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Partr 3 of 3 Blog on Otago v Sth Africa 1981.

I remember we secured ball from the kick off. Getting hammered in the scrums and the lineouts where we were just out weighed out sized but were tenacious in getting at them with little ball and no ball.
No chance to get hand on the pill and running around in a pack following everyone – helter skelter…. (a small pack – compared to 6’8” 20 stoners, I think their Captain Wynand Claassen who was my size was the smallest in their forward pack 1.88m and 95 kg’s may have been a bit heavier).

After 10 minutes Otago 10 South Africa nil.

What the hell… if we stick together, we can take a scalp here. They started slow and don’t blame them if they are sleeping in squash courts! Barrie Wright scooted over for as try Gary Smith kicked the conversion. He was still straight on toe kicker and probably one of the last of those at that level in those days (It was now the 80’s)

Then a scrum outside our 25 our put in …we are going backwards at a rate of knots. I try and get the ball back but the velocity of our pack going back is quicker than the ball …..it finally pops out but not good ball for Dean. Their loosies are steaming in and I go down on the ball and they are appealing…Penalty. Tobias takes the kick and it hits the upright. The ball seemed to stay in the air for ages and no one from our team seemed to move as though in a state of shock. We were when Ray Mordt comes through and scored the try. They convert it…Shit what a bugger. Keith on the TV said it was a lack of experience but I would like to see him did go down on the ball with a Springbok forward back bearing down on him like Killer Whales and big buggers as well. Burger, Geldenhuys, Van der Merwe , Bekker. (most of their sons are now retired from International rugby!)

Then after a maul I came out and was running to a line out and then noticed my right index finger was feeling unusual. I looked at it and thought it was dislocated. I tried to put it back but it kind of collapsed. I knew it was broken and said to Dirk Williams as we ran to a line out…’Dirk I have broken my finger’…the reason being that I was asking for advice on what to do. Though one of the best loose forwards I have played with or against and only 20 years old, he had had a few games at this level and thought that he would offer more than ‘Huddy, it’s all in the head’
Bugger, that’s what I thought. And for a fleeting moment it was ‘I can’t come off after 10 minutes in my first game for Otago…Colin Meads played with a broken Arm… Red Conway the legend from Zingari, Otago and All Blacks had his finger chopped off so he could play in the trial to later make the All Blacks and play after he broke it in a softball game!

Half time and Larry the physio says I have broken it badly and I said chop it off (joking) he bandaged it up and I said we will see how it goes.

Same old – support – ruck like fuck – get mullered, get up -support- ruck like fuck -get mullered, repeat, repeat and so on. Then with a few minutes to go their Captain goes over for the try and they convert. Final whistle goes and we have lost 13 -17.

A close one but it was, apart from a bloody sore finger a game where it was over and done with very quickly. Don’t think I touched the ball! I must have and I did four times as the ODT had pictures of me in 4 different times with the ball. Must have been a very sharp and sIick photographer and I did not see these until 40 years later!

Straight to the hospital and was they’re for a couple of hours.

They asked originally how I did it and said it must have been an impact where I decked one of the South Africans and the Doctor came back and said ‘no Mark your finger is broken in four places someone has snapped it…It can’t have been David Callon as he was our reserve loose forward and he was in the stands.

What a top man he was by the way. He was a rep for a cigarette company and following year or two always came into the training room with a carton of cigs and said ‘Vue (nick name, too long to tell why) here you go get these down your neck!’ No motive of course!
Anyway, they put it in a splint and that was my season over with. I got back to the Hotel where the Dinner was and that was when I started to know the man that is Ken Bloxham. The Otago Captain had saved a seat opposite the SA Captain Wynaard Classen and on entering the dining room with the fish heads and other alickadoo’s was waving me over to sit in the seat he had saved. We were friends the whole time during my period down in Dunedin and along with others he will be missed.
Wynnaard by the way said ‘You broke finger?’ and my reply was ‘No I did not break my finger’

One story I have to relate about Ken was a year or two later was Lawrie Mains was now coach of Otago and then later the All-Black Coach.

