Alan Thompson's 1972 purple patch

Memories

Looking back to an Examiner article from December 1972 with a Peter Muff report looking back at the summer season.

Huddersfield Weekly Examiner Saturday 30 December 1972

THOMPSON'S PURPLE PATCH IN CROWN GREEN BOWLING

Thompson's purple patch in the crown green bowling world. Alan Thompson (Mirfield Old Bank) struck the sort of purple patch that all bowlers dream about (writes Peter Muff). He won the Webster's Brewery Northern Counties Open Handicap (first prize £150) the City of Sheffield Handicap (first prize £100) the Rastrick Bowling Club Floodlight Handicap (first £60) the Mirfield Charity Merit the Leeds “Champion of Champions” and for the third time in succession the Halton Sutton Handicap. And on top of all that he was a member the Mirfield Old Bank team that won the Yorkshire Cup.

Beating Vic Sugden, David Jenkinson (Crosland Moor Liberal) a “local” double by winning the Colne Valley ' Merit and the Huddersfield WMC Merit he picked up the first prize £150 the Star Inn Handicap. Failsworth Runner-up Derek Ripley who entered the Yorkshire Merit as a Crosland Moor Liberal player, got very near to the magnificent double becoming Yorkshire Champion of Champions. He was runner-up to Ken Johnson in the Yorkshire Merit and runner-up to Denis Mercer in the final of the British Crown Green ABA Merit at Preston .

Gordon Cowgill (HC and AC) had a fine winter-summer double. He the “Examiner” Rose Bowl at The Griffin Inn in January and concluded a good season by winning the “Champion of Champions” Merit at Slaithwaite in October.

The Yorkshire Charity Handicap came to Huddersfield as a result of victory at Marsh United bv Derek Blacker of HC and AC. The team front Crosland Moor Liberal Club got their name on the Subscription Cup for the tenth time. Marsh United won the Drayton Cup New.some WMC won the Littlewood Cup and Lowerhouses and Longley WMC with a team who included several teenagers the Binns Cup. Thorpe Green lifted the Henry Taylor Cup stirring final in which they triumphed by just a point against Cortonwood Welfare.