stephens way to strong throughout the match winning 23-6.

Saturday 4 May

Grade 3: Majellan -V- Orange City at Orange City

Rink one: Dave Josh, Tony Urza, Craig Townsend and Craig Bush had to not only battle the opposition but also the rain and the cold against Barry Riley, Tony Stokes, Ben Callaway and Andrew Blimka. Team Orange too strong in this match, winning 25-15.

Rink two: John Crocker, Tim Pickstone, Paul Francis and Laci Koszta pulled together in the cold to gain the advantage over Sam Coyte, Scott Kennedy, Bernie Diduszko and Anthony Fisher. Team Majellan got their first win for the season winning 18-17.

Rink three: Trevor Sharpham, Mick Sewell, Mick Nobes and Paul Galvin struggled to stay warm and in touch with the opposition of Aeran Harman, Ron Coyte, Greg Campbell and Robert Hamilton. Orange City got the win 21-15.

Orange City winning 63-48 (9-1)

Grade 5: Majellan -V- Molong at Molong

Rink ten: Ron Hollebone, Peter Drew, Dennis Harvey and Tiger Smith had to battle adverse conditions against Robert Murray, Nicholas Blandford, Deborah Hood and Glenn Seton. Molong too strong in this match winning 22-15.

Rink eleven: Ted Parker, Ron McGarry, Allan Clark and Noel Witney never looked comfortable against Sarah Fessey, Floyd Miller, Bart Sharpe and Steve Shannon. Molong picked up a 7 point end during the match to help the score, winning 39-11.

Rink twelve: Jeff Adams, Max Elms, Hugh Brennan and Glenn Urza held their own early against Adam Goodacre, Mrs Mac, Dianne Wilson and Craig Troth. Majellan lost control at the back end of the match to go down 23-13.

Molong Winning: 84-39 (10-0)

Grade 7: Majellan (01) -V- BYE (not sure who won here)

Grade 7: Majellan (02) -V- Orange City at Orange City

Rink one: Louise Francis, Val Zylstra, Dawn Howarth and Peter Zylstra battled for points against Peter Lewis, Kent Bryant, Ray Wilson and Jon Quin. Orange City holding on to the lead to win 23-18.

Rink two: Jodie James, Jo Café, Terry James and Merle Stephens had the first lesson against Robert Jarvis, Les Maxwell, Tony Wilson and Deon May. Majellan throughout the match struggled for points going down 30-4.

Rink three: Ray Miller, Graham Scott, Garry Café and Des Sanders had the second lesson from Norman Wilson, Agustin Pro, Adam Simpson and Chris Brand. Majellan again had no answer to the opposition going down 43-8. Orange City Winning 96-30 (10-0)

This wraps up the week as there were no social bowls on Saturday due to the weather. So, until next week be kind to each other, see you on the green and Stay Frosty.