GRIFFO'S LETTER



The article below was penned by Alan Griffiths in response to an article by Doug White about the History of the Boomerang Squash Courts.



Just a quick note to say I was very interested in Doug White’s history of the Boomerang Squash Courts.

Cec Walton was secretary of the Tugun SLSC 1952/53, I remember him well and he had a great reputation as an administrator, I don’t think he ever came through the active life saving ranks.

Doug got the name of Kev Preston’s Diner wrong. It was known as the ‘Chew and Spew”. Kev’s slogan was “come and eat at Kev’s diner before we both starve”. The name was cleaned up a bit later when some called it the ‘Sit and Spit’. Kev was a real character and his Diner was the scene of many a great battle late at night. If you wanted a fight you could always get one at Kev’s Diner. The Diner would certainly get a mention in any history written about Coolangatta.

Doug joined Tugun SLSC in 1950 and was a club champion swimmer. He was very competitive in anything he took up. Never a big bloke his nickname at the surf club was “Weenie” In those days Weenie White had a real ring to it.

Des Crabbe was also a great character and what Doug didn’t mention Des was a very useful rugby league player. I remember him making South’s “A Grade” side for quite a few years as a front rower. Also among many other things Des was the third man in the ring at Festival Hall for many years.

I remember Frank Davidson of the Postal Institute, He regularly used to rid me of any money I had by beating me at snooker at the Postal Institute rooms behind the old Post Office between Queen and Elizabeth Streets in Brisbane.

Crispo introduced me to Boomerang and I will always remain in his debt. Of all the clubs I have been involved in, it was the happiest. The nicest thing I can say about the early captain is that he was fat and had a drinking problem. That is until finals time, when he would stop eating and drinking, become almost wafer thin and very hard to beat at squash. Who would ever forget old Col’s jokes? They were the worst you could ever hear. I used to work up a smile as a sympathy vote but I stopped that because that would encourage him to tell more. Doug got it right - the Brandon’s were great people and there were many others that combined and made such a great club.

You’ll be wonderfully happy to know I have commenced to dig out all of the pennants and trophies I won out of Boomerang and the Gabba. I intend to arrange them on a very large table and stand behind them for a photo that I’ll send to you. In fact Joe I’ll send you two photos. One of that fool who offered me his seat on the Perth Train, You might tell him to button up. If he mistakes me for your father again I should not have much difficulty having him certified and put off the streets. With him out of the way there would be one extra seat on the train anyway.

I hope the Tugun T-shirt fitted Podge – he must have been desperate for a T-Shirt – Gold Coast to Perth then from Perth back to South Brisbane, seems a tough way to get a T-Shirt.

Tell the fool on the train I’ll be back late March 2008 and I’ll buy him a Labrador dog which may assist his obvious blindness.

Regards Griffo