78 years of traditon down the plughole

League News

It appears that the Huddersfield Champion of Champions competition will not be held this year. That will be the first time (Covid-excepted) since the competition was started in 1945 that it has not been held but it is not on its own with the Huddersfield Merit the only local competition to be contested this year so no Summer or Autumn Handicap. It appears that it is all down to the lack of someone taking on the role of Competition Secretary to organise these events.

Bill Blackburn laments the demise of another Huddersfield tradition ...

There will be no Huddersfield Champion of Champions this year. This event has been running since 1945 and has been won by some of the top bowlers in Yorkshire. When I was on the committee we invited the Merit winners from across the county plus winners of local handicaps to make a final 16. As an end of season event it was always very well attended.

It appears that this year the only competition to be run will be the Huddersfield Merit in August. So 78 years of tradition down the swanny.

The one ray of hope is that the Mugs competition for the Ian Burgin Trophy may be rescued from that fate by Lockwood Cons. Ian was a popular club member at Lockwood Con and there is the possibility of the club taking on the running of the competition to preserve Ian's memory.

Last year the Champion of Champions title was won by the Veterans League representative, Ian Briggs of Longwood, who had qualified after winning the Veterans League Rose Bowl. That may be the last time that the trophy sees a contest for a new winner, at least for this year.