Bob Swan remembers Yorkshire Cups
Memories
Following the recent passing of Bob Swan I searched out some of my communications with Bob over the years and I came across one that Bob sent to me in April 2023. This covered the history of some of the most prominent competitions organised by the Yorkshire CCGBA. I thought that was something that might interest you as told by Bob Swan.
THE YORKSHIRE CHALLENGE CUP COMPETITIONS
A brief history by Bob Swan
The Yorkshire Challenge Cup started in 1893. Teams of 12 men playing in knock-out matches on neutral greens. Teams from different county districts were drawn on greens in a neutral district. Teams from the same district can play in that district. The result is decided by the aggregate scores. Tied matches were original settled by selected bowlers playing a decider. Under current rules the result can usually be decided without playing extra games. The first winners were Clifton who beat Chapeltown at Ravensthorpe. The draw is made by the County district representatives. As I have found at these meetings the choice of suitable greens decisions may be contentious.
The Henry Taylor cup was introduced in 1915, played for by the losing teams from the qualifying rounds of the Yorkshire Cup
Eligibility. Depending on the current rules finalists from the previous season may have a bye in the following year
Demography In 1979 the County districts were Barnsley, Castleford, Doncaster, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Skipton and Wakefield, substantially the old West Riding mainly industrial area.
By 1983 we had lost Barnsley & Doncaster to the new South Yorkshire CGBA (home of many mining clubs). In 1986 I invited Mr L Hill from Barnsley, president of SYCGBA to our Champion of Champions final when he told me how he missed the earlier set up. Over the following years new districts for Airedale & Wharfedale, Bradford, Harrogate, and East Coast districts were introduced With the new members came the proposition that Ladies would be allowed to play in the Yorkshire cups As I remember it the proposition was passed in MoAlan Stephenson that a new, mixed competition, be formed was subsequently approved.
In 2004 the Eric Hutchinson Memorial cup was launched for mixed teams with a minimum of either two men or women. I got the Huddersfield Examiner to cover the first round match On the Cowcliffe Liberal green between Halifax and Guiseley. The eventual winners were Batley Rugby who beat Eccleshill on Sowerby Bridge Hillcrest
In 2006 the Derrick Radley cup was launched, similar to the Henry Taylor, for first round losers in the Hutchinson. The first winners were Pudsey Littlemoor who beat Sandal on the Almondbury Liberal green in the final.
Eligibility Rule clubs who have appeared in any of the Yorkshire finals will automatically qualify for the major completion for 3 seasons. I believe this came about when Almondbury Liberal won the Henry Taylor cup in 2005 and again in 2007!, Not the first team to be do this. In both senior competitions over the years teams have been happy to lose in the qualifying round. There was a story that the bowler with the worst score won the sweep}
COMMENT it’s a shame that the entries for the Yorkshire are so low. It used to be the ambition of top class bowlers to play in a Yorkshire Cup winning team. Many clubs have endeavoured to strengthen their team Cowcliffe tried it, signing several top bowlers in the seventies. Reaching round 5 in 1967 and again in 1968
Bob Swan April 14th 2023
Comments