This category is for the newsletter posts – as these are automatically emailed out to mailing list subscribers, it should only be used for important announcements and updates.
We have 1 week to go until Registration Night so get your Team and Competition forms together.
Meanwhile in Australia…. Carl Sanders, son of ex-pat and ex-AASL player Frank Sanders is starting a league in Oz as well as an international Istagram account @AuntSallyInt so get following.
He’ll be over in the summer to start an international match between Oz and the UK. We’ve already sent him two dolls to get him going over there.
I’ve put together a map of all the venues that welcome Aunt Sally teams – click below for the full version.
As you know we had 52 teams last year and we’d rather have a few more at the top end of a block of 10 (i.e. nearer 60) so that we don’t have to put as many byes in the sections.
SO if you know of a venue that used to have a team OR your venue can support a 2nd team (or a 2nd pitch) do try and get people interested in the game.
Don’t forget Registration Night is on 11th March – forms are on the homepage!
At our recent AGM one of the teams made a, lets call it an ‘observation’, that certain calls which were obviously dolls were not called. Now calling is, like any other refereeing, the most controversial part of any game. In Aunt Sally, ignoring foot faults, or extra tape on sticks, or handicaps or… well one of them.. anyone could do better than the person doing the job. Obviously, that goes without saying. IKR! Funny how there are always a lack of volunteers to do the job when the Captain asks though!
If you get your team in that situation of really dubious calling ideally the Captains should discuss it and if necessary change the caller. Keep it sporting. If all else fails walk away from the match and report it to the Committee. We don’t want to lose teams in the league but neither can we tolerate deliberate cheating and bringing the game into disrepute – that’s not good for any of us.
So back to dolls.
I was taught that if the doll goes up and backwards that it’s a doll. If it goes straight up it can’t be, I mean that’s just physics! – unless the stick lands on the top of the doll which would be a bit obvious. If a doll falls forward, again it can’t be a doll unless the stick has obviously hit it from behind – and I’ve seen quite a few of those where you think the stick has missed and then knock! – You know it’s good when you hear the wood.
For the avoidance of doubt it’s worth mentioning any stick that hits the ground first then the doll is not a doll. Any doll that is struck and lies down on the swivel is not a doll – similarly a doll that upends and stands upside down for a split second (yes I’ve seen that!). Any doll that falls off with a stick nowhere near is not a doll. Technically, any stick that hits something else (like an overhanging tree) and hits the doll is not a doll – but I think most would count that as a lucky shot!
The swivel pad SHOULD be smaller than the base of the doll – the doll should overhang all round by a small amount. This placement allows the doll to be hit without hitting the swivel if it’s a low shot but it had to be a solid direct movement of the doll. Again in my view if the doll has fallen and the swivel hasn’t moved then it must likely have been a good hit. There are of course some players (generally with heavier sticks thrown hard, usually round arm) that can smack the doll right on the end by the swivel pad and the doll will fly and the swivel will spin – this is a doll because it’s propelled with force off the swivel hitting that overhang – just mind your ankles for the stick rebound!
I find it best to focus on the bottom front of the doll right on the swivel where most of the controversy might happen. It also helps if there’s a darker background than the doll so I tend to adjust my position as caller to suit. Let’s face it – obvious dolls are easy to count – other ones come with practice and experience. This is why sticking up is also a call learning opportunity and the caller can ask the sticker up for an opinion if unsure.
Very early on in my AuntSallyTV ‘career’ I recorded a couple of doll strikes so people could see the difference. Check them out
On the actually calling again it needs to be repeated that it helps everyone (especially those filling in the scorecard/board) that the number of dolls is called out loud and the total repeated at the end of the players throw (assuming they missed with the last stick!). This leaves no room for error or controversy and the caller’s decision is final.
Last summer I spoke to one of the Didcot Women’s Institute (WI) groups about Aunt Sally explaining a bit of history and how to play the game. This inspired the AuntSallyTV video on the history which you can find here.
This week we were emailed from BBC Radio5 live to see if we can come on Gordon Smart’s late show to talk about the same thing after they were told about the game by a listener called ‘Jaqueline’. They feature unique items local to an area each week.
The Chairman duly obliged (after being volunteered by the committee, I tried to share the fame but there we are).
If you want to ‘listen again’ catch it on BBC Sounds at around 47 minutes into the recording.
Don’t forget Registration Night on 11th March and forms are online. If you can encourage another team at your venue or a new venue to join us please do!
