South Townsville uniform history modelled by Freda Garard, club patron Vic Vern, Marie Vern, men’s president Barry Rissel, women’s vice president Lynette Riches, Les Joyce.
Monto Maestros
Monto won through to group champion of club champion play offs in the men’s pairs, thanks to a timely substitution by club stalwart Jack Muller, 79.
“Unfortunately for Monto, there weren’t too many members eligible to substitute when champion lead Alan Little was unable to play,” Muller said. “Rodney (Rideout) had to fall back on me.” It turned out to be a blessed pairing, with Monto defeating Mt Larcom and then Gladstone to make it into the Port Curtis district final, against Boyne Tannum, who had beaten Biloela along the way to the final.
South Townsville goes green “An image overhaul long overdue,” club PR Wayne Erikson said. Like all bowls clubs of the 1940s, South Townsville wore all white when the club kicked off in 1946. Over the years, other colours were introduced, including maroon, yellow, green and red, but white remained dominant. In 2010, the club opened its doors to the Townsville 8-Ball Club, boosting member numbers by 174. The new men and women social members spruced up the clubhouse and brought in new life and energy. By 2014, it was clear most of the members wanted to “move into the 21st century” and go for a more vibrant community sports club look. A uniform committee was put together to get some ideas for colours and styles. After months of fundraising and organizing sponsorship deals, the club finally had enough to subsidise most of the cost of new uniforms for the 130 bowling members. As for the design, well any club who has tried to design a new uniform will know just how difficult it is to reach consensus. The club finally voted on a totally new colour of green, with a tropical beach scene on the back, and a small mud crab on the front, to represent the idyllic locality of the South Townsville Bowls Club. With two full greens and shade, the club is a popular venue for southern visitors who come north for the Winter.
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queensland bowler
South Townsville celebrates link to first lady of world bowls One of South Townsville’s claims to fame is that the club’s women’s singles champ between 1955 to 1963 (nine consecutive years) Mrs Gladys Doyle was also the first world women’s singles champ. The newly affiliated International Women’s Bowling Board ran the first Women’s World Outdoor Bowls Championships from December 4-12, 1969, at Elizabethan Bowls Club in Rockdale, Sydney. There were only six nations in the first international tournament, (the British Isles were not yet members). South Africa dominated, winning gold in the Pairs, Triples and Fours, and the overall Taylor Trophy. But South Townsville’s girl, Gladys Doyle, representing Papua New Guinea, won the Singles, beating South Africa’s Elsie McDonald (silver) by 13 shots in a countback, after they finshed equal on wins and points in the round robin Australia’s Norma Massey collected bronze, winning three of her five clashes.
september 2015
“The final started badly for us, we were 1-8 down after six ends,” Muller said. “But we fought back, Monto hit the lead, and after a very tense last couple of ends which had spectators enthralled, we held on to the lead to achieve an upset result.” Unfortunately, even with Alan Little back in the saddle beside Rod Rideout, Monto’s dream run came to a close end in the group final against Central Queensland (Aug 16), the result going against them by two shots, 14-16. Photo: Rodney Rideout and substitute Jack Muller win for Monto in the Port Curtis district champion of club champion men’s pairs. Photo thanks to Anastasia Perets, Central and North Burnett Times.