FIFTEEN YEARS OF ACTIVITY

Chronicle (Levin), 7 October 1946, Page 4

FIFTEEN YEARS OF ACTIVITY

ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB'S - REUNION HAPPY SOCIAL FUNCTION On Saturday evening some 100 members and supporters Qf the Athletic Football Ciub gathered in Williams'" Rec'eption Rooms to celebrate the club's 'flfteenth anniversary and. to also suitably mark the conclusion of one of its most successful seasons. The function took the form of a dinner and %yas a very pleasant one, characterised by the good fellowship which the playing field fosters. Nine of the originai members of the club were present and they told many humorous incidents of the club's first few years of struggle for recognition. The president, Mr. H. Rippin, was the chairman, and with his fellow workers had put in a great cleal of work to eiisure the undoubted success which the evening was. Ihe proceedings went smoothly from start to finish under his direetion. Considerable gratification centred round the fact that in addition 1;o being the olub's fifteenth year of activity the senior fifteen had won the Horowhenua championship honours. The evening function followed a field day which had been held during the afternoon at Mr. L. Palmer's property. This consisted of horse riding, running events and kicking the football. Mr. N. Parker, who obtained the most poinls in these -events, was presented with two cups which are awarded each year and can be won by anyy.nember of any of the Athletic teams, Messrs. C. Larsen and W. Anderson, who are the donors of the cups, were sincerely thanked by Mr. Psrker whb is the first holder. At the conclusion of the dinner Mr. Rippin proposed the loyal toast and this was honoured with the assembly singing the National Anthem. The toast to "Absent Friends" was proposed by Mr. D. Collier, who said that the toast should embrace all those old friends who were absent unavoidably and those who had passed away since the: club's inception. Mr. Collier reminded the members that the club could pay tribute to deceased members oy remembering them at the special church service on Sunday. "The Athletic Football Club" was proposed by Mr. A. Gillespie, president of the Horowhenua Rugby Union, who thanked the club for the invitation extended to him to be present. He said the club had every reason to be proud as they had always played the game for the game's sake with spirit and goodwill, and not playing just to win the championships. In reply Mr. J. W. Bishop, one of the originai members, spoke especially on behalf of those who had played during the first five years of the club's existence. He said that the club was formed in. 1931, when there were only 12 members present. The team played junior grade and finished the season by winning the Licensed Victuallers' Cup, which was a district trophy. In 1932 the team again won that cup, and at the end of the season six of the juniors were re-classified to senior status, thus bringing about the beginning of the senior team. Then in 1936 the third grade team had been organised, so that the Athletic Club was fielding a team in each grade. Mr. Bishop read through some of the old minute books, and emphasised the fact that the main thing in football was to play the game fGr the game's sake. In replying for the period 193641, Mr. J. Dunlop said that not a great deal extra had been done during this period, the firm foundations having been laid in the early days. He added that when the members attended the church parade they should especially "r.e'member the- -.hume- of Llndsay 'Bla'ck,' one . of the .rciub's greatest. sportsmen who had paid the supreme sacrifice during the war. For the 1941-46 period, Mr. H. Mercer said in some years during the war the club had had a very lean time. In 1942, the seniors won the McLennan and Easton Cups; in 1943 there were only two members over 19 years of age; in 1944 the club entered a team in the under 19 years' competition, played every game and had never won one. Then in 1946 the club had risen to its feet again and the seniors had won the championship. Other toasts during the evening were: "Horowhenua Rugby Union," Mr. A. Galpin— Mr. N. P. Tilley; "The Press," sMr. R. Denton — "Chronicle" representative; "Kindred Associations," proposed by Mr. A. ffletcher, who said that the club's thanks went out to the Women's Committee, Referees' Association and the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and responded to by Mr. E. Collier. During the evening several items were given by Mr. M. Collier and the remainder_ of the time was spent, in talking over old matches which should have been won. '