1959-1960 ANECDOTES

1959-1960 ANECDOTES
MANCOM 6/7/1960
Bill Bascombe elected Chairman, and Cyril Bailey Vice Chairman. Gordon Drewett agreed to be Vice Captain.
Bob Ball i/c Balls and Medical Supplies. (Curly Halse appeared to have lost his old job here!)
Agreement to play Central Ammunition Depot, Corsham on September 3rd.
Decided not to advertise matches in the Chronicle, but to produce 20 additional posters for hordings in Bath and District.
Agreed that Messrs. Tony Jacob, John Clark, Brian Davis and Dave Robson be allowed to tour in Cornwall with the Portsmouth R.F.C. during the first week in September.

MANCOM 10/8/1959
Maurice Adams elected Captain of the ‘A’ XV. Fred Book tendered his resignation as a player. This was accepted with regret.
Committee received a suggestion from the Combination, that a Memorial Plaque in honour of the late W F Dolman be placed in the Clubhouse.
Letter from Combe Down, recommending Roger Wilcox as a player.
Agreed to try out a larger match programme for the coming season.
Mr. Harold Crane elected as Vice Chairman of Bath Combination, and Mr Peter Brown to represent the Club on Combination Committee.

JUGS AROUND AND ‘NEW’ HIGH-TECH MEDICAL KIT
Following an inquiry from Club Captain, John Jacobsen, it was agreed to supply 3 x 6 pint jugs of Ushers Beer each week for visiting players, from Club funds. It was agreed that each Committee man pay one shilling per match to supplement the entertaining fund.

‘INFERIOR’ RED LAMP.
Thanks to Mr. Street of Jolly’s for donation of an infra red lamp. It was decided to ask Dr. Scott Reid’s advice on how to use it. (Further progress deferred, pending estimate of cost of putting it in working condition!)

S.S.S. START TO SEASON
Determined to raise the standard of fitness, skipper John Jacobsen, introduced a “Sweat out the Summer Staleness” training programme. 30 players turned up for rigorous circuit training, including Tino Sidoli (brother of Gio), B E Gidley (from Bristol), Gwyn Thompson (R.A.F. Compton Bassett) and promising ex Downside schoolboy – 20 year old Kevin Andrews. Angus Meek agreed to captain the United in succession to Tom Smith.
Three new ‘signings’ attracted attention:- Alan Howard-Baker, the Dorset & Wilts. full-back or centre, John Davis, a doctor at the R.U.H. from London Hospitals, and Pilot Officer Jim Brown of R.A.F. Melksham. Significantly, Peter Heindorff from Avon, had also thrown in his lot with the Bath Club, and would probably play in the forwards.

MANCOM 24/8/1959
It was agreed to allow Mr. J Stevens* of the Bath & Wilts Chronicle and Herald to attend Committee meetings and the privilege allowed to Mr. A Greaves the Sports Editor to continue. Mr. F H Ledbury expressed the hope that other journalists would be allowed similar privileges if they asked. ( * Mr John Stevens worked for the Bath Chronicle for many years in association with the Bath Club)
The Programme Notes included grateful thanks for voluntary help in cleaning and painting the Clubhouse.
“The Captain’s Retort.”
This little column will provide the players with a magnificent opportunity to answer some of the more biting and amusing abuse which you hurl at us from time to time. Let me say at the very outset that we do not in any way resent almost anything you care to shout at us, for good hecklers are an invaluable asset to any rugby ground, so please shout louder, longer and more abusively for or against us, but be ready for the answer back in the following week’s edition of this column.
However, before this battle of words begins, I should like to thank you on behalf of the players for coming to watch us at all. As most of you will know, the roar of the crowd can inspire a team to great things and similarly cause the opposition to quake in their boots, feel all their blisters and bruises and think longingly of the friendly atmosphere at their home ground. We can therefore help each other, spectators and players, and we shall do our utmost to provide you with open, entertaining, winning rugby. When we don’t succeed, please don’t shoot the pianist, the rest of the orchestra are just as much to blame.
This last is a most important point. Rugby is in essence a team game and we can beat the best opposition only if we mould our talents into teams playing team tactics. You can help us in this by assessing our efforts on those terms. How seldom does one hear a quick heel from the loose loudly applauded, yet this is one of the most difficult plays to achieve. There are many similar moves which are very much the result of teamwork; the crosskick; the inside pass to forwards backing up; the second row man who has spent the afternoon cornerflagging in defence against this one breakthrough. This is the sort of move we will be practising and your encouragement will help enormously.
We wish you all, very happy sore throats.