He (Lawrie) was keen on discipline, was the first Coach that we knew dictated what choice of meals that we had, no laughing and charffing as he called it, the night before a game, he did get us quiet hotels however (the Cambridge on a Friday night is the not the best place for a quiet night before a first-class game in Wellington) and his training with former All Black Lyn Jaffrey (ciggy in hand) was pretty tough.

One weekend we had a game for Otago on the Sat and we were training on the Sunday morning whilst the country boys were still in town It was a 9.00am start. We won the game on the day but that was no guarantee that it was going to be a light session the following morning. We had the usual for then which was to do the official, court session and then was to go out for a few beers. I was even afraid to have a too late a night as when Lawrie was in the mood it could be a fairly good (or bad) blow out.

Anyway at 3.00am in the morning I got to the hotel and who was leaving for somewhere, was Ken. He had a white station wagon and he was about to jump in when I pulled up in the taxi. He said Vue come with me I’m off to a party. I said something like ‘but we have training in a few hours’ and his reply was ‘we will only be a couple’ and I said ‘No I am going to bed’. His reply as he jumped in and consequently accelerated out of the car park tires screeching was ‘you soft Auckland bastard’!

After the after match of the Bok game the majority of the team went back to one of the players houses and there was a few crashed out and staying the night. It was a good intro and I loved the time I spent with them. It was then that it was known that I snored and Wayne Graham picked up on it first the following morning. It was also then that most of the time I had a room to myself with the teams I played with on away games including Wellington and Canterbury later on in my brief rugby career.

Back to reality, first test match at Lancaster Park, Christchurch and the AB’s just won and finally just won the last test match at Eden Park in the last minute with an Alan Hewson penalty. This was one of the iconic scenes of the tour when flour bombs were dropped into the park. They won the series 2-1. The Otago game was the closest of the provincial games against a bloody big strong Bok team which would be the last of that ‘kind’ to tour to NZ ever.

The following Tuesday I went back to the Māori Club and things were pretty much the same about organising demonstrations for future games and the effects of action in Christchurch and Dunedin a few days before. I did not notice any uncomfortable feeling and far as I was concerned, I was against Apartheid and I played against them for the right reasons. It was after that meeting a friend came up to me and said ‘Well done on coming along as they thought you would not’. I said ‘why not?’ and her reply was ‘you have got balls and well done’.

It was then that I thought I have been naïve about this and did not want anyone with in the Māori Club to feel awkward because of my presence. Nice people.

Forty years later I get a call from the ODT for an interview about the game and the buildup and consequences. You can read this article where they talk to a Demonstrator, Policeman and a Player following.

Kia Kaha
Mark

These views and opinions are remembered back forty years ago and strictly those of the writer. The events are as close as the writer remembers.

What do I do next….? Watch out for an announcement in the papers…but they must have a training session surely? Its Thursday afternoon and the game is on Tuesday afternoon. Man I have to learn the line out calls!

The phone started ringing…no mobiles those days …not even the brick but it was not a party line like my grandparent’s long – short – short – long etc, where I remember them having a yarn with the operator.

First was my mother. This was going to be interesting as her and Dad had been on the Anti tour marches recently -the peaceful ones! She was happy for me and said to do whatever I wanted to do. To tell the truth it had only been about an hour that I found out and had not even thought about nothing really. Told her I had not even spoken to anyone official and had just heard myself though it had been announced on the Radio nationally.

Next was Bill Francis the man himself who said to get down to Radio New Zealand Sport offices (I think) for an interview that will be taped and played after editing (a lot I would say, my dolsate tones in retrospect I would not have been an interviewer’s dream). My son now takes the piss with my lazy pronunciation of vowels – the other day he started saying to me ‘pass the molk plase.’ I said what? and he said ‘molk plase’. I said why he was talking like that and he said it is the way I say ‘milk please’ – cheeky bugger!

Anyway, I heard somewhere from somewhere official my club Zingari or Otago Union that there was a training run on the Friday (the next day) at the Dunedin or Pirates rugby ground.

