Report on Finals Night

Bird's Eye Club - Monday 27th April

The curtain has descended on yet another Quiz season after an enjoyable Finals Night at The Bird’s Eye Club in Ladysmith Road, Grimsby. An ex-player from yesteryear, Roy Starling, gave a somewhat nostalgic little speech as a prelude to presenting the fairly large collection of silverware and miniatures to an ever-ageing group of anoraks and weirdos.

The evening kicked off with the Team Knockout Final, which was a case of déjà-vu in that Swats again were pitched against the team whom they conquered in the 2007 Final, Rasen and, although the score was far closer, the result remained the same with Swats emerging once again as winners, having triumphed over an initial handicap of 11. Mal White was ably supported by Mike Mahoney, Steve Denton and the ever-voluble Geoff Swanney. For Rasen, captain Ian Welham led his troops with his usual impressive ability but the task proved just too much for him and his lieutenants, Dave Shaw, Graham Ashley and John Staves. R.A.F.A. Dipsos, in the shape of question-masters Andy Alcock and Pete Sinclair, provided a very fair set of testing questions.

Next up, following an excellent free buffet, was the Individual Shield Final between the holder Ian Welham of Division 2 side Rasen and Pond Life’s Mick Cavanagh, now from Division 3, making his maiden appearance in the competition. Ian went first and scored 13 from his 20 questions. Mick gave a great showing against such a formidable foe but finally fell just short with 11 points. So Ian retained his title but will be unable to defend next year, as his team have gained promotion to the top flight and he will be ineligible.

The Final which followed promised a titanic struggle between those whiz kids, Andrew Hunter and Alan Bentley. After 20 posers the score stood at 13-13. Five extra questions saw a 3-3 draw and the deciding tie-breaker - "Number of square miles in Portugal" - saw Andrew home to topple the 2008 champion after a mammoth battle between, arguably, the top two players in the Grimsby League. Tree Singleton provided a well-balanced question-set, as witnessed by the closeness of the action!

The proceedings were drawn to a close by the Pairs Competition Final between the aforesaid Titans, Andrew Hunter and Alan Bentley and Pond Life's Mick Cavanagh and Chris Godwin of Division 3. In this competition, players receive 3 points per Division so Mick and Chris began with an advantage of 18-6. The Division 3 pair achieved no points in Round 1 which ended at 18-14. This disastrous start was contained and the last Round (Round 5) began with the Pond Lifers 7 ahead and they held on to triumph 32-27 after a fairly tough set of questions by yours truly. (We shall make no mention of Ursa Major!)

After the Pairs, it was left to the usual presentations. Bux Kwiz collected the Norrie Lyons Trophy as the Most Sporting Team and Pete Daniel took away the Bent Cup. The Rene Burnett Cup was awarded to Apostles as the Best Question Setters.

So another season will soon be a distant memory. The 20 teams that currently make up the League have, I am fairly certain, enjoyed the highs and lows. I have always asserted that nobody really much cares who wins the Grimsby and District Quiz League and, speaking as an also ran, will always regard it as a very pleasant recreation with the result only of relatively minor importance. After all, who could ever define what constitutes a good General Knowledge.

I sometimes think that this vagueness tends to lead some quiz masters too far down the specialist knowledge track. Some of our members were highly dubious of the relatively new arrangements whereby questions no longer have to be paired. I am convinced that the present set up is superior, especially for those setting the questions and not having to spend a lot of time trying to find suitable pairs instead of using the same old chestnuts. I don’t feel that the non-pairing has led to artificial league placings; the better sides will still rise to the top over a full season.

Report on K.O. Quarter Finals

Rasen v Quizlings

This took place at the Bridge Club on 20th April, 2009, and followed a close match in another Quarter Final between Swats of Division 1 and Bux Kwiz from Division 3 in which the top division side only just prevailed 96-90.

This was a match between two sides who have just achieved promotions - Rasen to Division 1 and Quizlings to Division 2.

Quizlings enjoyed an opening advantage of 12 points on handicap but this hardly seemed enough against the team of Ian Welham - and so it proved! By half-time, Rasen had converted a deficit of 12 into a lead of 15 and they ran out clear winners in a disappointingly uneven contest by 114-77.

Bill Mercer’s team had run into a side in top form, led by an outstanding captain, but he and Joe, Sue and Dave took it all in very good part after a set of questions not really to their taste.

Ian was ably assisted by Dave, Alistair and Graham and they look a good bet for the Final.

Stinkers and banana skins with no takers

1. What is the first name of the girl who dies in the film Love Story?

2. Who played Mr. Worthing to Edith Evans’ Lady Bracknell in the 1952 film The Importance of Being Earnest?

3. What is the local paper in The Archers?

4. Which Ministry did Jim Hacker run in Yes, Minister?

5. Who preceded Norman Lamont as Chancellor of the Exchequer?

6. n which historic Washington hotel does Gordon Brown stay on his many trips to the U.S.A.?

