Memories
Morning Jeff, I see Yorkshire CCGBA has published when the first round of the Yorkshire Cup is to be played. I remember my first experience of playing in that competition as if it was yesterday.
It is 68 years since I first played in the Yorkshire Cup for Linthwaite Hall, the two previous years being spent doing my National Service.
We were playing a miner’s team from South Yorkshire (before the split). On arriving at the neutral venue, the host club’s official had a huge blackboard and as the captains announced their teams in numerical order, he chalked them up. When it came down to No 4, W Blackburn v G Charnock, I was surrounded by his team-mates wanting to bet £1 I would lose. I turned them down.
On entering the green, my opponent introduced himself as George and said ‘’I’ll just take a £1 of you lad.’’ Thirty minutes later I gave him my £1 note after being trounced 21-4. He bought me a pint, my wife a lager and my 16-month-old daughter a bottle of pop and a packet of crisps. When I offered him a pint back, he said ‘’Keep tha brass in tha pocket lad.’’ A true gentleman.
Bill Blackburn
George Charnock, played 19 times ( & winning 12 ) for Yorkshire between 1947 & 1952, all but 1 for the away team. I believe he played for Harworth Colliery