I cannot remember a time when I was not involved in sport, albeit when I was very young sport for primary school children was not organized as it is today; we were, however, able to play with our friends in the local parks, and even in the roads where we lived, without concerns for our safety.
The move to senior school came with the benefit of properly organized sports, mainly the popular sports such as football, rugby, cricket and tennis but also the less popular ones where a teacher had a specific interest. As we moved through senior school, those of us with a passion for sport then joined local clubs for the sports of our choice.
Moving to university was an unknown as to the sporting facilities that would be available but there was some indication that Oxford took sport seriously as the Varsity matches were well-publicised; however, I was well aware that my modest sporting ability – I could play most sports competently but did not excel at any – would not see me in a Varsity team. The first indication that I might have an enjoyable sporting life at Jesus was an invitation to go up to College three days early to train with the soccer team. (In those days most freshers went up at the weekend prior to the start of term and lectures on the Monday.) I took up that invitation and sporting life at Jesus never looked back.
The picture that will remain in my mind will be the quality of the facilities for around 300 students. Alf was a superb groundsman, although there was some tension between the football and the rugby teams, who shared a pitch, on the height of the grass – a rather esoteric debate to someone of my modest ability. However, there was no debate that his cricket wickets were some of the finest in the country and I am indebted to him for wickets that transformed my bowling from grammar school hopeful to reasonable league cricketer.
I did manage a few sporting highlights during my three years; heading the ball into the Isis whilst playing at Magdalen; scoring a hat trick in the match that saw the Football Team win the league; having a goal incorrectly disallowed in the Cuppers final at Iffley Road; playing just once for the College hockey team, which at that time was full of talented London League and Blues hockey players, and watching the other ten players beat Cardiff University 2 – 1 whilst I just milled about; being told off by a rather posh fast bowler for advancing down the wicket when he was coming in to bowl. I’m sure there were many other incidents that I could recall but the main memory is of the great joy that we all got from playing sport together for the College – a mix of journeymen such as myself and Blues players – and we continue to be friends to this day.