MANCOM 5/10/1959
Walcot O.B.’s only prepared to rent a Lambridge pitch if Lam Brook re-aligned.
Agreed to offer Bristol Avon River Board £50 towards re-aligning the brook.
Application for financial assistance received from Old Westhillians R. F.C and passed forward to the Memorial Fund Committee.

Touch Judge, Jack Arnold, had officiated at some 300 games since the end of his playing days. He estimated that he had trotted up and down touch-lines for some 600 miles – no wonder he had no need to diet!

MANCOM 19/10/1959
The Memorial Fund Committee allocated £25 to Old Westhillians, and Combination Committee to be informed of the total amount invested, and the Secretary to report on any minutes referring to the founding of the fund.
Avon RFC refused to release David Barrow unless it was to play for Bath 1st XV. This stipulation was not acceptable to the Bath Selection Committee.
Brian Toogood recommended by Walcot as a possible Bath Club player.
All three Club captains to advise players that fireworks should not be let off in the Clubhouse.
Chairman thought there was room for improvement in the serving of player meals, and it was agreed to ask the Social Committee to investigate the matter.

MANCOM 2/11/1959
News that Newbridge R.F.C. had confirmed fixtures with Bath and Gloucester on the same day, and Bath were not happy with this arrangement, as it was obviously impossible to fulfil. It was agreed to play Gloucester, away and share the gate on a fifty-fifty basis
MANCOM 16/11/1959
Chairman reported that local police had been asking questions about a discovery of a wooden handrail just outside the Recreation Ground. (property of Messrs John Moore) Police informed that this was nothing to do with any member of the Bath Club.
Mrs Chris Smith elected ‘A’ XV Team Secretary, following the departure of Mr. M Harding to Africa. It was unanimously agreed to cancel all fixtures with Newbridge. Later agreed to negotiate dates for the 1962/63 season.
Cheap transport for supporters to be considered, and extra coaches ordered.

MANCOM 30/11/1959
Council had offered £50 towards the re-aligning of Lam Brook.

BATH TRIUMPH OVER SERVICES.
Heindorff’s Big Role in Season’s First Double
Former Avon back, Peter Heindorff came into the second row, as replacement for Marson, and scored two tries. Late in the first half, Bath were having the better of the exchanges. “A three-quarter movement by Bath came to nothing near the Services posts. Then some short handling by the Bath forwards when Heindorff was in possession. He dropped over the line with the ball to open the scoring, but the greasy ball was too heavy for Drewett to convert.” Bath continued to get the better of the scrums and the line-outs. “Drewett left Services defenders slithering in the mud as the ground began to cut up. His mid-field swerves were dangerous.” Play moved into the Services half and Heindorff crashed through from a line-out. again the conversion failed. Near the end, English Trialist Pearey got away, and when tackled at the line, fed to his winger Watson for the touchdown. Heindorff had carried the day!
Most unusually, Jack Arnold was unable to travel to Plymouth. It was the first premier game he had missed in two years. He had been an ever-present figure as a touch-judge. As Team Secretary, he was the hardest working official in the Club.

