No ‘fowl’ play for Allan ‘Chicken’ Gordon
KILLARNEY -– Allan Gordon looks back at his colourful bowls career.
Allan ‘Chicken’ Gordon, one of the most decorated bowls players in Johannesburg, started his sporting career as a cricketer before succumbing to fatherly ‘coercion’ to join the game of bowls.
“Interesting enough, I have never looked back ever since and loved every minute of bowls,” said Gordon.
Born in Johannesburg, Gordon attended Yeoville Boys Primary School and King Edward VII High School, which is one of the best cricketing schools in Johannesburg having produced the likes of South Africa players Dr Ali Bacher, Kevin McKenzie, Neil McKenzie, Graeme Smith, Ray Jennings, Neil McKenzie and Quinton de Kock.
“Cricket was my passion then and I represented Transvaal schools at primary and high school levels. When I finally went to varsity at Wits, I represented them on the cricket field in the then Transvaal Premier League as well as in the Inter-Varsity Week.”
Gordon noted that his cricket career came to an abrupt end in 1985 due to torn ligaments in one of his shoulders.
“It was in 1988, with a little bit of coercion from my late father, that I took up the game of bowls and joined Dale Lace Park. My first success was in a charity day with the first prize being a chicken. I still get teased about that even now.”
In 1993, Gordon joined Beaconsfield Country Club, a fairly strong 1st Division club and tasted success immediately winning the club singles in 1993,1994 and 1995, as well as being part of the 1993 winning team in the prestigious Jewish Guild War Memorial Tournament.
In 1997, he moved to Killarney Country Club and he’s presently still a member. Gordon has won Killarney’s club singles seven times as well as several other internal competitions.
Gordon won the Black and White Gauteng Open Pairs in 2003, and this year captured the Gauteng Open Singles and is also a member of the winning Fours team.
“Between 2012 and 2018, I have been part of three Johannesburg Bowls Association (JBA) Pairs Titles and four JBA Fours Titles, as well as winning the JBA President’s Cup Singles in 2013 and the JBA Open Singles in 2016.
“Between 1995 and 2018, I have represented STBA, CGBA and JBA in 13 B and 3 A Inter-District Tournaments, winning seven gold medals in the process.”
In-between playing competitive bowls, Gordon enjoys playing a game of tabs (social bowls) on as many Saturday afternoons as possible and having a good laugh with his many friends at Killarney.
“I need to pay tribute to my late parents as they were my best supporters in the early days as well as my wonderful wife who has been a ‘widow’ to the game of bowls for many years.”