The place was a buzz now (or my world was) 38 Clyde Street had never had so much activity since Martin Sneddon got picked the year before for Otago and New Zealand in cricket as he flatted there before us. People I thought were on holidays were back earlier or never been away and suddenly people were taking an interest in me!

There were people who were genuinely pleased including Otago University rugby folk who were everybody’s arch rivals (Scarfies even though we were scarfies ourselves). We had beaten them earlier in the year and they had some super talent David Halligan, Warwick Taylor, David Kirk, Dirk Williams and a host of others that could have graced most international teams at that stage. I thank them for their support and others from Dunedin Clubs at the time. I know that Zingari were over the moon and I was proud for them when I had the time in the bubble to reflect. Don’t want to mention names as we from scarfie land were welcomed and they were wonderful to us. I would miss someone of many out.

Anyway down to the news rooms testing one two three I came out with the same old bullocks …play my natural game……go out and enjoy…I knew half the team…I was proud to be apart and selected for Otago (which I was but was still trying to get my head around it). Even the fact that Gary Seer had withdrawn from the game due to his political beliefs did not resonate with me even though my personal situation was and I perhaps should have taken into account.

To tell the truth and at the time in the whirl wind of I,t did not touch the sides. It was not until a team mate for Otago and a man of few words came up to me ten minutes before kickoff and said  ‘Give it your best, as fella’s like us may not get another chance’ and though open to interpretation I knew what he meant. Where he always, what few times I met him before had a cheeky grin and look in his eyes, now has this serious looking into my soul look, that was humble, brave and personal and I respect him for that. That look when someone asks you a serious question and you look around the room and others are also waiting for your response – and it was the look my grandparents gave me when awaiting your response. I call this a ‘beautiful intrusion’ and sometimes no words have to be spoken…they can see in your eyes, the raise of the eyebrows or a wee nod.

Next, I had my Zingari teammate and fellow scarfie Steve Baker around at the flat and firing passes of the rugby ball down the hallway to me, they were good, in a long skinny hallway, spiraling like a bullet and never touched the sides and he’s yapping away the whole time like most halfbacks but this time laughing and chortling and not barking out orders or giving the ref advice, as his mate had been picked for Otago against the Springboks…everybody is excited and keen for the game to come around. Steve went on to play for Canterbury and then amongst other rugby accomplishments and achievements spent time in SA coaching with Francois Pienaar.

After a busy night of congratulations, from others etc I had training the next day with Otago. I did know half the team however the other half I did not know as they played a in the Country.

Town v Country was always a toughie and was the Otago trial game but I had dodged this one as I had not been picked earlier in the year. When I say dodged the game, this is the local firm derby -Farmers v Townies or mainly Scarfies and a good opportunity for the country lads to show the townie boys who is tough and who is not! Eg I would not say they would kick you in the head but given the opportunity, a good rucking which was legal in those days could have been severe. Good to have on your side and no people more loyal but against them? if at the bottom of a ruck, get your hands free and cover your scone! Or don’t go in!

I was always a forward thinker and adapted to rules changes before they changed eg why get involved if they have the ball or we have the ball, I may as well be in the line as another option for attack or defense depending on the situation! Not then though, you were quickly spotted and labelled and abused by your own team mates… and the rules had not changed then for that strategy of play! That’s my excuse anyway! (Well done SA on Sat they stopped and won possession by not adopting this strategy but disrupting at the breakdown after the AB’s had original procession)

The first and only training session before the game. Wow Wayne Graham blindside, Dirk Williams openside, Paul Sapsford prop, Ken Bloxham Hooker and Captain and a good mate after and very sad to hear of his passing years later. Then Gary Smith was at Full back Dean Kenny half back Neil Purvis in the center. These names along with the others are household names especially in Otago.

