HISTORY OF EAST BIRMINGHAM OVER-60's BOWLS LEAGUE

The League was formed in 1988. The following is a brief history of the East Birmingham Over 60's Bowling League. Most of it has been compiled by past Officers of the League. Although the facts are as accurate as possible there will be some corrections or worthwhile additions that longstanding members can furnish me with. Please contact the Secretary with any relevant or interesting information.

1988

• League formed with 16 clubs
• George Franklin elected as President
• Harry Witherspoon elected as Secretary
• After debate league was to be 'male only'
• Membership to be restricted to clubs within a 5 mile radius of the Fox & Goose PH although Lea Marston BC was allowed to join as an exception to this rule.
• Teams allowed to play one player under 60 years of age but over 55 years
• Two Divisions constructed by draw. Div A and Div B (23 teams)
• £150 grant received from Sports Council
• League Fees set at £5 per team.

1989

• Player registration introduced with the 55-60 year old bowlers to be identified.
• Co-op joins league, now 24 teams.
• Divisions reformed. Top 6 teams in Divisions A & B to be Division 1. The remainder to form Division 2.
• All bowlers to obtain BCGBA cards at 10p each.
• Compulsory issue of 10 Dance tickets per team made at £2 each.
• EGM held to debate proposal to increase teams to 8 bowlers, which was rejected.

1990

• Divisions reformed again. Bottom 4 teams in Division 1 to Division 2. Bottom 4 teams in Division 2 to Division 3.
• Now 10 teams per Division.
• Perry Barr now playing at Gt. Barr outside 5 mile radius - which was accepted
• All players now to be 'Over 60'.

1991

• £5 fines introduced for non-attendance at Delegates Meetings.

1992

• Ward End Ex-Service joined as the first 'C' team playing their home matches on Thursday morning.

1993

• George Franklin retires as President
• John Nuttall elected as the new President
• Bill Buck elected Treasurer.
• Divisions reformed. Bottom 4 teams from Division 1 to Division 2, Bottom 6 teams from Division 2 to Division 3, Bottom 6 teams from Division 3 to Division 4.
• Stanley Boswell elected Acting Secretary due to ill health of incumbent Secretary

1994

• George Franklin made Life Member and elected Vice-President.
• Bill Buck elected Secretary/Treasurer.
• Stan Boswell elected as Match Secretary
• Divisions reformed. Divisions 1,2 & 3 - 12 teams in Division 4 - 11 teams
• Proposal for 3up/3down, promotion/relegation rejected.

1995

• President Mr Nuttall passed away.
• George Franklin volunteered to act as President
• George Pritchatt elected as Chairman.
• Ron Lord elected Vice-President.
• C teams to play at home after 'A' or 'B' team matches on Wednesdays pm
• Compulsory allocation of 6 tickets/club for Presentation/Dance agreed.

1996

• Clubs to be fined for non-representation at meetings.
• Divisional Pairs competition introduced.
• Division 5 formed.
• Fine introduced for submitting late result cards
• C teams to play at home on Tuesdays.

1997

• Committee to decide on acceptance of new teams applications.
• 5 mile radius extended to 10 miles.
• £6 fee (League & Cup entry) reduced to £5.
• Transfer form introduced
• Divisional Pairs competition abandoned.

1998

• No League Fees charged this season.
• Captain's Shield competition introduced.
• Teams from clubs in same division to maintain separate squads
• Proposal to eliminate the 10 minute Roll-up defeated
• Rules since 1994 declared unlawful as not agreed at AGM
• Revert back to 1994 Rules whilst consider additional rules since then.
• Special General Meeting held to agree updated rules
• AOB abandoned at AGM's
• Tabards for identification provided for Inter-league matches
• Cloth Badges purchased.
• Bill Challenor retired from Committee and elected a Life Member.

1999

• No League Fees charged this season.
• Fixture Books introduced. Compulsory Issue 8 per team at 50p each.
• Pre-season Presentation/Dance abolished.

2000

• Holly Lane (Late entry) accepted. Too late to alter all fixtures, Members at AGM agreed to allow direct entry to Div 3 to replace withdrawn team.
• League Fee £5 re-introduced.

2001

• League fees total £10 per team (to include League, Cup and Handbook charges)
• George Pritchatt resigned as Chairman and elected a Life Member
• Anthony Green elected as Chairman.
• Captain's Shield no longer a 'free to enter' competition. Now £1.00 entry.
• Knockout Cup lost by holders, subsequently found, but new cup already purchased as a replacement

2002

• Handbook now in two parts, Fixtures and Rules & Venues. Saving of £60
• Introduction of Rule concerning mobile phones in active mode on the green
• 550 registered bowlers in League.
• Division 6 formed.
• Division 6 Cup lost and replaced by Mr George Lindsay (M&B).

2003

• New style Result Card introduced.

2004

• Senior and Junior Cup competitions replace Knock-out Cup.
• Handbook printer, Mr Heaton sold business. Other suppliers appear costly.
• Bill Buck was asked by Chairman to undertake production
• Brian McCormick took as Match Secretary due to ill health of incumbent.
• Stan Boswell passed away.
• Fred Barratt provides the Junior Cup trophy.

