Bleadon Racers Skittle Team (click for Blog or Statistics/Pics)
RACERS move again for 2022/23 season, decision taken to play at Hornets Rugby Club sadly means our rural community has again lost it's skittle team, what a great shame. The Queens Arms must be regretting the removal of their alley during the tenure of Butcombe(see below)!
STOP PRESS: Racers are back at Lympsham Sports Club Pavilion for the 2019/20 season.
They play at 8pm on most Monday nights in Division 3 of The Weston-Super-Mare and District Skittle League. The skittle season runs approximately from September to April and we are always happy to welcome new and experienced players. If you are interested in joining then please contact us
After many previous enjoyable seasons at Lympsham Sports Club, last year Racers decided to move for the 2018/19 season to Weston-super-Mare Football Club (Alley 2) but although very grateful to WSMFC for their hospitality, the call of the rural community environment was too strong and so they are now back 'home' at 'The Pav'.
A Bit of Bleadon Skittle History
Originally there was a skittle alley provided for the village at the Coronation Hall as mentioned in their deed, but this alley was removed to build the Jubilee Room as an alley had been created for the team who had then played as and at, The Queens Arms, Bleadon (this also saved the sticker-up running up from the Hall to the pub to get 'refreshments'). Butcombe Brewery bought the pub in 2004/5 and then in 2006 decided to demolish (rather than re-furbish) the skittle alley in favour of replacing it with a seldom used outside patio/smoking area (a strange decision made even stranger as they sponsor the WSMD skittle league)!
So, the team were then effectively homeless (as well as the Ladies and Hunt league teams) and thus faced folding. After six decades of playing they wanted to continue so sought refuge and welcome at nearby Lympsham Sports Club, where initially renamed as The Queens and then Bleadon Racers, they were very happy to find that with new balls, traditional skittles is still alive and well and the beer is very much cheaper!
In an ideal world The Racers hope that the Queens Arms (or more specifically, its owners) would see the error of their ways by building a new alley and bringing the Racers 'home'. It could gain the pub some welcome extra revenue in the winter nights (casual estimates suggest a potential lost income of well over £250,000 since the alley was demolished and teams left in 2006, some 16+yrs ago), but alas that would currently appear a distant dream!
Bleadon Skittle Team Honours (from WSMDSL website)
1931 - Division 2 Winners - Bleadon Sports (original team at Coronation Hall, then also based at Queens Arms when CH alley was removed!!)
1949 - Division 3 Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Queens Arms
1950 - Division 3 Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Queens Arms
1985 - Division 3 Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Queens Arms
1990 - Division 3 and also Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Bleadon Sports
Also individual finalists C Butler London Bridge 2019,2020 and M Dyer Singles 2020
Also in an exciting last game of the 2012/13 season, Racers won by just one pin and thus finished runners-up and were promoted after 10 years absence back up to Division 3 for 2013/14 season. However, the league was re-structured from 4 into 3 divisions for 2016/17 season and although Racers were then put in Division 2, they unfortunately earned 'relegation' back to the basement Division 3 for 2017/18! (see blog and statistics below for details).
READ ALL ABOUT IT......RACERS STRIKE GOLD.....
Posted on 16th March, 2016
The Racers went prospecting at the 49er's Club against the Strays and claimed a golden victory !
The Blade(40)....Hobbit (42)..... and Titpuller started the rush by winning the first set by 17pins although 'Old Timer'Titpuller's claim turned out to be 'Fools Gold' with a leaden 36.
As news spread of 'gold in them there hills' more prospectors turned up in the shape of Ed 'Levi Bayntun....Bandaid 'The Kid'(35)..... and 'The Boy' Burnley(39) who took the second set by 3 nuggets. Ed 'Levi Bayntun being the 'Golden Balls' digging out a top score 46.
All the Townsfolk knew there was 'gonna be trouble' when three gunslingers from the notorious Nipper Gang rode into town and headed straight for the saloon..... As 'Old Man Nipper'... Rootin Tootin Tepee'... and 'Desperate Derrick' swaggered into the bar with their spurs clanking, a trigger happy local went for his gun..........'Old Man Nipper'(42) was quickest on the draw filling the hapless local full of lead while 'Desperate Derrick' (39) wasn't fast enough and took one between the eyes......Meanwhile, 'Rootin Tootin Tepee' (42) exchanged fire with the towns Deputy and was lucky to escape when a bullet ricochet off the spitoon buried itself in his backside. Both 'Old Man Nipper' and 'Rootin Tootin' fled town with a posse in hot pursuit after losing the third set by just one pin.
It was then time to gather around the Chuck Wagon for some of 'Grandma's Home Cookin' and we all felt our bellies rumbling at the thought of belt bustin beef jerky and beans followed by home made apple and huckleberry pie............the thought being as near as we got.....having instead to make do with sandwiches filled with Curried Racoon and dried cactus........Yuk !.......'The Boy Burnley turned up with an emergency jar of the sacred beetroot but this wasn't opened for fear of losing its mystical powers....but more of that later.....
Three 'Desperados' remained to try and seal a win for the Racers in the shape of Captain 'Deadeye' Davis(35)......Charlie 'Grandpa' Reeves(36)....and Clive 'Taffy O'Jones' Williams(39)....who despite attacks from Injuns....Wild Coyotes.....and various other critters.....managed to pan enough golden pins to claim another victory to keep the Racers in a rich vein of form and able to take 14 precious points back to Bleadon on the next Wells Fargo out of town.....
Of course....we did have an unfair advantage.....well two actually....1. The jar of Tesco Everyday beetroot and its unworldly magical powers....and 2. no Franz.....Surely it can't be purely coincidental that we turn into world beaters while he's away........Or maybe its just the beetroot........either way, if we start losing when he returns he'll be as popular as a rattlesnake in a lucky dip...!
P.S........All our thoughts are with Geoff G'Day who was absent due to having to go into hospital for a critical operation......And we are given to understand from Hobbit that its to have his wallet opened....!
That's All Partners
Burnley
Thanks to Ski Sunday for current fixture list and averages below
Bleadon Racers Statistics
Current and past season league fixtures, results and player averages (A very big thanks to Charles Reeves for producing the originals).
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