As per usual Lee Smith the coach who I did not know that well at the time, I heard was keen on the fitness stuff and I respect immensely not for the fact he trusted me in my selection but as a masterful all-round sports person, was true to form and I was running around like a rabbit first time away from home. This was picked up by the more senior people in the squad and I don’t know if it was the fact that I looked silly, or they genuinely cared for my welfare – a bit of both. To make me feel one of the team, though one of the exercises was to do press ups in between instructions to sprint 25 yards and then back again to station for press ups, continuous no break or no rest. I was pretty stuffed in quick time and Ken saw this and said ‘to do it with me’ so I did. But he was not doing the press ups when Lee was not looking, he was resting on the ground and as soon as Lee looked our way Ken would resume the press ups. I soon noticed that half the team (mainly country boys) were doing the same!

This was one of the ways, and I did not pick up on this immediately of bringing one in I guess, to let you know they were personable people themselves and not to be over awed by the occasion. They were great to me and the respect as people from me was immense. Or short cuts – mind you most of them had been working on farms, 200-mile round trip to train, a tough training session – well upmost respect for those guys. It was an honor for them to play for there province and it is an honor for them to represent their people and region. I will touch on this later in a most mind blowing experience 5 minutes before we left the changing room later.

Saturday and Sunday went by with the usual flurry of pre international team in town. But obviously the demonstrations had hit the news and the Otago game was going to be targeted like all of them I guess. But in my scene so to speak it was the buzz of your mates and people that were proud of you and you wanted to repay that by playing well and preparing well.

Monday night the country boys that could came into town and stayed at the Hotel The shoreline usually however I am not sure on that particular night. We met at the hotel on Tuesday morning. Tucked into a good breaky and then the team talk. We had taxis and then this is when it hit home. Please escorts to the ground! I jumped in with a couple of the players I in the middle as the back squashed between to other senior members and during the short drive, I found it hard to not notice the effort to get us there and to keep demonstrators away. Big yellow Jumbo bins lined the way Police all over the place some waving at us. and fans that had wind that the police escorted taxis were us were waving and I felt guilty in not waving back and my colleagues were not and focused on the game!

When we arrived at Carisbrooke it was like a military operation police at the back entrance and we were rushed into the Stand …….Wow that was exciting I thought  and we made our way to the changing rooms, about 50 minutes to go.

The atmosphere was mind blowing for someone that has not experienced it before. Maybe not for those that had played at this level Neil, Ken, Wayne, Paul etc even Dirk and Dean both only 20 years of age were calm concentrated and focused like veterans. I just kept my mouth shut and observed. A bit like a caddy for a golfer, unless asked, keep up and shut up.

There is a warm up area under the stands and I don’t think we used that area such was the intense bottleneck situation I later experienced with a changing room stretch and build up.

I was so buzzed out watching everyone else prepare and then with 5 minutes left and some final words from Lee it was just the fifteen players and that is when the whole atmosphere changed, it was like shit this is for real. This is the stuff you read and hear about.

I was ready to go but thought I would read some of the telegrams that had arrived for me. Wrong thing to do…. Ken said ‘Huddy on your fucking feet!’ I scrambled the telegrams into my bag and the players got in a huddle. This is it I was feeding off the players and it is the closest I can imagine preparing for war it was more than electric it was atomic, it was dying for the province your country your family and people, your culture. I looked in the eyes of my team mates and they were looking at mine I don’t know what they saw but I hope it was what I saw in there’s. Total commitment, Total beyond anything you have committed before, and could not help but feed off the potent bravery and anything goes but stay in the blue zone! And then it took another level Otago pride, tears of pride and aggression amid everything else associated with preparation to do anything to win no matter who the opponents or enemy are!

We walked out the door and at the same time the Springboks came out of there changing room and we met in the middle at the tunnel. Don’t look and in retrospect though I wasn’t I thought shit they are big!

I looked out and could see the packed terraces and was thinking play well for your team, family, friends and those that wish the team well.

Kick off, they to us, first impression was the Africana language loud and authorative, almost bullying as they ran at us and reminded me of Germans in movies during the Second World War on a patrol and clearing out a house searching for something, in this case the Ball.

I remember the scramble from us to protect the pill from the baddies!! Stick together!

TBC.

