ON A NIGHT where plenty of awards and silverware were presented, a local cricket club has showed off a historic trophy to its members for the first time.<\/p>\n
More than a century old, the trophy was made out to “Mr J R Wootton” and donated by his great-grandson, Brad, in January.<\/p>\n
It is a District Trophy won by the Ballan Cricket Club for season 1894-95, making it 129 years old.<\/p>\n
The Woottons were invited to the Ballan Cricket Club’s presentation night to see it unveiled to members in-person for the first time, but were unfortunately unable to make it.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, president David Leach made sure to thank the family for donating the trophy, and the club’s historian and photographer Chris Thom for studying the history of it.<\/p>\n
“This is probably the oldest bit of memorabilia the club has got, or even seen. A chap walked into the bar one day, and he said ‘I’ve got something in the car, do you want it? It’s a trophy, it’s just sitting in my shed gathering dust. It’s got your club’s name on it, the Ballan Cricket Club’,” Mr Leach said.<\/p>\n
“Part of it was broken off and bent, but I said it’s beautiful, and the history of it was magnificent. So we paid to get it polished and cleaned.<\/p>\n
“It’ll be displayed, it’ll be our pride and joy, and whatever we can put next to it, is our history.<\/p>\n
“Chris decided there was more to this, he researched the cup and John Wootton, and found pages worth of history. That’ll be displayed with the trophy, it’s a fascinating history.”<\/p>\n
A suitable cabinet to store the trophy in hasn’t yet been set up, but is on the club’s agenda.<\/p>\n
Details on the presentation night’s award winners, including the induction of a new Life Member at the Ballan Cricket Club, will be featured in the April 5 edition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ON A NIGHT where plenty of awards and silverware were presented, a local cricket club has showed off a historic trophy to its members for the first time. More than a century old, the trophy was made out to “Mr J R Wootton” and donated by his great-grandson, Brad, in January. It is a District […]<\/p>\n