GEOFF and Barbara Wood are real stalwarts of the Durham Amateur Football Trust, having been with the group since its inception 20 years ago. Not only do they look after our finances, act as our archivists, but they form relationships with organisations like Beamish museum and St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham.
Barbara does some voluntary work for the hospice which has a Sporting Memories group as part of its day services for people with life-limiting illnesses. A few weeks ago, we visited the hospice to talk to the Sporting Memories group about West Auckland winning the first world cup in 2009 and 2011, followed by a talk on the two replays of the 1954 Amateur Cup final between Crook Town and Bishop Auckland.
John Phelan, right, with Geoff and Barbara Wood telling our story about West Auckland winning the first World Cup in 1909 and 1911 to staff and patients at St Cuthbert's Hospice in Durham
Afterwards, a number of patients told of their own sporting memories, none more so than 86-year-old Richard Lee, who, like his father, had played for Kimblesworth Cricket Club.
In 1930, he said, Kimblesworth travelled to play Burnhope in the North West Durham league.
"My dad, around 33 years of age at the time, not only took all ten Burnhope wickets to fall with figures of 10-15, but all his ten victims were clean bowled which was a league record,” he said. “Dad was presented with the match ball which went into a wall cabinet at home.
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"Mum later suffered with Alzheimer’s and one day when I was visiting her I asked where the ball was.
“She had not realised that it had gone missing so we were not only shocked and saddened, but wondered where it could be.
“I had my suspicions about a family member who had often been at my mother’s home. However, it was no good accusing him without any real evidence, and eventually that family member passed away and the ball did not reappear, so we were no better off.
"Then, some 20 to 25 years later there was a knock on the door.
“It was Jasper Potts, who opened the batting for Kimblesworth in the 1960s.
The lost ball from 1930 which was found by a dog
“He had dad's ball and told us that his dog had found it in the grass close to the home of the family member who I had had my suspicions about. We could only think that when this family member had died, his family had thrown a lot of things out into a skip, or something similar, and the ball had fallen into the grass.
“But I was so pleased that it was found."
Richard Lee, 86, with his father's prized ball
Richard then told us another story from the 1930s. "Kimblesworth were playing Shotley Bridge, who were top of the league, and Shotley needed to beat us to be assured of the championship,” he said.
“Shotley won the toss and decided to field, which my dad thought was strange.
“Anyway, Kimblesworth batted but did not make a great score.
“After tea, the reason the Shotley captain had put Kimblesworth in to bat soon became apparent – they were waiting for one more player, who arrived late and never fielded.
“When Shotley Bridge replied and lost their first wicket, my dad objected to the player who arrived late coming in to bat at number three. Dad said to one of the umpires: 'That man cannot bat because he never fielded.'
“The Shotley skipper tried to over-rule dad, but dad knew his stuff. 'I'm taking my team off the pitch,' he said, and off Kimblesworth trooped.
"The matter was dealt with at the next meeting of the league management committee who voted in favour of my dad, so Shotley Bridge not only lost the game but lost their chance of winning the championship."
Looking for members
THE Durham Amateur Football Trust is always looking for new committee members, especially someone to look after our website. Contact myself on email john.mphelan@yahoo.co.uk (call 01388 768551) or Barbara Wood at barbara.wood24@btinternet.com (0191-384-0711).
Success
"I'VE missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." – Michael Jordan, basketball player.
- Thanks this week to Geoff and Barbara Wood, Richard Lee, Sarah Donkin and the staff at St Cuthbert's Hospice
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