Old bowling info required

[John_Velo]

Hi All,

I am wondering if you can help?

The lovely wife has been working on a web site for dad, to move his scrap book from a cardboard box to the web.

We are missing pieces of information and hope that some of you may be able to fill the gaps. Articles, photos any thing would be good.

Please check it out if you have the time, joevelo.com\ Home.

Thank you.

 

[amagill]

The site looks good so far John. You may want to look at putting a navigation bar of some kind in though. Can get a bit lost having to use the back button all the time. A simple way, is just to link the graphic you have at the top, back to the home page....

 

[androooo]

John, I love the site.

It would be extremely sad to see more history go down the drain. I look forward to seeing more of the memories.

 

[John_Velo]

Thanks for that, back buttons have now been added.

We will take another look at the navigation bar as we add more pages.

Again thanks for the feed back.

 

[Fitzy]

How do the pictures stay on the gallery board John?? The sticky tape doesn't extend to the backing board! Crazy internet physics!! LoL

Nice looking site there, when I have more time I will definitely revisit.

 

[jason_doust]

Hey Fitzy,

The sticky tape stays on with static electricity. Now you're been to that site, don't ever switch your computer off or they'll fall down.

Some great snaps there, John.

Is that Brian Burge on the podium with your Dad and Steve Mackie? (Top photo of gallery.)

Some commentary on those shots would round it out nicely. Tell the stories behind them and around them! And put some names to the faces. I saw a young Eric Thompson winning SPC with your Dad in 2nd in 1977. (Just had a quick look and he was defending champion too!) And is that Jeanette running second to Ruth Guerster?

Cheers,
Jason

 

[John_Velo]

Hey Jason,

I am hoping to sit dad down for some stories. Currently they are just photos in a box.

Anna will be adding some news paper clips next. There are a lot more of those than photos.

Slowly it will come together.

 

[Wal Brooker]

John, I dont expect your dad would remember, but I travelled with him (on the plane) back from his win in the 1978 Melbourne Cup. I asked him why he looked so 'down'. He confided in me that he was about to go into hospital for heart surgery which in those days was somewhat more complicated than it is now.

What amazed me was that a few months, after the surgery, he came back to win the 1979 Canberra cup using only a 14lb ball due to his 'weak' chest muscles! I've always believed that this was one of the really great 'comebacks' in our sport.

The new site has brought back many memories for me .. should be more of it...

 

[John_Velo]

Hi Guys,

The lovely wife has put in a big effort today.

She has added all paper articles we have.

If anybody has any other details, photos or article they would be greatly appreciated.

 

[steve jones]

I think this is thread is terrific - Joe Velo the greatest bowler ever in Australia. No doubt about it - the proof will be in the written history - who could ever contradict that?!

However, John Velo just as an aside and as one "for instance", when asking Joe Velo to recount history for the sake of the record please ask him how he got on against Richard Hall [when they crossed in matchplay] at the SPC at Moorabbin [the year Kozaki won]...................I'm sure he'd love to recount that meeting ....well rather perhaps not!

But of course Hall was just another lowly Victorian!

Wally Brooker - count Perc Talbot's comeback as the best ever - right arm crushed by an A' series pinsettter - and wins ongoing with a 13lb ball - extraordinary - but then not really worth mentioning - just another Victorian!

Oh how history can be altered by the level of volume!

Just ask Kevin or Julia.

[John Velo - Joe was utterly magnificent in all that he did - this little missive is not meant to blemish his great name or his achievements which were many - just to instill some "southern" balance. May he live forever - and if that isn't possible - may his memory live even longer. A wonderful tribute you and your wife have created - let's hope there are more to so many others].

 

[Wal Brooker]

Steve, I actually said that Joe coming back after his heart surgery "was one of the best" not necessarily the best. But a inspiring effort all the same.

I knew of Percy Talbots great bowling record .. I didnt know of his injury and it's also agreat effort that he used 13lb balls.

But I never for a second considered that Joe was NSW and Perc was Victorian .. I just like to point out that our sports history and it's great competitors of the past should be remembered.

NSW or Vic ... I couldnt give a rats!!

