MEMORIES OF A BOOMERANG



I always liked playing against the Boomerang Club teams for two main reasons:
1. we always flogged them! - as I remember it.
2. they were a good mob of blokes
I always felt that Boomerang had the strongest club spirit of all the clubs when I was playing. I have fond memories of a lot of the people in your photographs. Joe Williams was a selfless bloke who was Boomerang in the early days. Wally Kwit was simply a lovely bloke. He always seemed to get in my ear about something over a beer and it was never a problem. Ray Smith was always good for a drink and an insightful social comment.

My earliest memories are playing against Alan Frost and Des Crabbe in B grade - early 1960's? It was a pleasure to go back to Alan's place after a game for a cold drink with the snakes and other animals. Des had his sign writing business in those days and would keep us amused until dawn with his stories from boxing and football.

I also knew Alan through squash administration and he is one of the brightest people I have met. It was just so clear to him that Marion Jackman should be allowed to play men's fixtures when most others thought he was mad. Alan pushed the concept through almost 40 years ago and some sports are still playing catch-up on equal competition today.

I knew Peter, Dave Prickett and Ken Fraser from tennis days. I could beat Dave at tennis, never at squash. I could beat Ken at both. As I remember it, I surprised him, myself and the rest of the squash fraternity, by edging him out in five sets at a squash tournament at the Milton club. At that time, Ken was a State representative and fitness was never my strength. I remember my win pissed off David McGarry and Barry Whitlock big time. They had never beaten Ken up to that point and they were far better players than I was. If it happened today, I would be drug tested and Ken investigated for betting on the outcome of a match!

Another Boomerang player I flogged was Tom Connor. We played in the final of the inaugural University of Queensland Open Championship - early 1970's? - and Tom became a State representative as well. I remember being down 2 / 0, 7-3 and severely embarrassed. "Just win the next point" became my strategy and I won in five sets. Another miracle and the beer afterwards never tasted so good!

I always smile when I think about the Boomerang club and its personalities. Ray, Joe, Frank and the others are to be congratulated for getting the web site up and running.

Somehow, I'm not surprised the Boomerang Club did it.

Cheers
Barry Hartshorn