A Duck on the First Googly

Here’s a Comment from Abe Menashe:
“I was most interested to read the goings on of Sport in the days of Dr. M.I. Hirsch. Having graduated in December, 1947 from UCT, I left QQ to take up a temporary appointment with the ESC in Salisbury until mid 1948 when I filled one of the 2 vacancies of Junior Electrical Engineers at the City of Bulawayo, who were in the process of expanding their Power Station from 30 Megawatts (2 x 15MW) to 90 MW
(2 x 30MW.) In Bulawayo for sport I used to support Parkview Tennis, was a Jewish Club with very strong players such as an emerging Basil Katz, to become Rhodesia’s No.1, and Sammy Sher. Later, my wife, Pauline was to be part of the Matabeleland League Champions in both Mixed Doubles with Naomie Barnett and Kay Lowenthal. The best I could do was to win a some Parkview doubles with Eugen Zlattner, whom we nicknamed him, “Drobny.” My wife was later Rhodesian Squash Champion, followed by our daughter, Louise; an achievement she did whist still at Townsend School.

I switched to “baseball from cricket” and joined Queens Club. I landed up running the Matabeleland baseball and softball Association, taking over from from No3 in the Town Clerk’s Department, a very brilliant administrator, called Bernard Broadbent. II was also the Bulawayo Chronicle Journalist for Baseball and Softball. Also played for Queens. I cannot remember the year, it must be some time in +/-
1953, we (Queens) travelled as Matabeleland champions to QQ. to compete against QQ Falcons. Their
Pitcherwas Stuart Bradley and Catcher Colin Simpson (an ex Plumtree Scholar,) also a Campbell, whose father was a great sportsman. believe the Falcons Manager was Pop Wilson (of Wilson’s Garage fame,)
and coach was Pop Bradley. The Old Harians, (my old School Prince Edward,) were the Mashonaland Champions. I recall Jimmy Gilmour Captain and Catcher, Pat Dunn Pitcher, Squib Fraser short stop, also Henry Dunn. My memory fails me as to the Rest. Queens was Ralph Barnet Pitcher, Ronnie Pinchen;
Catcher; Des Thwaites 1st base; Cecil Petzer 2nd base; Alf Hutchins short stop; In the outfield were Willie Viljoen, Bertie Venter and myself. I cannot recall our 3rd base. The important thing is that Facons beat the lot of us. My father who was still running his Departmental store but not all 4 shops, came to watch because he knew baseball from his years in USA 1913-1918. He had a big smile when he saw his Son struck out by Stuart Bradley. Falcons won the Competition. A great achievement. Que Que Baseball were the champions in the Country. Bradley, later married Pop Wilson’s daughter, a beautiful Blondie.

My activities in Baseball did me a “great favour”, because at that time In was interested in applying for a Rhodes Scholarship to do Pos5t Graduate work at Oxford. I was interviewed by a Committee of Old “Oxfordians.” When I told them that my interests were in baseball, I knew I was “a dead duck.” From those early days of 1949, I took “a 12-month Sabbatical” from Work in early 1951, travelling all over Italy, Austria, Southern Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium France, Spain, Ireland and England, mostly Hitch-hiking and living in youth Hostels and eating at University Campuses and Military Camps. I successfully undertook an advanced Field Officer’s course at the School of Military Engineering in Gillingham, Kent. (There goes many, many tales of all my experiences of o09ne of the most interesting times of my life. Suffice it to say I changed my thinking from an Academic to Business. I have never been sorry, because the academic side, always was there in many ways until the Present.)
Regards,
abeM”