 

[John_Velo]

Hi Steve and Wal,

Australia has been blessed with so many great champions in our wonderful sport.

For our family, it was more about getting the info out of box and put somewhere for others to share.

I hope this inspires other families of former champions to do the same.

It would be great to see WEB sites from the greats likes of Janette Baker, Ian Bradford, Terry Wenban you know, all of the pre internet era bowlers.

These days the achievements of George F, Belmo are already being preserved as they are written directly to the public forum.

 

[Wal Brooker]

John, I couldnt agree more with you. This is thread that a proud son has put together for his very talented dad.

I've been around long enough to compete against (not all that good I might add) as well as watch all the players you mentioned plus very many more.

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it Joe Velo was the player, of by gone years, that impressed me most. Not only for his skill on the lanes but for the way he treated me as an equal despite the very obvious gap in our bowling abilities!

 

[steve jones]

Wally and John - well said indeed - my note was of course designed intentionally to pull a chain or two - all in good humor. Let's hope that what this thread does is generate in others the motivation to recreate for so many the lives of a few really great Australian bowlers. My good friend Rich Carrubba in the US has set about to put in place interviews with some of the greatest bowlers of all time - these are now on the record for all to see. Maybe someone in this country can instigate something along similar lines - perhaps it's a TBA type initiative -perhaps it's better left to an independent enthusiast.

Whatever the procedure I hope someone out there has the time, creativity and contacts to get it done - before the past is really lost to all of us..and for every day that ticks by that reality creeps up on all of us.

Cheers Gentlemen...and John once again - good luck with your venture.

 

[willey]

Yes Jason that is Brian Burge on the Podium.

willey

 

[jason_doust]

Thanks Frank. John, your Dad is one of the greatest players our game has had, but Brian Burge is one of the funniest blokes our game has had. I used to bowl in a singles league at Rockdale with him for some years. The driest sense of humour and a very sharp mind. He threw a really straight low rev shot with soft ball speed. It hit pretty bad, but he could hit a 5 cent piece with it. Every now and then, his trusty LT-48 would hit light and the last pin to fall would be the 5 pin going to the right. He would flex his biceps at me in full competitive vigour and exclaim "See that Jason? You can blow the 5 pin all you like, but I just sucked the 5 pin!" Always with a naughty grin. He's one of those guys that you know something funny is coming soon, just by looking at him.

 

[willey]

Jason I remember his Ball hitting pretty hard in the old days, I'm talking probably 1970, tuesday night league at Enfield, he threw 880/4, with a rubber ball against me mate and that league's results used to get published in the paper.

willey

 

[willey]

Btw, Brian was never the same after he broke his hand retrieving balls in an underlane misshap, which I think was also at Enfield, same for (Fast) Eddie Hoskins, who you see in some of those old SPC photo's, he never seemed the same after he was hit by a Car.

willey

 

[jason_doust]

I never knew that. On both counts. Fast Eddie was still bowling at Leichhardt when I was a kid. He was the house mouse and strutted the approach with great aplomb. Not like he thought he owned it. He knew he owned it!

 

[Brenton_Davy]

Thanks Frank. John, your Dad is one of the greatest players our game has had, but Brian Burge is one of the funniest blokes our game has had. I used to bowl in a singles league at Rockdale with him for some years. The driest sense of humour and a very sharp mind. He threw a really straight low rev shot with soft ball speed. It hit pretty bad, but he could hit a 5 cent piece with it. Every now and then, his trusty LT-48 would hit light and the last pin to fall would be the 5 pin going to the right. He would flex his biceps at me in full competitive vigour and exclaim "See that Jason? You can blow the 5 pin all you like, but I just sucked the 5 pin!" Always with a naughty grin. He's one of those guys that you know something funny is coming soon, just by looking at him.

I learnt some of my best sledges from Brian Burge (most of which he directed at me!). I suspect his game was not as suited to the harder urethane lane coating at Rockdale, nor the higher volume of oil there.

John, I only ever played your father once in matchplay, in 1984 at Leichhardt in the Leichhardt Cup. I won that event and your father was far from his best, but he wasn't about to let some young whipper-snapper, especially a left handed one beat him in that match. Let me know about it too, LOL. I hope your venture goes well.