The Lore of the Game
Miners Inn, Higham Winners of the South Yorkshire CC Nipsy Competition 1984
Back row L to R, second left, Trevor Cawthraw, Brian Gregory, Brian Dean, Ronnie Dean, Geoff Osborne,
front row kneeling, Denis Youel, Ron Darlow, Tommy Chambers, The man with the flat hat and the one with the whiskers are South Yorkshire County Council representatives. The blonde girl presented the medals. | |
Carlton Smithies Ex Servicemens Runners Up 1984 >
Back row L to R, second left, Alan Lever, Tony Newsome, Ken Eastwood, John Bligh, Wilf Scholey, Frank Lenthall
front row kneeling, Des Guthrie, Ray Cowdell (Capt), Geoff Goodier, Brian Elvin. Charity Knock Long Match
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Pillocking |
The game of Nipsy has had many a giggle over the years and laughs a plenty, the majority subtle digs at a persons prowess, others more akin to the gentle? art of "Pillocking" practised by all and sundry who worked in the coal mines, this taking the form of a caustic remark aimed at a person, with the view of making him "bite" whereupon everybody falls about laughing. |
A Real Put Down |
One of the first games I attended was at Higham where one of my team (about 6' 3" with a voice like Darth Vader) asked his workmate, a member of the opposite team "What do you reckon to me as a player?". Totally deadpan he replied he could hit a nipsy further with a rolled up News of the World. |
Sound Advice |
The original field used at Higham was at the rear of the pub. A number of horses were kept there but they caused no problems. As you would expect there were numerous piles of horse muck dotted about the field. One really good hit dropped into a pile at a distance of 120 metres or so like a mortar shell, sending shit all over. Normally a nipsy was thrown back to the player, this one was kicked back with an instruction to the player (as Saliva makes the nipsy more stable on the brick prior to the rise) "Dunt lick thi nipsy" |
Better than a New One? |
When Eddie Dickeson (he's the player in the background photo by the way) got back into the game, he had no tackle other than a stick given to him by an old friend. He managed to collar a nipsy off someone and proceeded to "Have a Knock". Unknown to him his mate came onto the field with his Alsatian. As he hit out the nipsy went unerringly towards the dog, bounced just in front of it whereupon the dog snapped at it. Eddie followed the dog for two days until Mother Nature took its course and he got his gear back. |
Retired Injured |
One freezing Sunday morning at Worsbrough
Common, the game being new to a lot of people, spectators were in
abundance. Whilst practising one lad lashed out with the stick, missed his
nipsy altogether but as the stick went around his head his fingers frozen,
the stick left his hand smacking one of the barmen from the local WMC
(obviously prior to opening time) full in the temple. He went down like a
Giant Sequoia, awakening in the local hospital a day and a half later to
be told that he owed 50 pence for the match collection.
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The Perfect Swing |
A few people thought that having played Golf this would help them with the swing, one lad, having pestered Frank Lenthal's life out for a stick of his manufacture was told he could borrow one for the match. He hit his first nipsy but got the swing wrong with the second attempt, walloping the stick into the up turned brick, smashing the head off. Frank was said to look like Captain Hurricane having a "Raging Fury" as he chased the offender down the field. |
Forty Shades of Green? |
When one lad topped a nipsy one Sunday morning, having lost sight of it himself asked if anyone had seen where it went. A know all member of the public who was watching the game said "Aye lad, its over there against that patch of green". The field in question has six or seven football pitches marked out and is about a 1/2 mile square. |
Whose Daft? Me or Him? |
As mentioned earlier, some
people had no intention of making their own tackle or even trying
to. I used to carry a rasp and a file in my bag to alter or dress up
my nipsys etc. so when the gent named below asked me to make him a
nipsy, AGAIN!! I said "For God's sake Tommy ! Watch me.
Nipsy blank in left hand, rasp in other hand, rasp - rasp - rasp - shit! mi
knuckle", retiring hurt to the the pub where the landlady put me
a dressing on.
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The Tommy Gosh Hall of Fame |
Contrary to what you might expect, nobody wanted
to join this "Band of Fame?" as you must have missed all seven named
attempts in a match. Also known as "Shittin on the Brick" I did not join this
august band. I got near though when playing in the final of the South Yorkshire
Trophy in 1984, I hit the first and then missed the next five. Unbeknown
to me the celebrity who had opened the Gala that day, John Pertwee dressed
as Worzel Gummidge watched the misses. "What's the object of the game?" he
asked one of my mates. Given the reply to hit em as far as possible, Worzel
said "Whats he keep missin em for then!" On hearing this, I said to myself "I'll
hit this last one if it bloody kills me" and duly did so getting the second
furthest hit of the day.
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The Characters |
In all games some players stand out, some for their prowess, some for other reasons. Here are a few of the one's I have known. Benny Hurst Benny was not the finest player or the biggest hitter - but he did'nt lose many matches! The reason being he was such a natural comedian most people who played against him could'nt hit anything for laughing at his jokes etc. As one old time player told me "It's hard to see a nipsy with tears streaming down yer face" Eddie Dickeson All players can tell you how much a nipsy hurts when one hits you, they are a lot harder than a golf ball remember. Eddie is the only man known to science that can magnetise wood. He must be! as if anyone was going to be hit with a nipsy, it was Eddie. On hearing the cry "On Yer" fielders would immediate turn away from the nipsy players and try and cover their head. I myself felled him with one I had skied one gloomy, foggy November morning smashing his glasses and cutting his eyebrow. It got so bad that people would think twice before standing with him whilst fielding. Ron Darlow As mentioned before, Ron made some beautiful sticks but it was the size that people remember. A full 36" long with a 7" long striking face. It must have been like swinging a blacksmiths hammer and a wonder he didn't pull his shoulder out, but Ron could use them to good effect. A really nice fella who would give advice and help to anybody (no chance of getting a stick off him though). Sadly he died actually playing the game. Ron Kaye Everybody wanted to play the White Bear cos Ron was renowned as a home brewer of beer and wine. The shout "T'Bars open Lads"
as the boot of his car lifted drew a crowd of curious (and dry) players willing to try his latest creations.
Some of his wines were real firewater, normally taking a persons breath (and voice) away for a while.
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