7. Who played the fiancé of Kate Winslet’s character in Titanic?

8. Who was known as The Match King?

9. What was Wet Wet Wet’s first No 1 hit?

10. What was Thomas Bolsover’s most famous invention?

11. Which Spa celebrates more festivals than any other town in England?

1.

Jenny

2.

Michael Redgrave

3.

The Borchester Echo

4.

Administrative Affairs

5.

John Major

6.

The Watergate

7.

Billy Zane

8.

Ivar Kruger

9.

With a little help from my friends

10.

Sheffield Plate

11.

Cheltenham

Report on the Individual Competitions Semi-Finals

These took place at the R.A.F.A. Club on Thursday 2nd April

Individual Open

The players to emerge here means that last year’s finalists have triumphed again. Alan Bentley is the current titleholder and he was up against the talented Sue Mitchell. Sue pushed him all the way but her final tally of 9 was not quite enough to challenge Alan’s score of 11.

Last year’s beaten finalist, Andrew Hunter, took on former Dipso Mick Cavanagh, now of Pond Life, and proved just too good, edging home by 12-10.

Individual Shield

This competition had the fairly unique occurrence of a semi-finalist in both Individual events. Mick Cavanagh was drawn against Rod Mitchell and the first fifteen questions could not separate them at 11-all. Five extra posers followed and each player could only answer 1.

The tie-break settled the matter. "In which year was Richard Attenborough born" saw Mick reach the final at his first attempt when his answer of 1927 was closer than Rod’s. Richard Attenborough was born in 1923.

The other game pitted defending champion Ian Welham against a former winner in Graham Jackson and the captain of Rasen narrowly took it 12-11 over the unlucky Graham.

Sample Teasers

1. Which country was first to introduce fuel injection for cars in 1954?

2. Which is France’s largest commercial port?

3. What was the real first name of the man known to the World as Che Guevara?

4. Which vegetable is used in a Waldorf Salad?

5. Which current British sports star experienced the 'Dunblane Massacre' in 1996?

6. What was the first name of Loewe of the famous duo Lerner and Loewe?

1.

Germany

2.

Marseilles

3.

Ernesto

4.

Celery

5.

Andy Murray

6.

Frederick

Report on Rasen v Woodentops

Bridge Club 30th March Division 2

Surplus Rowdies are Division 1 champions and Pond Life have taken the Division 3 title and each without dropping a single point. Division 2 has seen a much closer contest and the issue can only be settled, mathematically at least, by the very last match of the season tonight at the RAFA Club when Imps do battle with Magic Robots.

They say that nothing is impossible but it is hardly very likely that the team of the Mitchells will be able to beat the Robots by 66 points - for that is what is required if Rasen are to be denied the ultimate spoils! So no pressure then! Neither Rasen nor Imps have been all-conquering, each tasting defeat on two occasions this term.

Woodentops started badly and lost the first Round 5-13 but whittled away to reach half-time at only 39-41 down.

This had increased to only 55-58 after Round 7 but Round 8 ended in the irrecoverable position of 57-71 and the Woodentops bid ended at 73-91 for the side that must be hailed as Division 2 champions.

Rasen’s heroes were brilliantly led by Ian Welham, ably assisted by John Staves, Graham Ashley and Ian’s brother-in-law, Dave Shaw.

Pushing them most of the way for Woodentops was Captain Janet Gardner aided by Carol, Laurie and Mike. Peter Hardisty provided his, by now expected, excellent questions and I feel he thoroughly deserves to win this year’s Rene Burnet Cup.

Sample Teasers

1. Of which European country is Chisinau the capital city?

2. Who was on the English throne during The Peasant’s Revolt?

3. Which rank in the British Army is equivalent to that of a Royal Navy captain?

4. Which ship was captained by Robert Fitzroy?

5. Badminton Hall is the ancestral home of which duke?

6. Which are the only 2 European countries to have square-shaped national flags?

1.

Moldova

2.

Richard ll

3.

Colonel

4.

The Beagle

5.

Duke of Beaufort

6.

Switzerland and Vatican City

Report on Quarter and Semi-Finals of Pairs Quiz

These took place at the RAFA Club on Thursday, 26th March and the following duos, who had qualified in the previous Round on 2nd February, lined up in two leagues:-

The Semi-Finals were to be contested between the team finishing at the top of League A and the team ending in second place in League B and the top of League B versus the second in League A.

This resulted in the following pairings:-

Hunter and Bentley won with little difficulty but a very close finish saw Cavanagh and Godwin just edge through against the gallant Rasen men.

So the Final will be eagerly anticipated, with Mick and Chris due to start with the great advantage of
12 points.

