One of Tamworth sport’s most respected men was given a fitting sendoff yesterday by those he had coached, mentored, umpired, played with and against, and by those who had also been a sporting mate.
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Ron George was farewelled at a service in St Patrick’s Catholic Church in West Tamworth by a veritable who’s who of cricket from the glory days of the game.
The man described as “nature’s gentleman” and a consummate sports analyst died in Bingara late last week at the age of 80 after suffering failing health for a few years.
The former sports store owner, famous Olympians women’s club coach, cricket umpire and Emu Cricket Club world tourist rep and selector, was remembered by a succession of good sports yesterday.
Among those were some former Gunnedah players like Tim Grosser and Mike Brady, as well as Tamworth Test spinner John Gleeson, but also a solid contingent of women he had given sporting skills to for years.
In his eulogy, Ross Lobsey remembered him as a wonderful man, always the gentleman, who never lost his cool and had a wonderful ability to analyse a hockey game.
Lobsey watched for years as Ron had 12 years coaching the Olympians teams, with Ross’s wife Judy, her twin Toni Clifton and a host of top sports and sorts like Dot Burgess, Deb Barwick, Roz Elseley, Gai Ford, |Donna Condon, Vicki Cox and Vicki McDonald, the Maureens – Dorrington and Bayliss – among an impressive list of women players who played in that era.
While he was a Tamworth women’s rep team coach – playing a part in the early hockey career of Seoul Olympian Kim Small – he had been before then a cricketer of note among big men.
They called him Spinner. But while he was a leggie who had bowled wrong’uns and top spinners, he got variations in flight that could prove lethal.
Schoolboy cricket coach and authority John Kilborn remembers seeing Ron play with the likes of Ken Falkenmire and Keith Jones in epic games against Gunnedah players like Frank O’Keefe and Roger Wotton, Horrie Connolly and Alan Rose.
“He was a wily old bowler but an excellent bat, a top bat,” Kilborn said last night.
Tamworth cricket stalwart Ian Southwell says Ron and Frank White held a record that he doesn’t think has ever been broken.
“They batted for four days and afternoons and were not out 234,” Southwell said at Ron’s wake at Joe Maguire’s pub.
“I can remember seeing Ron bat all afternoon to get 50 runs.
“It was a bit of a joke Ron being named The Spinner, as he didn’t turn the ball. He got his wickets with the flight of the ball.”
Former cricketers like John Muller and Bob Hickson have described Ron George as the “complete cricketer, the ultimate tactician and an astute and highly-respected captain”.
George moved from Tamworth with his wife Patti in 1987.
Patti died in 2007 and he moved to the north to
Bingara.
He is survived by his sisters Valma and Nola, by his daughters Tracey, Maree and Wendy, and their
families.
The long-standing schoolboys’ cricket competition, the Ron George Trophy, is named in his honour and will endure to mark an honourable man.
– ANN NEWLING
