Warwickshire County Cricket Club has recognised 276 of the Club’s longest-standing members.
Bears Members were invited to share their length of innings with the Club earlier this year, and hundreds responded, with membership ranging from ten years to a staggering 80 years, with the ‘Once a Bear, Always a Bear’ motto ringing true.
Thanks to the brilliant response by the Warwickshire community, the Club were able to award 276 members with a commemorative pin badge as a symbol of their continued support and connection to Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
In total, 70 people were recognised for ten years of membership, 28 people for 20 years, 35 for 25 years, 49 for 30 years, 40 for 40 years, and 54 for hitting the 50-year milestone.
A celebratory meal was held at Edgbaston as part of the Red Ball Showcase fixture against Glamorgan in May, with 30 of the longest-standing Members, that all have followed the Bears for 50 years or more, invited to spend time with Club President, Jamie McDowall and former President, Dennis Amiss.
Michael Smith, who has been a Member for 80 years since 1946 and Anthony (Tony) Collett, who has been a Member since 1951, were two of those present on the day.
Warwickshire County Cricket Club Chair, Tracey Orr, said: “It’s incredibly important for us as a Club to recognise our longest-standing fans. They are the lifeblood of any cricket club.
“Their support for Warwickshire doesn’t go unnoticed, and this was our opportunity to thank them and recognise that they are a vital part of what we do.
“To know that there are so many fans that have followed us through thick and thin, through the ups and down, over many years, is heartwarming. We really hope that they feel valued members of the Club and that they’ll continue to support the Bears for many years to come.”
While members shared their years of fandom with the Club, they also put in words their earliest memories of attending Edgbaston Stadium. A place where many have spent time with family and friends, over the years their experiences have afforded them the opportunity to watch some of the very best players play the game. Below are some of the highlights. We would like to thanks all of the members that shared their experiences with us.
Duncan Morton
First membership date: 1965
“The first match I saw at Edgbaston was in May 1965. I had first become interested in cricket when the finish of the 1963 Lord’s Test was shown instead of children’s TV. When I started school in September at King Edward’s School, Edgbaston, I planned on going to the Birmingham Test Match the next summer. Some school friends were going to watch Warwickshire on our Thursday half day, so I joined them. We all enjoyed watching Warwickshire bat – I remember a young Dennis Amiss was top scorer with 80 odd – and most of us decided to become junior members.”
John Chandler
First membership date: 1966
“My first visit to Edgbaston was to see Warwickshire play Australian in 1964. We saw a couple of hours play and then the heavens opened. As a 12-year-old at my first match there was no way my parents were going to convince me to go home until play was officially abandoned for the day. So my first experience of cricket watching featured far more time sitting under an umbrella than watching cricket. It didn’t dampen my enthusiasm, and I watched more matches the next season. I then joined the club in 1966 and have been a member ever since.”
Tony Collett
First membership date: 1951
“Watching Bob Wyatt batting in the 1930s for Warwickshire. He was a class player produced by our County.”
Ben Phillips
First membership date: 1995
“My earliest memory is coming to the ground for the Warwickshire Durham game when Lara got 501* but we were on the first day when Durham batted so I didn’t see the great innings! Then in 1995 I got my first season ticket which I’ve still got along with all other seasons up to now.”
Stephen Hobley
First membership date: 2006
“I retired in 2005 and as leaving gift staff paid for my first year membership. In that year I got to meet a group of about ten other members who sat together and we’ve remained good friends for many years.”
Michael Smith
First membership date: 1946
“Peter Cranston (a rugby international) was captain. Tom Dollery and Eric Hollies were the stars of the team. 1951 was a special year when we won the Championship. I loved watching Tom Pritchard bowl, probably the fastest bowler in the country.”
Ian Lawrence
First membership date: 1964
“My earliest memories were as a child of about 8 years old as part of a family membership taken out by my parents. I remember sitting on wooden benches in what is now the David Heath Stand and there used to be a colourful character called Albert who attended every game and each time MJK Smith came out to bat he would pipe up in his loudest voice saying ‘Good morning Michael’ at which point MJK would usually raise his bat in acknowledgement. Other players that I remember at that time were Bob Barber & Billy Ibadulla as openers MJK and a young Dennis Amiss, Rohan Kanhai, Lance Gibbs, David Brown and A C Smith behind the stumps. Of course, it was 3-day Championship cricket in those days with only 17 Counties and the John Player 40 over League hadn’t materialised until the end of the sixties from memory. How things have changed in those 65 years.”
Paul Bodfish
First membership date: 1975
“It would be when I was about 8 or 9 approximately 1959/1960, I remember sitting on the hard wooden benches in what is now the RS Wyatt stand getting the occasional splinter from broken planks. There was a large grass car parking area behind this stand and sometimes when the cricket was boring for a young boy, I would watch one of the many individual cricket games that was played on this area by groups of boys. Before the days of humorous barracking in the Hollies stand there was a character called Albert who was known as the voice who used to sit in the area we used to sit in. He knew all the players and often shouted out amusing comments to both Warwickshire players and the opposition, sometimes giving his advice as to how to play certain balls or what type of ball to bowl. When Warwickshire were fielding, I used to love watching Norman Horner fielding in the covers, he was the Trevor Penney of his day. Jim Stewart was an attacking batsmen and as a young boy I used to try hit a six every ball when I was batting (easily done in a back garden). The one memory that sticks in my mind was being at Edgbaston in 1974 when John Jameson and Rohan Kanhai shared a world record for a second wicket partnership of 465 against Gloucester. Many happy memories have been made in the decades I have been watching cricket at Edgbaston.”
Warwickshire legend, MJK Smith, featured heavily for some of the members that joined the club back in the 50s and 60s.
John Bradford
First membership date: 1968
“My first game was August 1959 v Northants and MJK Smith scored a century.”
Ken Mackay
First membership date: 1968
“Watching the magical batting of MJK Smith.”
John Bradford
First membership date: 1968
“My dad first took me to Edgbaston in 1959, August Bank Holiday and MJK Smith scored a century and Frank Tyson was bowling at full speed.”
Malcolm Evans
First membership date: 1974
My dad first took me to Edgbaston in the late 1960s. I can’t really remember about any of the matches, but I do remember the seating being wooden benches. I do remember watching a top 5 of Amiss, Jameson, Kanhai, Kallicharran and MJK Smith. I doubt there has ever been a better top five. I became a member when I was 18 which in those days was still a junior membership. When I was 21 I took out a shareholder membership which had three tickets for myself, my future wife (who is also still a member) any my sister-in-law.”