1969…
Chairman: Thelma Croft Captain: Dave Townsend
Treasurer: Dave Antcliffe Secretary: Fuzz Jordan
High Games: 254 Bobby Boulton, 244 Tas Townsend, 243 Roger Senior, 242 Mif Smith
High Series: 624 John Whitfield, 603 Paul Dransfield
High Average: 173 Roger Senior, 147 Angie Poole
This was probably the strongest overall university team ever produced by any University. It had strength in depth and this is not common. It paid off because we won the Zone and the National Championships in the same year.
Our Zone had increased with the addition of Nottingham Colleges and Lancaster. This was also the first year of the Sheffield Singles but it had to be canceled. I think it was this year we changed our name to Sheffield Students Tenpin Bowling Club (SSTBC).
We made our presence felt this year by winning the 12 Hour Birmingham Marathon, and probably our best competition of the year was in the Brunel Doubles Handicap Section. The team was Bruce McArthur, who entered on a 139 average, and bowled a 181 average, and Thelma Croft, who entered on a 139 average, and bowled a 149 average. In the Scratch section we came 10th, 12th, 20th and 25th. We were 3rd in the UAU at our first attempt, while the Ladies won WIVAB, but bowling was not recognised by WIVAB so there are no records.
…1970
Our team average in the University league this year was over 9100 which is not bad by any standards. This was also the first year of the Presentation PISS UP, which I remember well until 9-00pm. You will understand if you have ever been to one.
We also had the first Bowling Club dinner at ‘Strines’ hotel in Derbyshire on the 22 November 1969. This was memorable for Dave Twigg eating the flower arrangement (daffodils) while waiting for the food to arrive. As a result of this we were banned, but Dave had started a daffodil-eating tradition for the top table at future dinners.