The Annual Stonehouse Friendly 12th May 2001 |
The Weather was perfect for this year's annual joust between our two great Clubs.Warm sunshine,clear skies all made for a great afternoon of bowling. Unfortunatley the result was not too kind for Gourock Park, after 21 ends (or less depending on how many visits to the bar each rink made, which lead allegedly to some doctoring of scorecards!!!) The final score was 122 shots to Stonehouse and 120 shots to Gourock Park. The highest-up Stonehouse Rink was skipped by President Robert Campbell with Willie Scanlon,Alan Campbell and Alex Anderson. They finished 9 shots up against a Gourock Park Rink skipped by Vice-President Robert Grant,whom by the way missed the chance of scoring a maximum 8 in one end!!!! That came in the 15th end,with Robert's Rink of J.O.Brian,Peter Hendry and Terry Duffy already lying 7 shots,all Robert had to do was to draw within 3 yards of the jack to gain what would probably have been the only "8" ever recorded against Stonehouse in this annual game . With the play on all the others rinks stopped to watch this possible historic feat take place.Robert delivered his bowl but whether it was pressure or just simply the effects of the odd vodka or 4,Robert's bowl failed to add,rather miserably to the 7 shots and was jeered by his clubmates. Is it time we called Robert "The nearly Man again?" The Highest-up Gourock Park Rink and winners of the legendary "Steak Pies" donated by Stonehouse,were Tommy Docherty(Skip) Jim McCready,Sammy Doak and John McCready finishing 8 shots up. The best moment of the speeches came when Vice-President Robert Grant stood up to make his infamous "opening line" Robert stood up and said "Well as Heather the Weather Girl would say"but just before he delivered his fav cliche,the watching bowlers stood up on mass and shouted "HELLO THERE!!!" Word had been put round that this was how poor Robert would be opening his speech Finally this was as it always is a great together for our two Clubs and I look forward to next years game at Stonehouse |
President Dougie Twaddle was unable to attend as he was on "County duty" |
Some pictures taken on the day |
Champions of Inverclyde Yorkshire |
