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| The Reform lounge bar 1953 Kingsley Amis keeping score |
This startling news has caused quite a stir among the nations shove ha'penny, or shuffle groate as I like to call it, fraternity. The green dragon a legendary super fast board has been rediscovered. This board has achieved mythical status and over the years many theories have abounded as to it's whereabouts since it was last seen in the Kings Arms in Barnstaple High Street in 1957. The pub has long since closed, mores the pity, but I recall it as a wonderful cavernous place full of dark nooks and crannies where I spent many a happy Friday doing me early drinking and courting. I remember they had vast aged casks of Armadillo sherry and you'd see all the old dears from the market coming in with little jugs and get a pint of the stuff to take away with them. Just out of interest it was on the site of Peter Dominics that was but I can't bring to mind exactly what is there now. Anyways, some say that the board was spirited away to the States, given as a municipal gift by an eager to please former Mayor others have maintained that it is in the hands of the Saudi royal family or that it was given pride of place in a mysterious Chinese gambling magnate's games room. Anyway, turns out that it had been strayed far closer to home as it has been discovered lying discarded in the back of a junk shop in Bideford. I thought I saw one meself just like it in Scudder's mind you that was a few years back now, before the fire and since it has only recently come to light I doubt it was the same one. It was rescued from being skipped over there by illustrious Barum businessmen the Cassinelli brothers who also recall playing on it as beys with their father Old Man Cassinelli back in the fifties. They have lovingly restored it to it's prime competition condition and amazingly it is going to be unveiled at the World Shove Ha'penny Championships which is taking place at Braunton Cricket Club this weekend. The current champ is Welsh from over the water in Newport, Gwent however he will be facing a strong local challenge to lift his crown and let's hope that the Green Dragon will act as our talisman and help the local lads, who include former World Champ Kevin Barrow, in their quest to bring the title back home to where it belongs.
I would have put me name forward but due to out of competition testing where my recent course of beta blockers was picked up I decided to stand downin order to save tarnishing the image of the sport and let the younger lads go for it so they can reclaim the title clean and send out a strong anti-doping message. Anyway. I've had my day in the light of the lamps as I'm sure many will recall my appearance on Yorkshire TV's the Indoor League back in 1977 where Freddie Truman, samshing bloke, commented on my nudging skills and my backing up in order to create a triple three in the bed. Happy days.
The Indoor League Alan Brown was my nemesis you can just catch me in the background with me lucky cowboy hat on. Blimey don't we look young.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOlEYNlSZ44&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_XIzQGR3JY&NR=1
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