2008 National Schools' Championships

Mark Williams reports:

356 pairs from 27 schools entered this year's Championships at Shrewsbury.

Michael Charlesworth (1919-2008)

Michael Charlesworth who has died at the age of 89, has long been regarded as the doyen of Shrewsbury School where he was for many years the Master in Charge of Fives and it was he who played a large part in having the court built at the illustrious Geelong Grammar School, thus introducing the game to Australia.

Bertie Owen with his son Nick

Bertie Owen (1915-2008)

Bertie Owen was for many years the Master in Charge of Fives at Berkhamsted School and will be remembered as such a cheerful, welcoming spirit to visiting teams. Following is the tribute written by John Davidson – a former Master at Berkhamsted School - reprinted from “The Old Berkhamstedian”:

2008 Prep Schools' Tournament

Gerald Barber reports:

Eighty enthusiastic fives players assembled at Harrow to contest the 41st Prep School Championships, on a cold blustery morning.

2008 EFA Trophy

Gareth Hoskins reports:

This year's EFA Trophy saw a pleasing entry of ten teams and produced the highest overall standard of Fives I have seen in this competition in recent years. Particularly noteworthy was the return to the competitive Fives circuit of the Old Wulfrunians, inspired by the enthusiasm of Mark Yates, whose team list read like a Who's Who of Schoolboy Fives from the 80s and 90s.

2007/08 Alan Barber Cup

Mark Williams reports:

The early rounds were distinguished by the performance of the Old Ipswichians in beating first the Old Etonians and then the Old Cholmeleians to reach the semi-finals.

Michael Hetherington (1934-2008)

Michael Hetherington will be remembered as a Fives player on the Aldenham staff and though never the Master in Charge, he played a wonderful supporting role to the late, renowned Geoffrey Bolt, who coached many of their players to numerous wins in the National Schools’ Championships. We reprint from 'Aldenhamiana' as follows:

2008 Varsity Match

Dale Vargas reports:

Cambridge 3, Oxford 0

The Eton Fives match is a comparative youngster as Varsity matches go: the first Rackets match was played in 1852, Real Tennis in 1859 and even Squash was played three years before the first Eton Fives match in 1928. However, eighty years later, it is a pleasure to report a keenly fought contest of high quality fives: the fact that Cambridge won the blues match 3-0 - their fourth victory in a row - hides the fact that courts 2 and 3 both went to five games.

2008 Williams Cup

2008 Northern Tournament

Andrew Mitchell reports:

A respectable 18 pairs entered the competition and, although a number of the top players were once again absent, the continuing re-emergence of Old Wulfrunian Fives partly filled the gap.