(written from the point-of-view of Jack Kyle)
* editors note * - since he began as a Brockton club member in 1947, Jack Kyle formed the backbone of the Brockton Club from a playing and administrative perspective. He has continued on in administrative capacities as a President of the Canadian Cricket Association and has organized junior cricket programs in British Columbia for over 25 years.
The club was formed in March, 1914, and, with the Vancouver, Burrard British Isles Schools, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam, the first full season of the B.C. Mainland Cricket League was played. The first President was R.M. Maypole after whom the Marpole area of Vancouver was named); Captain, A, Malins; Vice-Capt.. G.C.. (Gerry) Peel; Secretary, J.C. Poole and there were 21 members. During the period 1915-1920 much effort was needed to keep the club active but, with the help of Messrs. L. Peel, O.L. Bancroft, G. Roy Leigh, Maurice J. Crehan, G.P. Bainbridge, F.J. (Feero) Peers, E.F. Biart and Percy Broadfoot, the BPCC was firmly established.
In 1924, the BPCC entered a second team, which was maintained until 1941. During the period from 1925 to 1938, some of the better known BPCC players were L.R. Thomas, R.D. Hammersley, E.H.C. Polehampton, J.A.(Bun) liobday, R.C. Barwell, Rex Pumphrey, E. Stan Bullen, W.L. (Terry) Rivers, Ken F.R. Mair, G. Them and H. Cobbett.
In the 1938 and 1939 seasons, other first team players included Bill Clarke, Dick Hardisty, Norman Pearson, F. Pearson, S.C. Sweency, G.G. Browne, W. Pretty, R.S. Proverbs, K. Tunnieliffe, Gordon Outham, Peter Kaye and Arthur Langley. Perhaps the 1938 season highlight match was on June 8 vs. Burrard, who scored 241 runs. BPCC replied with 244 for 9 (Bill Clarke 58, Dick Hardisty 48, Norman Pearson 41 and Gordon Southam 32 not out). During the early years of World War 2, the BCMCL clubs were hard pressed to field teams and Brockton Point had to fold up its second team.
In the latter war years, the situation became worse. Brockton Point then amalgamated with the Aurora and Canadian Bank of Commerce clubs and it was agreed that the BPCC name would continue. Some of the players joining forces were Tom Reed, Norman S. Peters, Perey Broadfoot, Douglas R.S. Milne, Malcolm R.S. Milne, Walter G. Scott, Jim A. Sharp, Ken Strickland, Alan F. Thomas, Larry Wyles and Reg Burleigh.
A highlight game was played on August 18, 1945 at Brockton Point was vs. the Rowing Club and Bill Hendy, then one of Vancouver's top bowlers. Malcolin Milne and Noel Buckley each scored 135 not out in quick time. By the end of the 1946 season, the BPCC had already won 9 BCMCL first division titles, more than any other league team.
The 1946 BPCC league winners comprised some excellent performers. However, the team's average age was well past 40 and it was decided that new young players must be recruited in order to rejuvenate the club.
Later in the 1946 season, Noel Buckley showed up at a Vancouver Juniors GC practice at Connaught Park. He asked VJCC manager, Bob Quinn, and captain, Gerry O'Hara if he could approach player Jack Kyle, with the objective of Jack playing for BPCC the following season. The answer was 'yes' and Jack agreed to play for BPCC, starting with the 1947 season.
During 1947, my first season with BPCC, team captain, Jim Sharp gave encouragement with early order batting and bowling. Arthur Smith Jr. and Stan Clarke, exVancouver Juniors, were encouraged also but played only the one season with the club.
In the Fall on 1947, I started work with the same firm as BPCC's Tommy Reed. During 1948, George Nugent was hired by the firm and he was immediately recruited to play for BPCC. None of us had a car, so Percy Broadfoot would pick us up for practices at Brockton Point, where Ed Ball joined us often. In those days there were about four permanent nets there.
* editors note *The following letter from Sir Donald Bradman indicates his appreciation for the beauty of Brockton Point Cricket Ground, located in Stanley Park. Sir Donald batted on the ground in 1932 with the Australian Test Side that toured and scored 42 that day. At the time, he was on his honeymoon, after touring England.
Greetings From
Don Bradman
The following letter, dated June 3, 1948 from the Piccadilly Hotel, London, has been received by President Hann from Don Bradman, who at the time was skippering the Australian Test Match Eleven in England.
Dear Mr Hann:
In reply to your letter of May 19, I am glad to hear that your Dominion Tournament is to take place this year at Brocktion Point, Vancouver, and I take this opportunity of wishing your Associates a most successful tournament.
I have said on many occasions, and I am glad to repeat that, in my opinion, the Brockton Point ground is the prettiest upon which it has been my pleasure to play. It is really a magnificent setting, and I wish that some of our more important games, such as Test Matches, could be played under these ideal circumstances.
Kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Don Bradman
In the 1947 to 1949 seasons, BPCC players included Stan Bullen, Doug and Malcolm Milne, Noel Buckley, Geoff Webb, Walter Scott, Tommy Reed, Percy Broadfoot, Ed Ball, Ken Strickland, Bill Clarke, Bert Rush, George Nugent, Jack Kyle, Ken Courts, Jim Sharp, Jim Wright and Alan Thomas.
Playing against the Varsity team at Memorial Park on August 6, 1949, BPCC scored 257/4 in 33 (8 ball) overs, Noel Buckley 111 and Wally Scott 110 not out adding 181 runs for their partnership.
I was fortunate to get some good coaching from several people, including A.J. Darcus, and from ex-Glamorgan and Lancashire professional, Tom Brierley, who first played for the Varsity team in 1949. Tom's coaching in his practice net at Douglas Park during the early '50s helped me, George Nugent, Peter Stead, Dick Fanning and later on, Wallace Tait, to improve our skills.
In 1950, Len Nugent joined BPCC, also Charlie Collison, Harry Newton and Dennis Siddons. Highlights and lowlights included Ken Courts' one handed catch of Bill Hendy at the long off boundary and BPCC making a total of 16 runs vs. North Shore's bowlers, Robin Johnston and Jim Comrie.
Ellis Jorssen, Jack Kyle
During the 1952-1953 seasons, BPCC first team players included Doug and Malcolm Milne, Bert and Ed Rush, George and Len Nugent, Jack Kyle, Charlie Collison, Jim Wright, Geoff Webb, Ray Symonds, Alan Thomas, Erie Wilson, Ken Courts, Bill Caines, Walter Scott, Tom Reed, Ed Ball, George Cambridge and Harry Warren.
In May, 1953, at Brockton Point, we saw some lovely aggressive strokes from a young St. George's lad playing for Vancouver, named Wallace Tait. Soon he joined Tom Brierley's coaching sessions. In May, 1953, we played a two innings match vs. Burrard at a 'new' ground/cow pasture at Hillcrest Park. Scores were Burrard 32 and 49, BPCC 46 and 39/3. On July 18 we played vs. Burrard at Upper Brockton. In response to their 104, we were 50 for 7 when George Nuge Jim Wright. When we reached 105, George had scored 54 and Jim 1 run, both not out.
In 1954, Tom Brierley, Wallace Tait, Harry Warren (bowling underarm) and Dennis Jesson joined BPCC. Aussie Peter Love came later in the season and scored a brisk 76 vs. Vancouver at Brockton Point and took 2 for 8 in the same match. On May 22 vs. Kerrisdale at Upper Brockton, the Nugent brothers, George and Len took 6 and 4 wickets respectively. During the season, Jack Kyle scored 579 runs to win his first Bradman Trophy for most BCMCL runs. The BPCC second team won the Gardner Johnson Shield.
Ellis Jorssen, Jack Kyle (1986)
During the 1955 season, George Nugent took 76 wickets and Len Nugent took 41, both for a 9 run average. BPCC won the Fyfe Smith Shield.
In 1957, BPCC won their first of five successive BCMCL and B.C. titles. George Nugent topped the BCMCL with most wickets, including hat tricks on three occasions and Jack Kyle topped the BCMCL with most runs.
During the mid to late 50's and through the 60's, BPCC, in addition to a strong bowling attack, had a strong batting line-up. So much so that some players subsequently moved to other clubs where they could get a knock most weeks.
I well remember a match at Douglas Park. Wallace Tait and a one-year player, Tony Wells, opened the innings shortly after 2 p,m. and I, batting number 3, padded up. Shortly after 5 p.m. Tony Wells was out for 100 and I joined Wallace Tait, who was on 128. Tait was then dismissed and captain, Rodan Singh declared!
By 1958, ex-Varsity players Rodan Singh and Jim (Chick) Siew had joined BPCC. Others playing for the first team included Wally Tait, Dave Bolton, John O'Shea, Jack Kyle, Doug Milne, Tennyson Haqq, Roy Patrick, Ron Waters, Dick Lee, George and Len Nugent, Ken Williamson, Ted Harris and Doug Allen. An annual series of friendly matches with Oak Bay CC was started with a match at Windsor Park.
In 1959, George Nugent took 104 wickets to win the league bowling honours. On June 27 at Douglas Park, BPCC dismissed Vancouver CC for 19 runs in 16 overs (Ken Downer 5 for 8, George Nugent 5 for 10).
BPCC often placed three or four players on B.C. teams during these years. An example would be in 1955, when George Nugent, Doug Milne, Wallace Tait and Jack Kyle played and Walter Scott was the team manager.
During the 50's, Tommy Reed played his last match to culminate 50 years of play with Aurora and BPCC.