These opinions are strictly those of the writer and are thoughts that are remembered from back 40 years ago. Some of these have obviously changed over the years.

After watching another nerve-wracking game between the AB’s and the Boks’ (no matter what team you support) this morning (UK time) in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, I thought I would give further detail to an occasion which the Otago Daily Times wrote about recently on an event 40 years ago.

The Springbok tour of New Zealand in 1981.

The last game before the first Test match at Lancaster Park, Christchurch was against Otago at Carisbrook in Dunedin.

Despite a fairly conservative attitude to the up-and-coming game, Dunedin hosted the oldest University in the country. Otago University which as well as a great campus also was (like most Uni’s) very active in supporting the rights of majority and minority groups where voices could be freely expressed without much ado and negative response from others. For example, a colleague of mine who was a top Boxer and I was surprised to see was the sole demonstrator of Royalty visiting the Campus. Though a Kiwi he came from Irish decent and I enjoyed the non-violent demonstration he was showing and the ‘his right’ to do so attitude even from those that did not agree with him. Everything was cool like that democratic right of freedom of speech etc etc….

This is despite that in History and Sociology of Sport (I was studying Physical Education) we were always told that sport and politics always had and always will be mixed.

In saying that, Otago University had produced more All Blacks than any other Club in the History of Rugby in NZ. And a lot of my peers and colleagues would say that sport and politics should never mix.

This was going to be interesting and this idealistic rather naïve mind and heart of mine, was in for a rude awakening soon after.

Though I played football (soccer) at School and through to my first year at Uni (1979) I had played 3 games for the Rugby First Fifteen in my last year at Massey High School. This was due to myself playing for the school soccer team in the morning and the soccer club in the afternoon. However some club games were cancelled or did not take part for some reason. Maurice Trapp the school rugby coach who went on to coach a very successful Auckland senior rugby team with other coaches eg All Black legend Brian Williams and was later President of the NZRFU had always wanted me to try rugby. So when he or I had the opportunity I would go in. The captain was Kurt Sherlock who went on to play for the AB’s and turn to Rugby League after. (I played against Kurt for Wellington and we beat Auckland at Athletic Park 1986 when that great Wellington team went through unbeaten under flamboyant coach Earl Kirton to take the National Title).

Anyway the next year, I played for Arana Hostel (One of the University Halls of Residence at Otago University in 1979 – under self selected rugby coach Jamie Mackay- now radio station owner) and in 1980 was picked for the Otago Uni U/20 Gold team under former Zingari-Richmond and Otago player John Hornbrook. John went onto be Secretary of the ORFU in later years. We were the second team as Otago Uni Blues were the first but played in the same Dunedin U/20 club competition. We ended up coming out with the title and I played for the Otago age group rep team etc. What a team! It was captained by Graeme Patterson who went on to become AB’s team Doctor. After Uni the next time I bumped into him was when we hosted the AB’s at the Cafe Royal in London when I was with the National Sporting Club in about 2005. I saw him and and reintroduced and he said he would never have recognised me if I hadn’t. Amazing what a haircut, shave the moustache off and 25 years can do to me.

My second full season of rugby (1981) I decided to go to Zingari Richmond as John Hornbrook had encouraged me along with Duncan Robertson the former Zingari, Otago and All Black who I played indoor basketball with (bit of a physical rough player for a diminutive physique…in Indoor basketball and thank god I did not play rugby against or with him!). I went with a few of my Uni peers including Steve Baker (don’t go for a run with him as he will say we will do a lap of the Logan Park but it will be about three!)), Mike O’Leary, and Wayne Tacon. We did well as we were in the bottom 6 teams from the season before and in 1981 won every game until we were very convincingly beaten by Lawrie Mains Southern in the final. I was also picked as Dunedin Club Rugby Player of the year.

The Club Rugby season had ended and it was also end of term university holidays. The rep season was about to begin and apart from other B games for Otago I was not involved (though knocking on the door maybe?).

It was Ski season, not that I could ski, and myself and mates who could, went away for a week and returned to Dunedin midweek as it was still the University holidays.

