Was this dramatic change to George really the result of the happenings below??
Mac Rig has suggested the gymnastic competition held between Clegwell and JCS was an event to forget. IMPOSSIBLE! I was a member of that team – and I know exactly to what he is alluding. We were beaten. We were thrashed. We were hammered – there are other words to describe how we fared - but not suitable for these notes.
Pat Casey was responsible for the selection and training of the gymnastic team. I really don’t know why I was chosen but I was quite chuffed when he picked me. Other members of the team included Mac Rig, Colin Bell, Billy Ulyart, George Turner, George Rodgers, Eric Darling and Colin Buckley -(whose head-stands were absolutely amazing)
Pat Casey “requested” the members of the team to attend after school hours training. It was during these sessions that the better athletes were selected for the more demanding activities. I seem to remember Colin Bell was pretty good on the pummel horse along with George Turner and George Rodgers. I couldn’t even mount the blasted thing never mind perform the exhausting twisting and turning on the device. Not suprisingly, I wasn’t chosen for that event. However, there were three other activities for which I was selected. The LONG-FLY, the HEAD-SPRING and the HAND-SPRING which were to be performed on THE BOX.
Having lined the team up in the school hall, we began our training. The LONG-FLY. For those who have forgotten, required the participant to run up to the box, spring off the floor and dive along the box length, place ones hands on the far end and straddle off onto the floor.
For me, a short house, it was absolutely essential that my approach was made at 100 miles per hour. Then I was to hurtle myself across the black patch of leather and desperately seek the box end and complete the fearsome event without leaving any personal possessions behind. I could do this. Only just - but I could do it. I applied similar subtle methods for the two other events, the head and hand-springs. These training sessions were in preparation for an inter-school competition with Clegwell.
Came the big day, the two teams lined up in the Clegwell Gym and faced the equipment. As has always been the way in my life, being one of the shorter chaps meant I had to go first. This appointment has always defied any logic but this selection system followed me to my National Service and is still applicable to this day.
Given the “GO” signal by Dickie Bond, I charged down the runway towards the apparatus at break-neck speed, bounded in front of the box and made my leap. The world went mad. The box disappeared from under me and I was straddling Mr Casey who was there to help us make gentle landings. With my arms and legs wrapped around him akimbo, I thought perhaps I should kiss him. He dropped me like a brick as by now the next “GO” command had been issued. Same again. Mac Rigg landed on top of Casey who was by now uttering oaths of which Shakespeare would have been proud. Then came George Turner. Snack as he was affectionately known to everyone was tearing down the runway like a demented tornado. Suddenly he was catapulted into the air and was scrambling along the top of the box on all fours. Casey’s attempt to arrest the forward motion of this human cannon ball had to be seen to be believed. This rhinoceros ploughed a path of havoc which was only halted by the strength of the Clegwell building itself.
Casey staggered into his arresting position once more.This time he adopted a totally passive stance with his hands on his hips desperately seeking an end to the proceedings.
“Go” said the GO-MAN and the next combatant was on his way. George Rodgers, the worlds first skin-head had focused his one good eye on the box and was intent on destroying all before him as he too was propelled over, rather than onto the equipment. Casey Ducked. Lovable George careered into those attending to Snack, scattering the light brigade of St John’s Ambulance men and women in their black and white uniforms. We lost the competition. We won nothing, nothing except praise for our enthusiasm.
Cause and effect:
An enquiry into the Peculiar Hebburn Happenings demonstrated the effect of the SPRINGBOARD. This simple device had been one of two contributory factors in our downfall - or should I say, unintentional high flying acts.
We at JCS didn’t have one of these boy-catapulting weapons. To overcome Newton’s Law required us to extreme measures of performance - just to clear the box. The catapult effect of the springboard had been alarming, but, said Campbell upon hearing of our demise, informative.
To compound the problems, THE CLEGWELL BOX WAS FOUND TO BE SIX INCHES SHORTER AND FOUR INCHES LOWER THAN OURS.
With such wonderful athletes as Ronnie Softley, Allan Drummond and Allen Carter, - why did Clegwell have to resort to such measures to beat us?
George Watt
1951 - 1953