2005

• Senior & Junior Consolation Cups introduced. FMN provide Senior trophy and Bill Buck provides the Junior trophy
• Over-75 Merit introduced (free entry) sponsored by Tony Green
• Division 7 formed
• Chairman, Tony Green resigned. David Perry took the chair
• Fred Barratt (Auditor) passed away
• Annual Draw introduced generating £600 for League.

2006

• David Perry elected Chairman
• Larry. Rickards and Alan Tipton elected as Auditors
• Ward End Ex-service and Ansells properties closed down creating loss of 3 teams
• Divisions increased divisions1-5 up to 12 teams. Divisions 6 and 7 to have reduced teams but to play extra matches on neutral greens.
• New members - Pype Hayes, Bradford Arms, Brookhill, and Streetly Sports with a 'D' team.
• Holly Lane withdrew from League
• Brian McCormick resigned as Match secretary at the end of the season

2007

• No League Fees charged this season
• Gerry Harper elected as Match Secretary
• Peter Brewer elected as Auditor
• League runs 7 Divisions with 74 teams
• John Foster sponsors Over 75's Merit
• Allbut league programme used for the first time

2008

• Although finances still healthy another free season was declined by Committee
• Bill Buck declared his intention to resign at season end
• League runs 7 Divisions with 77 teams
• Ye Olde Knowle joins the league
• All communications sent to Delegates via e mail

2009

• Bill Buck resigned as Secretary/Treasurer at AGM.
• Gerry Harper elected as Secretary/Treasurer/Match Secretary
• 50 matches postponed due to inclement weather.
• League runs 7 Divisions with 79 teams

2010

• League runs 7 Divisions with 84 teams (plus waiting list)
• Moseley CC joins league
• Graham Ord (Sutton Park) and Trevor Mason (Moor Lane) appointed as Auditors

2011

• League runs 7 Divisions with 84 teams (plus waiting list)
• Player Registrations now in excess of 1000
• Lynda Johnson became first lady Committee Member
• Graham Ord appointed as Auditor

2012

• League runs 7 Divisions with 86 teams
• Woodbourne Sports joins league
• Player registrations continue to increase
• Match results sent via e mail using E Report Card
• Graham Ord and David Allcock (NIFO) appointed as Auditors
• Delegates allowed to enter Captains Shield now entitled Captains/Delegates Shield

2013

• League runs 7 Divisions with 84 teams (plus waiting list)
• Website introduced
• John Foster continues to Sponsor the Over 75's Merit (2007-2013)
• Lynda Johnson resigns from Committee
• Brookvale resign from league at the end of the season.

2014

• League runs 7 Divisions with 84 teams (no waiting list)
• Website further developed to include Photo Gallery
• Lawrence Cross joins Committee and sponsors Over 75's Merit
• Venue for meetings changed to Lea Hall
• Brookhill PH closed. Club moved to Holly Lane
• First representative match v Dudley League

2015

• League runs 7 Divisions with 85 teams.
• Colin Porter (Sutton Park) appointed as Representative Team Captain (with Chris Hall)
• Goldieslie D enter League programme
• Representative Matches with Dudley League now established (12 players per team).
• Lawrence Cross sponsors Over 75's Merit for a second year.

2016

• League runs 7 Divisions with 82 teams
• No league fees charged this year
• Brookvale re-enter the league programme
• Lawrence Cross sponsors Over 75's Merit for a third year
• Chris Hall and David Allcock appointed as Representative Team Captains

2017

• League runs 7 Divisions with 82 teams.
• League will not present trophies for divisional winners in 2017. Certificates will still be presented.
• No sponsor for Over 75's Merit
• New Teams for 2017, Boldmere Sports B, Walmley D and Water Orton D.
• Captains and Delegates Shield dropped from Merit Programme through lack of support
• Danny Wiggin elected to Committee

2018

• League runs 7 Divisions with 81 Teams
• We welcome a new sponsor for the Over 75's Merit - Ken Rose (NIFO)
• Theresa Gough elected to Management Committee
• Lawrence Cross resigns from Committee
• Erdington Richmond enter a B Team
• Forget Me Not green closed. Moved to new green at Walmley Social. Club now called 'Walmley Forget Me Not'.
• John Foster resigns from Management Committee.

2019

• League runs 7 Divisions with 80 teams.
• Wilnecote WMC joins the league
• Ken Rose sponsors Over 75's Merit for the second time.
• Shirley Wigley joins Management Committee
• Alan Tipton/David Allcock resign from Management Committee
• Ken Rose (David Allcock retires) joins Graham Ord as Auditor

2020

• League runs 7 Divisions with 78 teams
• David Johnson appointed as Chairman following the resignation of David Perry
• Shirley Wigley & Peter Evans appointed as Joint Secretary/Treasurer
• Gerry Harper resigns as Secretary/Treasurer but continues in the role of Match Secretary
• Ray Giles joins Ken Rose as Auditor following the resignation of Graham Ord
• Ken Rose sponsors Over 75's Merit for the third year.
• Chris Hall, Theresa Gough, Alan Jones and Mick Collins appointed to Committee
• Great Barr & Minworth Social resign from league, Wylde Green move their home venue to Sutton Coldfield Cons Club, Boldmere St Michaels enter a 'D'team
• COVID 19 MADE THIS YEAR AN IMPOSSIBITY