During the early 60's, BPCC played annual matches vs. Seattle CC, prior to their entry in the BCMCL in 1965, when they won the BCMCL title. On June 12, 1960 at West Magnolia Park, BPCC showed up with 6 players as the car carrying Jim Siew, Dick Lee and Mike Tasker failed to arrive. We recruited two specators in street clothes. Batting first, BPCC made 177 (Rodan Singh 62 and Wally Tait 55), then dismissed Seattle for 37 (Ron Waters 4 for 3 and Wally Tait 3 for 1). A year or two later, after another match in Seattle, we stopped off at Rodan Singh's apartment in Bellingham for a social affair with a keg of beer in his bathtub! After a match in 1964, I was driving home when I saw lights come over the horizon behind us. About 30 seconds later Mal Shanks and his Jaguar flashed by, to disappear over the north horizon about 30 seconds later.
Rodan Singh at Brockton (1986)
In 1961, BPCC won their 5th consecutive league and B.C. titles with help from new players Bob Rogers and Eric Williams. On May 17 we dismissed Varsity for 47 runs (George Nugent 9 for 22). Karam Gopaulsingh played his first match for BPCC on September 17 vs. Incogs CC at Beacon Hill Park in Victoria. This may have been the match when a quick throw from Leon Lamprecht beaned umpire Gerry McIlvenny.
In 1962, BPCC first team players included new faces such as R.I.P. Davies, John Platford, Ernie Bancroft, Tom Odgers, Frank Thompson and a most promising young St. George's player, James Taylor, who was killed that Fall in a tragic car accident - a great loss to BPCC and Vancouver cricket. During the 1963 season Mal Shanks returned and John Thompson played.
In 1964, Darrell Winterlik and Chris Stringer brought youth to our side as they came from the strong North Shore-South Hill team that folded.
In 1965, Karam Gopaulsingh played his first regular season with BPCC. Other players included Ellis Jorssen, Larry White, Darrell Winterlik, Rodan Singh, David Bolton, Mal Shanks, George Nugent, John McNeill, Ray Horsey, Chris Stringer and Fred Harris. BPCC players won the three league individual trophies (still a record), Jack Kyle for batting, George Nugent for bowling and Karam Gopaulsingh for wicket keeping. In addition, the club won both the Fyfe Smith and Coronation Shield competitions and the first Rothman's 6-a-side event.
Karam Gopaulsingh captained the team and in a game versus Seattle, he and Darrell Winterlik combined for a club total of 179 for 2 with Winterlik (105 not out) and Gopaulsingh (55 not out). Darrell Winterlik also was selected for the Canadian Colts' Tour of England in that year.
A highlight of the 1967 season was the match on August 27th at Woolfson vs UBC Occasionals, who played fast bowler Ashley Windsor. BPCC was 17 for 5 when Chris Stringer joined Malcolm Shanks. We finished up with 139 thanks to Mal's 66 and Chris' 41, then dismissed the opposition for 55 (George Nugent 5 for 18).
In 1968, Chris Van Twest played some innings of promise as an opener with Karam Gopaulsingh. Other players during the 1966 to 1968 period included Tom Odgers, Darrell Winterlik, Vince Heitzman, Graham Hewin, Peter Hansen and B. Wilson. In 1968, BPCC again won the BCMCL first division title and Ellis Jorssen won the league's Bradman Trophy with 508 runs, average 56.4.
Chris Tynan, Graham Mahabir
and Gary Smee
In the period 1970 to 1973, BPCC first team players included Phil Nutt, Jim Siew, John Docker, Abdul Sheikh, Stuart Allan, Martin Meissenheimer, S. Bedford, Errol Hartley, Sam Maitland, George and Len Nugent, Wallace Tait, who returned to BPCC in 1972, Jim Robson, Karam Gopaulsingh, Rodan Singh, Graham Mahabir, Graham Hewin, Phil Batty, Shiraz Abdulla, Paul Vrachnas, Alan Downer, Eugene Pereira, G. MacDonald, Az Ansari, Ray Horsey, Lloyd Edwards, Keith Lobban, John Carr, Frank Cheeseman, Bob Farmer and Ron Serpanchy.
Part way through the 1970 season I decided that I could no longer play as a regular, as I had become busy with youth cricket coaching and administration. Since then I have played at least one match with BPCC and in 1997 I succeeded in breaking Tommy Reed's record of 50 seasons with Aurora/BPCC. In fact, I started BCMCL play in the 1940 season. If I am able to play a match for BPCCs in the 1998 and 1999 seasons I will had had 60 BCMCL seasons.
BPCC were not first division champions again until 1978, 1979 and 1980, then again for a wonderful 7 year span from 1984 to 1990.
I leave it to other BPCC members to continue with this history of the club.
(written by Jack Kyle)
member of the CCA