Each and every boy from the lowliest of juniors to the top performers had played his part and the final push on Sports Day would reveal the stars of the day and the outcome of the competition.

At the risk of sounding defeatist, there was little doubt in my mind who would claim the ultimate prize of the Victor Ludorum, and the lead photograph shows Tony (RA) Hughes receiving a well deserved third consecutive senior trophy. Prior to this he had also won the Junior Victor Ludorum. 

Breezing his way through his chosen events, our School Captain of Athletics laid waste to the rest of us with consummate ease as he proceeded to break school records that had stood for more than 25 years.

Realistically speaking, at best, the remainder of us could only fight it out for minor honours in the forlorn hope that RAH might somehow experience a bad day and slip up on the track. 

My Diary entry fo 2 April, 1960: Summarises a successful day at Park Hall Stadium.

At the end of the above Diary entry I expressed my feelings about Oswald's achievements after a very successful games during which Oswald surpassed our expectations, and what follows are my personal recollections of the events of the day.

Shortly after 1.30 p.m. on Saturday 2 April, the School party, numbering 126, set off by bus to nearby Park Hall Army Camp, our venue for the games, and just prior to the start of the competition I shook hands with my opposing House Captains, Tony RA Hughes (Burnaby), and  Arsie RC Bassadone (Holbache), wishing them luck.

The first event was the 100 yds, and below is a photograph of the starting lineup which consisted of four Oswald and two members of Burnaby.

The start of the 100 yds final.
L-R: D Pickup, G Hitchen, D Bebb, R Morgan, B Pickup, RA Hughes

Getting off to a sizzling start RA Hughes was first across the finishing line followed by Bernard and myself: the battle for The Victor Ludorum was on, and it felt good to get some early points on the board. 

The next event was the 220 yds in which I was pitted against my brother, Roger Morgan, G Hitchen (all Oswald), D Bebb, and R Fuller (Burnaby). As RA Hughes had decided to opt out of this race in favour of other events, it presented an opportunity for one of the chasing pack to get a win under the belt. Lining up at the start of the final I looked across at Bernard and grinned with a knowing look. We were evenly matched and I knew that this race was pivotal if I was to close the gap between us. He just nodded in acknowledgement and settled himself ready to go. In no time at all we found ourselves out in front, line abreast, approaching the finishing line.

Touch and go as we near the tape. Bernard nearest the camera.

The above photograph, taken by my friend Jack Grevo Greves, captures the commitment and effort we were putting into the race as we crossed the line together, sinews straining. I was gutted when the result went in favour of my brother, and I see that later in the day I commented in my Diary that the result was a dead heat.

Sour grapes springs to mind, but at least it was more points on the board for Oswald.

Bernard was well on course to becoming the stellar performer for Oswald, much as I had suggested he would earlier, and he followed Tony Hughes home at the end of the 440 yds to claim 2nd place, with Jimmy Sharples and myself trailing in behind him in 3rd and 4th places. It is well worth pointing out that RA Hughes was in fine form that day, and in winning this race he broke the School record for the event, just one of three records he would break at the games. A brief report of the Annual School Sports taken from the Lent Term Oswestrian magazine can be seen below. 

Tony Hughes breasts the tape with Bernard in hot pursuit.

Report of the annual school sports in The Oswestrian.

The next record to fall victim to the talented feet of Tony Hughes was the 880 yds, which he won in fine style followed home by two Oswald runners, R Morgan and J Sharples, exactly as we had confidently predicted when deciding who should enter which races.

Roger, who had been running well consistently during 1960, particularly in the longer distances, went on to win the coveted Victor Ludorum the following year in 1961. In the process of doing so he himself became a multi record breaker, as he recounted to me recently, by beating not only the one mile and half mile records, but possibly the 220 yds as well.

Because each competitor could only take part in three track and two field events our nemesis, RAH, had opted out of the long jump final in preference to the high jump and putting the shot competitions, which provided the rest of us with one of few realistic opportunities to win an event.

This was my chance once more to try and close the rapidly widening points gap between us, but Bernard again proved superior on the day by beating me into second place with Roger Morgan, another top performer for Oswald, close behind.

 
D Pickup in training for the long jump.

RA Hughes then won the senior shot competition breaking his own School Record. Oswald had no representatives in this event, but in the senior high jump we had several  finalists. Jeremy Parslew and Jack Greves, who came 2nd and 3rd respectively, behind none other than Tony Hughes, watched helplessly from afar as Tony soared over the bar to claim yet another victory for himself and Burnaby.

The high jump final. J Parslew (Oswald), who came 2nd, looks on in the background waiting his turn to jump.

Sports Day came to a close with the 4 x 220 yds senior relay race which was won by Burnaby. Oswald was leading at the final hand over of the baton, but once again the thorn in our flesh, Tony Hughes, came to the rescue for Burnaby who finished the games on a high note with a last hurrah. 

The House senior relay teams and result.

Burnaby relay team. L-R M Walton, R Fuller, RA Hughes (holding Victor Ludorum), and D Bebb.

However, although Tony proved to be the star of Sports Day, it takes more than one man to win the games as a whole, and Oswald prevailed as the team with depth. Oswald (School House) was blessed with talent over a wide range of age groups, and our training sessions had honed and helped galvanise those abilities into action when it really mattered, thereby ensuring total victory on Sports Day.

My brother Bernard, after a splendid effort, came runner up in the battle to win the Victor Ludorum. It was only the indomitable RA Hughes who stood in his way of claiming the title.

I took great pleasure in accepting the House Trophy from Mrs Humphreys on behalf of Oswald as Headmaster Frankland looked on - the moment being captured below.

D Pickup receiving the House Cup.

Later that weekend a handful of Senior members of Oswald celebrated our success in the School Library surrounded by the spoils of victory.

The sweet smell of success.
Back (L-R) D Pickup, B Pickup
Front (L-R) E Lloyd, JB Greves, J Sharples, R Morgan, J Parslew

A week last Sunday, 11 May, just over sixty five years later during a gathering of Old Oswestrians in Selattyn, some of whom had represented Oswald on Sports Day,1960, and are pictured in the above library photograph, reminisced about that wonderful day sharing our memories of the occasion as though it was only yesterday

 Sunday lunch at The Docks, Selattyn.
L-R R Morgan, M Bracegirdle, B Pickup, Jean Morgan, D Pickup (oblivious to the camera, partially concealed under a black hat)

Eric Lloyd was also present, but just out of shot, and he can be seen in this separate photograph seated on the left, nearest the camera. Opposite him in the yellow jacket, sampling a nice glass of wine, is the figure of Bruce Morgan, another Oswald member who would also later play a prominent role in school sporting activities, 

A bunch of happy Old Oswestrians enjoying a convivial lunch.

Below is a small gallery of more action shots taken on or shortly before Sports Day, 1960.