The Association’s Annual General Meeting will now be held on Tuesday 16th January a day later than originally planned and advised. The time and venue remains unchanged, 7.30pm at The Croft Bar, Peachcroft, Abingdon.
On Monday 15th, the original date, the funeral service of Steventon Sports Michael Jarvis is taking place at St Michaels Church Steventon and many of his friends and Aunt Sally colleagues are expected to attend to pay respects and share our memories of Jarv who was Steventon Sports Captain and a consistently good top Premier section player.
It would seem appropriate therefore to delay the AGM by 24 hours out of respect to his family, team mates and friends.
All team secretaries and captains will be e mailed to advise of the delay and we are hoping that there will be a bumper turn out on the night, as the Abingdon & District League belongs to you, the clubs, pubs and players without whom the league wouldn’t exist so do come along and have your say. Our hope for 2Summer 2024 is that we can attract more sides, encourage new players and have another successful Summer season.
We just wanted to say that we hope that all of our Aunt Sally family had a very happy Christmas and we wish all our clubs, pubs, players and their families a very happy and successful New Year.
Obviously our thoughts are with those for whom the festive period has been overshadowed by family issues and we remember with fondness those we lost from our community during 2023.
2024 will present more challenges, but from your Committee our hope is that we can secure enough entries for Summer 2024 to get our league back up to 6 sections all with 10 teams, that will require some more entrants and between now and March we will be actively trying to recruit the additional pubs, clubs and teams to achieve that goal.
Best wishes from
Your Abingdon & District League 2023 Committee
As it’s now Twixmas (between Christmas and New Year apparently!) and that means it’s fast approaching AGM time on the 15th January AND rule 26 says any items for the AGM need to be in writing to the Chairman 14 days before, you might like to get a glass (or mug) of something, sit down for a bit and think of how we can improve our marvelous game.
Please get your suggestions, comments or observations in to the Chairman either by email chairman@abingdonauntsally…. or comment on this post as it appears on our Facebook @AbingdonAuntSallyLeague or facebook.com/OfficialAbingdonAuntSally and if you’re not following why not? 🙂
Of course, if you’d like to help run the league, even in a small way, we will always welcome new (or old, or young) faces onto the committee – so have a think about what you could help with even if you don’t want to be officially a committee member.
At the moment we really could do with a website revamp so if you know, or know someone who knows WordPress/MySQL/PHP come and help – otherwise we’ll have to pay someone – more at the AGM. If you don’t have technical skills we still need people to help organise and administer the league – most of the effort happens from Registration Night (11th March) to league start (May) then competition organising and then run up to Presentation Night so it’s not an all year effort for everyone.
Oh and if any teams have trophies from 2019 or 2022 please let us know – we didn’t get all the trophies back in for Presentation Night this year which means we are losing track partly due to the disruption of non-playing previous years. It’ll be a shame if we have to charge the previous winners/runners up for replacements.
In the meantime I hope you’ve all had a great break and enjoy the New Year,
Looking forward to 2024, hearing from you and seeing you at the AGM,
Paul Stone
Chairman
As we are all preparing for the festive season I am sorry to pass some sad news to our Aunt sally community. Michael (Mick) Jarvis passed away on Monday. Jarv was a long serving and much liked character who was an almost ever present player with Steventon Sports over many years. His sense of humour and his banter with team mates and opponents alike were always evident and appreciated.
Jarv will be sadly missed and Wednesday nights on the green in the Summer will not be the same without him. He will be sorely missed in Aunt Sally circles not only by his teammates, but equally by his opponents and all who knew him. Equally his many friends and colleagues who played golf with Jarv will be saddened by his passing.
In Steventon the whole Jarvis family have always been an integral part of the village life through sport, business and the church for generations. Steventon, his friends and his many customers past and present and local residents will all miss Jarv as much as those of us who knew him well will.
He battled his illness over many months so bravely and asked for no sympathy or sadness and he completed the 2024 summer season as the Captain of the Premier section runners up Steventon Sports A.
Our thoughts are so obviously with all of Jarv’s immediate and extended family as we offer our sincere condolences to them all at this not unexpected but still a very tough time for them all.
Last won in 1992 by Abingdon RBL
Did you know the League has a Highest Leg Score trophy? Last won by Abingdon RBL in 1992 with a leg score of 37, yes THIRTY SEVEN!
