Mexborough and Swinton Times December 15, 1906
Denaby Cricket Club Dinner
An Excellent Repast.
The annual dinner of the Denaby innkeeper United Cricket club constituted to the club well wishes a disappointment, to the actual participation and unqualified success.
For some apparently unaccountable reason there were not nearly the same number of diners, and certainly not the same amount of enthusiasm as has hitherto characterising annual rencontre of Denaby’s cricket enthusiast. In previous years there has indeed been a very general gathering of the clans, and these occasions have been eagerly anticipated, keenly enjoyed, and fondly remembered by almost everyone in the district who takes more than a casual interest in the doings of this, one of the most powerful clubs in South Yorkshire.
However, there is no reason to believe that there meagre attendance which gathered round the festive board on Saturday evening, at the Denaby Man Hotel, constituted any striking indication of a permanent lack of interest. At the same time, regarded from the financial point of view, cannot be regarded as a white elephant, a deadweight on the resources of the club, and it is regrettable that instead of the usual “Full House” of 80 members, the number of the faithful should have dwindled down to some thirty right minded sportsmen.
These latter, however, found themselves quite able to do full justice to a most excellent repast, which reflected unbounded credit on the culinary resources of Mr W.I. Gibbs (host).
The menu was as follows: – roast beef, roast mutton, roast veal, roast turkey, boiled chicken and ham, jugged hare, plum pudding, apple pie, cheese and celery.
The after proceedings partook of a convival character, and speechmaking was at a minimum, for as is well known the glorious “gift of the gab” does not flourish luxuriously down in the Denaby district, except in moments of extreme excitement, when the specialist in repartee usually has to pay heavily for the exuerance of his verbosity.
The loyal toast, however, was well received as was also the co-host of “The President and the Denaby Colliery Company.” The proposition of which lay in the capable hands of Mr Ernest Robinson, who enumerated the many ways in which those honoured had supported and promoted the interests of the club. Indeed, the help given by Mr W. H. Chambers (president), and the Colliery could scarcely be estimated, and they owed that success in no small measure to the kindness of those gentlemen.
Mr C. Bury who, as he himself put it, was delightfully brief, responded and thanked those present for their kindly expression of good feeling. As to Mr Chambers, he was sure that gentleman was pleased to see every institution of the kind prosper, and was willing to support them provided they help themselves. (Here, here.)
Proposing the toast of the “Denaby and Cadeby Main Cricket club,” Mr Croxall referred optimistically both to cricket in the abstract and the Denaby club in particular. They had a good club, and he thought the district could not fail to support it. (Here, here,)
Again Mr C. Bury, captain of the club, responded. Pointing out that the increase in subscriptions was really tremendous, and he did not think there was another, club in the district which had an enrolment of 400 members. (Here, here). This he attributed to the zeal of individual subscribers. “It’s a pleasure,” he said, “to play in front of the gate such as we have that Denaby. They (the players) had tried to give them every satisfaction, and had played the game as it should be played. (Here, here.) He appealed for continued and consistent support, and asked his hearers to attend the matches irrespective of any variation of form teams may experience. He also spoke a word of kindly encouragement and regarded the average as exceedingly satisfactory. As to the spectators, he spoke in extremely eulogistic terms of the qualities of loyalty, and sportsmanship with which they were inbued. As a striking contrast, he spoke of the conduct of the Lincoln spectators, witnesed by himself in that a afternoon scheme with the Denaby United, a contrast which shed an exceedingly favourable light upon the sportsmanship of the Denaby crowd. Finally, he thanked them once more for their expression of respect. He described the president as having a sporting stand in the matter. In Mr Chambers they had a sporting president, and one whose motto was, “support your own sport, and help yourselves.” (Here, here.)
However, they had nothing of which to be ashamed, and they had some enterprising individuals subscribers. Mr John Soar, for insistence, had been responsible for subscriptions to the amount of £37 17s 6d. (Here, here,) As to the players, he asserted that as a team they worked more comfortably together than any in the league, and the matches in which they were engaged had been attended with freedom from unpleasantness. (Applause.)
Mr. Bury then proceeded to present Mr G. L. Robinson with a dressing case in recognition of his splendid duel performance of scoring 548 runs in 18 completed innings with an average of 36 and of taking 85 wickets at a cost of 7.12 per wicket.
As to the reserve team their batting price. A small timepiece, went to Mr W. Goodwin, who, with an average of 18.9, had scored 270 runs in 11 completed innings. Mr R. Riley, the recipient of a pair of boots, had taken 37 wickets at an average cost of 8.12 runs.
Mr G. L. Robinson further announced that Mr W. I. Gibbs intended offering a prize of an individual performance in the second XI next season, as did also his son. (Applause.)
Mr A. Robinson then propose the toast of their “hosting hostesses.” Which was suitably responded to by Mr Gibbs.
During the evening an excellent and entertaining musical programme was rendered by Mr T. Oldfield, Messrs T. Rattigan and H. Hillerby (humorous), and the pianist, Mr A. Barslow , of Conisborough, was an exceedingly capable pianist.