K.E.S. schoolboys, helped out Bath this week. Geoff Frankcom played centre for United, and scrum-half Jimmy Edwards played for the ‘A’s

MANCOM 18/1/1960
P Fale rejoined Combe Down Club. It was agreed to give Mike Greensides, of Walcot, an extended trial under the Combination agreement. Mr John Rees of Combe Down, had asked to re-join as a player.
DIRTY DITTIES
Mr. W S Bascombe referred to certain types of songs, which had been heard recently in the Clubhouse, and the three Captains agreed to ask their players to refrain from using songs which might be objectionable to other members. ………………………….. Oh Sir Jasper!

MANCOM 15/2/1960
Mrs Molly Gerrard asked for the meeting’s views as to her right as a Committee member – to attend the Club’s Annual Dinner, which in the past had traditionally been a men-only function. On the proposition of Mr. John Jacobsen, it was unanimously agreed that she be allowed to exercise her right to attend as a Committee member.
MANCOM 29/2/1960
The Secretary to write to Mr Fiddes to assess the future prospects of the Bath Ex Schools RFC, as it had been unable to raise a team for several weeks.
Hire of the Lambridge ground to be offered to a Mr. Swift of Peasedown, for the purpose of Greyhound Racing. 16 meetings were to be agreed at a rental of £7 10s 0d per meeting. A counter offer of £5 per meeting was accepted by a majority vote.
Also agreed to allow Mr. Coles of Ilminster to stage a Fair for £50 per week.
News that former centre Peter Stevens and fly half Roy Collins had met up and were playing for Maesteg. They played in differing seasons whilst at Bath.

MANCOM 7/3/1960
Committee examined plans for permanent changing quarters at Lambridge, prepared by Angus Meek. The estimated cost was £2500. Mr Arthur Foster questioned the advisability of spending so much money on a ground used primarily for the ‘A’ XV.
MANCOM 14/3/1960
Mr John Jacobsen expressed his disappointment of the rescinding of his proposition reference Mrs Gerrard’s attendance at the Annual Dinner.
SPECIAL MEETING 21/3/1960
During a United game v Newbury, a thief had got in the dressing rooms and taken cash from the players’ pockets. Greater security was organised and a collection to be organised towards reimbursement.

BATH SEVENS
There was a record number of entries for the Bath F C Seven-a-Side competition. 350 players took part in the 10 days of the tournament. All Junior Clubs and local R.A.F. camps entered at least one side, and the Army were represented by R.A.P.C. Devizes and C.A.D. Corsham.
MANCOM 2/5/1960
Mr Jack Arnold resigned after many years as Honorary Team Secretary. Members spoke in glowing terms of his wonderful service to the Club.

From his talented playing days through to his Committee service, Jack had been popular and prominent on all Club occasions. For many years, his 1st XV Team Secretary duties had included running the touch-line in all weathers. He was unfaltering in his support and service to the players. He was largely responsible for the founding of the Old Players Association and in later years was honoured with Life Membership. He was to become President of the Club from 1979 – 1981, and kept himself active and in touch by writing up match reports for the programmes. He was certainly one of the outstanding personalities in the Club history.

MANCOM 2/5/1960
J F (Jim) Vassiere announced that he was taking over the licence of a local hotel and would not be able to continue as Committee man and Bar Steward. The Chairman paid tribute to Mr. Vassiere’s work and distinguished playing days for the Club. There was a hearty vote of thanks accorded to Jim and his assistant Bob Ball. At the AGM, the retiring Club Captain, John Jacobsen, presented Jim Vassiere with an inscribed tankard in recognition of his service to the Club.
On this one recorded occasion – Jim was left speechless!

Players from the following Junior Clubs appeared for Bath 1st XV during the season:- Avon, Combe Down, Walcot and Old Edwardians.
One of the most important decisions this season, was for the purchase of the Lambridge ground. A R.F.U. loan enabled the Club to complete the purchase and provisional planning permission was obtained for erection of permanent changing accommodation. The Bristol Avon River Board completed diversion of the Lam Brook, allowing for two full size playing pitches.