IF you’ve played a game of the men’s casual bowls on Friday at the Wentworth Bowling Club, then you have met the Cavanaghs.
Husband and wife duo, Tom, 86, and Maria, 87, have been running the games for the past 25 years and some of their fondest memories were at the club.
The honorary life member couple is proud of the work they have put in over the years to maintain its upkeep, some of which they still do to this day.
Tom joined the local bowling club in 1975 as a non-bowling member. He only picked up his game in 1990 in his retirement year, playing full subs to the club and Port Natal.
“I am one of the last surviving men here. There are only four of us left now. Two of us are life members and I am the senior life member,” he said.
As a member of the general committee, his role has always been to lend a helping hand wherever he could.
“I had a bakkie and used to fetch all kinds of required items for the club. This ranged from fertilisers for the refurbishment of one of the new greens, to helping replant the grass. I also used to help with organising work parties, painting the club both inside and outside. Whatever was needed, I was willing to do it,” he said.
His most memorable game was when he was part of a team of ‘newbies’, who, by some stroke of luck, won a game against a team of pros who were selected to play at the South African nationals.
He considers himself just a plain bowler who won quite a bit, although some of these wins are not on record.
“When the new club took over, they lost most of the records, our names were never put up on the honours board.”
If she wasn’t refining her bowling skills, Maria’s other job at the club was running the catering committee. She was at the helm for 12 years before taking the role of the club’s presidency for women.
“In those days, we had a man president for the men and a woman president for the women, unlike today where we only have one for both categories. I was president for two years and it was lovely. The women were very good, I had no hassles with them. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the respect I got for my position.”
She is a skip who still bowls to this day. The couple has been married for 65 years and were blessed with two daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
