Springs Old Boys club turns 74
More than 50 members of the community worked together on weekends to work on the field.
The people of Springs are known for their love of sports, and Springs Old Boys has been a mainstay in the community since 1946.
The club was founded after men from Springs Boys High sought to rekindle friendships they built during their school careers.
They decided to create the Springs High School Past Pupils Association, but the name was quickly shortened to the Springs Old Boys Club.
Their main passion was sport, namely rugby and cricket, and they decided to build sporting facilities.
The first project was the cricket field and a great amount of emphasis was put on creating a good pitch that would deliver quality cricket games.
Building a match-worthy pitch was no easy task and the community had to work together to deliver a good job.
More than 50 people worked together on the field over weekends.
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Annual general meeting and awards meeting at Springs Old Boys Cricket Club
A length of railway line was dragged behind a truck repeatedly to make the field as flat as possible.
Swazi grass was dug from the perimeters of Vogels Dam and transported back to field to be planted.
A weekend after the pitch was built, the Old Boys Club team took on the Pretoria High School Old Boys and beat them with their merciless pace bowling.
By late 1964, the rugby field was completed and the club played their first friendly game against Jeppe Old Boys Rugby.
Soccer came to Old Boys in 1966 at the behest of Jimmy MacDonald.
This was a surprise decision for many as rugby was the primary sport of most members.
The club was running out of space and decided to double mark the ‘B’ hockey field so it could temporarily accommodate both soccer and hockey.
It was later decided to hire professional tree fellers to clear an area for a soccer field.
Tractors were used to later pull out the tree stumps with extreme and careful effort.
Finally, with the area clear, the ground staff started leveling the field with a grader.
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Corporate day at Springs Old Boys
The soccer field was opened in 1966.
Another hallmark of the club is the bowling fields, and the club prides themselves on their excellent fields successful teams.
Harry Preston began preparing one of the fields himself in 1968.
Grass was transferred from New State greens and planted at Old Boys. The field was opened in 1969 and is named the Preston Green.
Upon the completion of this field, Preston began work on the second green.
This field proved to be more challenging as the grass was in such poor condition that all of it had to be dug up.
Shavings were taken from East Daggafontein bowling fields and were planted on the new green which opened in 1970.
The club is also famous for its prestigious clubhouse and pub.
In addition to hosting their important AGMs, the clubhouse has also served as a place of entertainment and plays.
The most famous of these performances was the club’s rendition of the opera, The Gondoliers, to critical acclaim in 1968.
The club has a rich history and has hosted hundreds of games of cricket, soccer, rugby and bowls throughout the many decades and has made its mark in the town’s history and culture.
Club member and bowler, Cheryl Brooks says: “This club means so much to many people, for some members it’s a big part of their lives.
“On behalf of the club, I want to say that anyone is welcome here, regardless of background. Whether that’s in the pub or on the field-we are all family here.”
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Close game between Springs Old Boys and KwaThema
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