TAMWORTH has lost one of its sporting greats.
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Minute silences were held across the region over the weekend to remember John Gleeson, the city’s first test cricketer, after he passed away on Friday at the age of 78.
Gleeson, known as the mystery spinner for his rare ability to spin the ball both ways, called Tamworth home from the time he moved for work as a late teen and when he returned in the 1970s to play for Wests.
His career saw him take 93 wickets in 29 test matches between 1967 and 1972 as the 42nd Australian to wear the baggy green.
He went on to play in Canada, England, India, South Africa and New Zealand, as well as taking 430 wickets in 116 first-class matches.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said Gleeson captured the imagination of cricket fans everywhere as he bamboozled batsmen with his odd bowling grip.
He goes on to say that Gleeson was among a long list of test cricketers to hail from country New South Wales.
And he makes a great point.
The Aussie bush is synonymous with all types of sport, be it cricket, AFL, league or even swimming.
Our backyards are an ideal breeding ground for sporting heroes. Two years ago, 47 locals who donned the green and gold in their chosen sport were inducted into the Tamworth Regional Sporting Hall of Fame.
Among the inductees – who represent an array of sports from national passions like rugby league and union, and cricket, to sports Tamworth has been a real force in such as hockey and water polo, to the less mainstream like croquet, aerobics, tent pegging and polocrosse – is Gleeson.
We are so fortunate we have the space and facilities to produce and develop locals with sporting promise.
The city takes great pride in its talents. Our local sporting community is a tight-knit one.
Close friends and former teammates of Gleeson paid tribute to him over the weekend, remembering him as a hard competitor, but a great mate.
It speaks to the true character of the typical Aussie sportsman. Gleeson was a modest and humble hero, who loved to win.
His tough exterior softened in his older years and he forged strong friendships with those he once went up against.
At the heart of Aussie sport is a great sense of camaraderie – opponents on the field but, ultimately, mateship wins out.
