Neil Davenport (1952-1994)

Neil died on 5th February 1994, a few days before his fifty-second birthday. His death was sudden and a shattering experience to family and friends. He died on the night that he returned home to Dallas after spending a week in England. In fact he had been playing fives two day earlier at Eton. He had spent that evening after fives with a group of us relating his experiences of travelling around the world in a style that was his very own.

He was a good fives player not quite in the top echelon but a very correct and consistent performer with one or two unique shots. He started playing Old Boys Fives in 1960 and played regularly for over twenty years. He was captain of the Old Olavians 1976- 81. He played second pair in the Old Olavian team that won the Barber Cup in 1971. He also played on the losing side in two more Barber Cup finals.

In the last twelve years, pressure of business forced him to curtail his appearances on court. However, he kept in touch with the game and managed to play a few times each year even after becoming domiciled in the USA in 1988.

In 1981 his business career took a quantum leap and he became an international businessman of some renown. For seven years he was the UK Managing Director of Cray Research. Then in 1988 he went to work in the USA first as President of the Cray Corporation and latterly as President of Systems Inc.

Despite working in these rarefied circles he never forgot his roots and one of his greatest enjoyments was to play a game of fives and have a pint and a chat with his friends after the game.

Neil was a man of many talents and he will be remembered for his success as a businessman, his sharp intellect, his outstanding memory and quick wit which could be barbed when he felt the occasion warranted it. However, above all Neil will be remembered for his very special brand of humour. He was the supreme purveyor of the one-liner; he could always find the appropriate and amusing comment.

To borrow a phrase - 'there will only be one Neil Davenport'.

Dick Spooner