I mention it now because we’ve been given a newspaper clipping from the occasion. If you have any old clips, programmes or photos let us know!
Well, the Summer 2023 season has finally come to an end yes I know it’s November, but it was the Finals of 3 of our Summer Competitions followed by the Presentation of Trophies for all of our League, team and individual winners and runners up!
The presentation Night was well attended and kicked off with the final of the Captains competition which had been held over from Finals Night back in September. Participants were Mick Greenaway for Berinsfield SC A and Dave Sapey representing Abingdon RBL. It was surprisingly a low scoring contest which Mick won 2 legs to 0 setting 2 in the first leg which was matched by Dave, but then set another 2 with his 3 sticks and Dave could only manage 1 in reply, so first leg to Mick who also took the second leg by 2 dolls to 1 to clinch the title.
Next up were the Pairs semi final and the first of these featured Ken Fisher and Barry Townsend of the Plum Pudding pitched against Scott Humphries and Leigh Clapton from the Abingdon United @Con Club side. Again this first semi final was won in 2 straight legs, the first leg saw all 4 players hit 3 dolls each, but Ken and Barry clinched the leg with 2 dolls apiece with their 3 sticks and Scott and Leigh’s efforts fell short by 1 doll. The second leg was a 5 doll to 4 clincher by Ken and Barry to take the first semi. Barry incidentally was replacing Phil Adams who despite qualifying for both the Pairs and Singles semi finals was unable to take part due to a recent operation, but he was there supporting both his team mates and the evening.
The second semi final featured Tony Beechers and Martin Rawlings from the Berinsfied B side who did great to reach this stage against the second Plum Pudding semi finalists Dave Butler and Paul Longford. This was the first game of the evening to go to 3 legs and in another low scoring first 2 legs which were shared 1 apiece, a first 5 doll haul of the evening from DLB supported by a 2 from his partner Paul Longford secured a place in what was to be an all Plum Pudding final.
Next up was the scheduled singles semi finals which actually due to Phil Adam’s unavailability presented a bye straight to the final for Leigh Clapton with the other semi final contested between Steve Enock from Croft Nomads and Paul Longford. Another disappointing low scoring game with the first leg being won on a 3 stick shoot out Paul edged Steve, who had been in really good form throughout the Summer and in the early days of the Winter season, but couldn’t find that form on the night and Paul reached the final, winning in 2 straight legs.
So to the Finals, first up it was the Pairs final featuring the 2 Plum Pudding teams. This was probably the closest game of the evening even though it was won in 2 straight legs. It was also the best scoring game of the night featuring another 5 doll hit from Ken Fisher and a pair of 4’s from Dave Butler in response, but Dave’s efforts were in vain as Ken and Barry emerged victors winning the first leg 7-6 and the second leg 6-5.
Then it was the last game of the evening, with the coveted Singles title up for grabs Paul Longford taking on Leigh Clapton. This went to 3 legs with Paul Longford winning the first after a 3 stick shoot out both players hitting 2 dolls with their first 6 sticks and then Paul’s 1 doll with 3 sticks clinching the opening leg. In the second leg both players improved and both hit 3 dolls so again it was a 3 sticker, and they still couldn’t be separated hitting 1 doll apiece and then it was down to 1 stick each and this time Leigh secured the leg by scoring with his 1 doll and with the pressure on Paul he just failed to make a doll with his 1 stick. The 3rd leg was another close affair, but Leigh secured the 2023 Singles title with a 3-2 success.
Congratulations to all who played on the night as well as the will to progress and win one of the titles on offer they had to do it against the backcloth of a large and sometimes noisy, but always supportive group of the wider Aunt Sally family.
So it was then onto the Presentations of all of the Trophies which our President John Simmons duly presented. I imagine John’s right arm was aching by the end of the night as there were not only the trophies to hand over, but also the shaking of so many hands as so many of us were so pleased to see John back amongst us. The night also featured our usual grand raffle which saw The Vine scoop many of the prizes including two mystery cash prizes of £50 and £25.
A final thank you to everyone who attended and made the night a successful one to close our 2023 Summer season. A special thanks to Mick Samways and Kevin Lewis for taking responsibility for selling raffle tickets on our behalf, the proceeds of which paid for most of the evening’s expenses. Thanks also to Ellie once again for taking all of the photographs on the night,(Photos available here) and to all the bar staff at Abingdon United who made sure that empty glasses didn’t stay empty for long!
Merry Xmas!!!!!