EX-POLICEMAN SOLVES PRESIDENTIAL MYSTERY
The mystery over who might become the new men’s president of Stamford Indoor Bowls Club, has been solved - appropriately by Brian Allen, a former police detective.
No one initially came forward at the annual meeting last week, to succeed Ian Hall, but Allen, who served for 30 years with Northamptonshire Constabulary, stepped forward and was invested at the club’s presentation night on Saturday.
Allen (77) said it was an honour to take on the role and would do his best to give encouragement to less experienced bowlers who were current members or joining the club.
“I know from my own career in the police force that you can be trained but you can’t teach experience in the classroom,” said Allen, who reached the ranked of detective sergeant before, being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and taking early retirement.
Brian Allen (R) being congratulated by departing President Ian Hall.
He first bowled at Wellingborough in the early 1990s and later at Long Sutton before moving to North Luffenham where his son is the Fox Inn landlord.
“The club already has some very good bowlers but my primary endeavour will be to encourage and assist new bowlers from novices to a competitive standard, incorporating my own experiences.”
With his wife Linda, to whom he has been married for more than 50 years, Brian was a runner-up in last week’s Stamford IBC mixed fours. And as one of his first duties was presenting the winners’ trophy - one of more than 20 he handed over alongside Margaret King, the 2023 lady president, who has agreed to continue in the role until a replacement can be found. Among the other winners was Jeff Pitt, the Open Club Senior Singles champion, whom earlier in the day, had beaten clubmate John Holroyd to win the Lincs county over 60 singles at Louth.
FOOTNOTE: Stamford IBC Summer leagues are due to start on Monday, April 29 (6.30 pm). Teams for the 2024-25 Winter League season will not be automatically entered. Potential teams should contact the League Secretary by email (rogerclarke911@gmail.com) by the end of July, when the Thursday noon Australian Pairs is likely to be extended into the afternoon session with two leagues.
Also presented were the Stamford IBC summer and winter domestic league trophies, including Australian pairs, ladies afternoon triples and Tuesday evening open fours, together with the 2024 Lincs Men’s County League trophy to the captain of the Stamford ‘A’ team, Tony Barwell.
Domestic leagues results
Summer: Monday triples - winners - Golf (captain Derek Cave), runners-up Whisky (Ron Blake); Tuesday pairs - Carnations (Bernie Crouch), Roses (Paul Green); Wednesday triples - Solar Eclipse ( Lyn Tuck), Ullswater (Sandie Wilkin); Thursday Novices - Galaxy ( Stu Taylor), Carpenters ( Bill Jackson).
Winter: Sunday am pairs - Fatboy Slim ( J Pitt), Obsidians ( Derek Needham); Monday pm triples (Div 1) - Fatboy Slim (Jeff Pitt), Magpies ( Tony Scarr); (Div 2) - Park Farm (Jean Dupree), Trojans ( John Pearson); Monday evening triples - Blackstones (Trevor Christie), Wayne’s World (Wayne Aspinall); Tuesday pm Ladies Triples - to be decided; Tuesday evening Open fours - Gun Law (Simon Law), Blackstones (Rita Downs); Wednesday pm triples (Div 1) - Magpies ( T Scarr), Misfits (Len Marshall); (Div 2) - Wizards ( Shirley Suffling), Markus ( Annette Oliver); Wednesday Evening Triples - Tipple triple (Andrew Windsor), Googlie Bears ( Stephen Harris); Thursday Australian Pairs - Fatboy Slim (J Pitt), Ravens (Dave Heffernan); Thursday pm triples - Typhoons ( N Crees), Hurricanes (D Bruce); Thursday novice triples (pre 2024) - Windermere (Duncan Harris), Galaxy ( Stu Taylor); (post 2024) - Galaxy ( S Taylor) , Buttermere ( A Hynes); Thursday evening open fours - Avengers ( Denise Mackie), Blackstones ( T Christie ); Friday am pairs (Div A) - Brunnians (B Crouch), Fatboy Slim ( J Pitt); (Div B) - Three No Trumps (R Clarke), Wizards (S Suffling); Friday pm triples - Bourne again(Steve Duffin), Wemblers (Jill Unsworth); Friday evening men’s triples - Misfits (S Harris), Owen’s Army ( W Aspinall) .
Domestic League Winners
Club Competition Winners
JEFF MAKES JOURNEY WORTHWHILE
With a 21-10 defeat of clubmate John Holroyd, Jeff Pitt became the third Stamford bowler to win the Lincs IBA Over 60 Open singles.
Martyn Dolby won it in successive years 2015 & 16, Bob Warters having won it the year before.
Both Pitt and Holroyd, having qualified at Louth in the semi-finals, had to repeat the 160-mile return round trip to contest the final at 9am. The final score looked convincing but the early stages were closely fought.
“I tried my usual short jack tactics but John found the length first and I dropped a two and a three count,” Pitt recalled. “He went long when he got the jack but I found that suited me better in the end.”
Elsewhere and in front of an appreciative crowd, two other players representing Stamford both lost their finals. Owen Aspinall (15) lost in straight sets to Boston’s Nathan Dunnington in the Under 25 singles, while fellow teenager Ollie Jeapes was beaten in the men’s singles final by Spalding’s Dominic McVittie.
While Owen took a few ends to get going and lost the first set, the second was a close tussle with Owen one ahead going into the last end. But he was unable to deliver the shot he needed to take it to a tie break.
No disgrace for Ollie losing against his schoolteacher opponent - McVittie has already won the English men’s singles and champion of champions titles in recent weeks.