I had missed the Tuesday meet of the Māori Club (more political than cultural) which I had joined as I wanted to know more about their interests’/ issues as my Mum was actively getting involved and I had a need to know more (and still do).

In regard to the Māori Club, I was really pleased to see and meet the people I was with, including high profile individuals who were on Scholarships and other adult courses.

It was no surprise that they were demonstrating against the forthcoming tour of New Zealand by the Springboks and I agreed with their anti-Apartheid stance. I cannot say that I agreed or disagreed with their methods as it did not involve me and I did not know of any non-peaceful actions that were being planned if there was any.

The ORFU on the Wednesday before (the Otago game was the following Tuesday), asked for rugby club volunteers to go on a vigil at Carisbrooke to stop people invading the ground during the evening and damaging the pitch, I was told that they were putting the Boks in Squash courts as the Anti tour protesters had stopped one game tearing down the fence and making the pitch unplayable. So security for the visiting team was becoming a major logistical issue and things were starting to heat up (but not as yet in my cozy corner of the world….. just yet)

Someone asked me if I wanted to be in his team to do our bit and guard Carisbrooke. I said no problems as it sounded like it could be a bit of fun and I had the job on radio at HQ and my mates went out (not exactly every hour but you know when they could to make sure there was no hanky panky with people breaking into the ground).

It involved them with a radio and reporting in. There was a dog roaming around on the ground and we were told on a couple of times by the owner don’t go on the pitch as he will have your hand off…. I think the boys brought him to the office at one stage to say hi or whoof!

The next day was Thursday and we left Carisbrooke at 12.00 night. We had done our 4-hour shift!

It all went well and the only complaint was that the next team taking over said that the HQ had smelled of booze, there were several empty beer cans and all the booze had been drunk from the booze cabinet and there was none left for them. I had a team talk with the team later and they said they had not seen or heard of anything. I did not believe them!

That Thursday morning (late morning) I decided to go to the Uni Cafe five-minute walk away (flat was at 38 Clyde St). I walked in and as usual walked to the front where the PE crew usually hang out but it was quiet and I could see that the few students that were there about thirty (usually a couple of hundred but because of holidays) were the Art students, well I thought they were, as they dressed a bit different to us PE types (track suits trainers etc) and they had trendy haircuts, dyed hair and wore fashionable trendy lefty clothes…they all wear power suits now and are ambassadors in the New Zealand High Commissions based somewhere in the world!

On entering a few were turning their heads and I could tell they were chatting about me.  I am thinking – oh hell have I been pissed somewhere and made an arse of myself and can’t remember?

After getting my meal (chips or ‘fries’ in the UK) I went toward the back of the Cafe as some arty farties had taken it on themselves to sit at the front two tables which were for the PHYS EDDERS! God dam you!

There were people sitting in different places, in different groups, some I knew not very well and some not at all, turned to me and said ‘congratulations’ and I said ‘why?’ and they said you have been picked for the Otago against the Boks on Tuesday.

I thought they were taking the piss and then two others said the same thing and I smiled and said thanks. Still not that convinced, someone I knew said the same thing and I asked ‘where did you hear that?’ and she said ‘on the radio about an hour ago’.

I knew that there was some truth in this now and my heart was pounding as I did not want to show emotion as it felt I had 30,000 people watching me eat every bloody chip as slow as possible in the Café. When I did finish, I slowly headed toward the empty Tray cabinet slid it in and said thanks to a couple more people who said congrats (I had never been so popular with people that were academics) before the sprint back to my place to catch the 12.30 news or 1.00pm news, whatever time it was!

I went straight passed our landlord who lived next door and he wanted to have a chat. I said that I was busting to go to the toilet and sprinted passed him and all I remember him saying as I slammed the door after finally getting my key in was ‘well that is what I wanted to have a chat with you about, can you tell the boys to stop peeing outside as it smells on sunny days!’ (We had an outside toilet and when it rained my three flat mates would pee outside the back door).

