Memories
THE HISTORY OF WINTER BOWLING IN HUDDERSFIELD
Part 2: 1970-79 by Dave Parkin
As the new decade dawned in 1970, the local football team were seeking promotion to Division 1 & this correspondent moved from Farnley Tyas to Broad Oak & I could sit on my garden wall and watch the bowlers. My love affair with bowling started. At The Griffin, Division 1 bowlers were already making their mark at the venue from around West Yorkshire. The 1st sixteen of 1970 was won by Keighley bowler, Donald Varley & more Keighley success was to come.
The committee got sponsorship from the local Examiner for one of their premier events, the ROSEBOWL which is still played for today. By the time the decade was coming to a close nearly ten years later, the headline in the Examiner “SIGSWORTH WINS AT GRIFFIN” wouldn’t be the last time this was used.
The first winner of the ROSEBOWL, Bill Anderton collected £75 and finally shook off his bridesmaid tag after reaching 9 finals in his first season and losing 7. That £75 would be worth just over £1,300 in today’s money.
Nowadays, we are used to bowlers striking but in 1971 when the whole country came out to protest at the Industrial Relations Bill, The Griffin held two special sixteens to keep the bowlers busy and off the picket line.
As the decade progressed, the big 3 events at the Griffin became cemented in the calendar and became must win events. The 1st person to win the Examiner ROSEBOWL twice was Yorkshire bowler, Alan Thompson (74 & 79) and in 1979, there were two ROSEBOWLS played as it was moved from it’s early January slot to late November / early December.
There was no STONES CUP in 1970 due to it being moved to a mid-February slot after the ROSEBOWL bowl was added. Gordon Cowgill defended his 1969 win in 1971 & added a third in 1978.
The third main event of the Big 3 was the season ending CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS which became the traditional season closer on Easter Sunday. John Wright became the 1st two time winner in 1979 after also winning in 1977.
The race to hold all 3 would rollover to the 1980’s
The urban myth that the Griffin would bowl in all weathers was tested early in 1971 as below is the only missing result in their records which have recently been digitalised. Does any reader have any more information on the below event on 24th January, 1971.
Could the myth be busted? More on that in the 1980’s
Previously... Part 1 - 1967-69
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