A Few of the Questions

1. Which chemical element has a name derived from the Greek word for 'stranger'?

2. Who was known as 'America’s Sweetheart'?

3. Who has scored more runs (8900) than any other Englishman in Tests?

4. What is the capital city of Surinam?

5. Which soccer club has reached 4 Cup Finals and lost them all?

6. If Scafell Pike is England’s highest peak, which is the second-highest?

1.

Xenon

2.

Mary Pickford

3.

Graham Gooch

4.

Paramaribo

5.

Leicester City

6.

Scafell

Settling of League Division 1

Surplus Rowdies are, surprise surprise, the winners of Division 1.

Their victory over their main rivals, Nemesis, on March 16th was enough to secure for them the umpteenth title of the League’s top division.

I wrote, in my preview of 2008-9, that the acquisition of the highly-knowledgeable Alan Bentley from Serendipity would give the team of Peter Gardner and Dennis Brown a great chance of usurping the kings of Grimsby Quiz League but the unexpected lapse against Apostles and their two defeats by Rowdies, even though by the narrow margins of 107-99 and 105-96, have seen the title go, once again, to the aces.

Ian Townsend’s worthy companions Pete Daniel, Nick Stanton and Andrew Hunter were certainly in a hurry to settle the matter in a contest that began on time at 7.30pm and ended at 8.25pm. I am not aware that this can be hailed as a record but it must be well in there with a helluva chance!

The presence of Alan Bentley has certainly made a difference with his old side still looking for their first point after gaining 8 last term.

Rowdies have also benefited from the weakening of their erstwhile arch-rivals R.A.F.A. Dipsos chances after the "defection" of Mick Cavanagh to Pond Life of Division 3.

Report on Team Knock-out, Round 2:
Somnambulists v Bux Kwiz

Bux Kwiz began with an 8 point advantage on handicap in this clash at the RAFA Club on March 5th and largely managed to hang on to this until the later rounds, when they drew away to triumph by 107-87 in a knock-about contest fought with great good humour on all sides.

Olive Jones (Minders) contributed to the proceedings with a very fair set of questions which were well-received by all. For Bux, Mike, Tim, Geoff and Harry were on duty while Prue was ably supported by fellow sleepwalkers, Jim and wife Gwen and Mark Robinson.

Mark brought the house down with his mystifying response to a question requiring the name of the actress who played Blanche DuBois in the 1951 film “A Streetcar Named Desire”. He ventured “Spencer Tracy!”

An earlier game in Round 2, between Serendipity and Rasen, was noteworthy for the fact that Serendipity captain Bob Potter correctly answered all 10 of his questions- but ended up on the losing side!

Just a Sample

1. In which county is Chesil Beach?

2. In which year was the first FA Cup Final played at the Empire Stadium, Wembley?

3. Who was the first winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1901?

4. Who painted The Scapegoat?

5. By what name was pop singer Ronald Wycherley better known?

6. Who once said "I look upon all the world as my parish?"

1.

Dorset

2.

1923

3.

Wilhelm Röntgen

4.

William Holman Hunt

5.

Billy Fury

6.

John Wesley

Report on Two Wits v Rasen

Monday, 23rd February, 2009

This has been one of the colder winters but, dare I say it, the green shoots of impending Spring are beginning to appear- for us if not the Government!

This was a match expected to be a cakewalk for the Rasen men, sitting at the top of Division 2, against the side propping up the rest, but half-time arrived with the scores almost equal and Rasen must have taken their mid-match refreshment in a state of shock, following a heartening performance by Malc Towle and his able assistants, Frank, Chris and Yvonne.

The second half, however, was to be an entirely different kettle of fish and the out-of-towners came through by 86-65 in an enjoyable contest. Captain Ian Welham had his top side on display and was helped on his path to victory by the all-round efforts of John, Dave and Graham.

An amusing moment occurred when John was asked “How many tentacles has a Giant Squid” and, on hearing the correct answer of “10” said “Oh, tentacles!”

::splort! ROFLMAO! - Ed.::

Some puzzling moments with No Takers

1. Which is the second largest island of the Orkneys?

2. Whose gravestone bears the legend “His sins were scarlet but his books were read?

3. Who became the first British woman in history to earn a million pounds from her sport?

4. What is Norman Lamont’s title?

5. Who first advocated monetarism?

6. Who sang “Who wants to be a Millionaire” with Frank Sinatra in the film “High Society?”

7. Who commanded the German Forces at the Battle of Jutland?

8. Which was the first country to legalize abortion?

9. One of the World’s finest-ever tenors was Irishman John McCormack. Why was he known as Count John McCormack?

1.

Hoy

2.

Hilaire Belloc

3.

Laura Davies

4.

Baron Lamont of Lerwick

5.

Milton Friedman

6.

Celeste Holm

7.

Admiral Scheer

8.

Iceland

9.

He was a Count of the Papal Court