Inside the flat I rushed to turn on my flat mate Charlie’s stereo Hifi system and waited ten minutes with eager anticipation and then sports commentator at the time Bill Francis confirmed ‘Mark Hudson the 21-year-old in his second year of rugby has been selected to replace Gary Seer at number eight for Otago against the Springboks on Tuesday at Carisbrooke’

Shiiiit its true!

Back in 1974 as a 13-year-old I was with my Parents who had a connection with a small block of land in Kakanui near Kaukapakapa, north of Auckland.

Unlike the millionaire’s row or footballer’s county like Cheshire here in the UK this was bush and hills and not what it is now.

We were camping out in the old primary school as my Father and Uncle Ron (Aunty Pam’s Husband) who they shared the property with were cutting down bush for a fire break. We would take food up the hill and have that for lunch (Cheese sandwiches which is still my staple). I can’t remember if us kids did too much work but I remember it being fun and sometimes a bit boring as we got to the end of the day, ( I am not talking on behalf of my two younger sisters in this case).

At the same time the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch New Zealand were taking part and that was when I/we were glued to the TV and saw Dick Taylor, Mary Peters, Filbert Bayi and a host of other legends winning their respective events. It was also the time I first came across the name Mike Bull who won the Decathlon and got second in the Pole-vault.

I always like the idea of the all-round Athlete/Sports person and later in life admired the bigger players like the forwards Gary Seer, Stuart McKinney and John Eales lining up big long penalty kicks in Rugby and nailing them especially last-minute ones that won the game.

So, Mike Bull, this rather unknown to me at the time won this event on the same track that I got 3^rd in the National Schools High Jump and then a year later I won the same age group (under 16).

My first time at QE 2nd Park in Christchurch when in a day dream for a minute or two, used to think this is where John Walker got 2^nd to Filbert Bayi who broke the world record for the 1500 meters record months before, Where Dick Taylor kicked and burnt off David Black, Brendon Foster and David Bedford to win the 10,000 meters etc. and Mike Bull won the decathlon etc. etc.

His name used to pop up occasionally over the years and now over 45 years later I have the privilege of hosting Mike at the British Sports Book Awards on Monday 20^th September.

His Book which the manuscript was lost for 20 years had been found by his daughter and correlated. The book was published 2 months ago and what a man! So prolific with his achievements. I did not know that he went way back to 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston where he got Silver medal in the Pole vault, Gold in the Pole vault in 1970 in Edinburgh  and had competed in Mexico 1968 and the 1972 Olympic games in Munich (West Germany).

Titled ‘An Olympians Story’, it is an honest but personable account of times good and bad through thick and thin, no excuses. A story of someone who though an elite athlete like others, who are prepared to commit, aspired and achieved so much that it looks like it became habitual!

During his time in his book, he got an Athletics scholarship to the States, trained with the best athletes in the world, did a Doctorate in Philosophy, University lecturer, Fitness coach for the Irish and Ulster rugby teams, got an OBE for his contribution to Sport and Charity where he co-founded the Sparks Children’s Charity (NI), a successful Business man with his Gymnasium complex and more which you will have to read about in his book.

Through all this he is as the great legend. Former Arsenal and Northern Irish Football Captain Terry Neill termed ‘he is one of the boys’ (from Bangor Northern Ireland) referring to the never lost his roots aspect of his personality.

Post Book he has recently been interviewed by the BBC about his aspirations to compete in the World Masters games at the age of then 76 years of age! In the pole-vault! The video which went viral following the interview reached 8 million + views

A reflection that people think that this is positive, proactive attitude and spirit that it is never too late and while you can, still keep doing it!

Get the book it is a good read, sad on occasions as not too many people go through life being happy all the time. As the author Lewis said ‘Life’s a tradeoff’ and if you do, you have not lived life but what makes success sweeter is the hard times you have endured whilst getting up, brushing off the sand and then having dockers turn up on the Belfast wharfs with mattresses so you can practice your pole vault and land in reasonable safety!

Mike Bull

An Olympians Story

By

Doctor (Phil) Mike Bull OBE.