This is a recollection from dedmans on some memories sparked by looking at some family photos, which included a few of some Pompey legends.
I was looking through some black and white photos that I took in the late 70’s and in there was also a picture I took from my mother’s some while ago. I am doing this now to give my mum some pictures of the past and it was co-incidental that I was communicating with you.
However, one is of Jimmy Dickinson taken by me at an Xmas party at home which is superb and could be unique, the other is of the Maniacs cricket team in 1965 (my father’s team) that shows the line up to face Petersfield C.C. Included in the picture is Jimmy, Brian Lewis and Harry Harris.
Jimmy Dickinson, 1978
I think it was Xmas 78 when we had small party at our house in Chawton. If you look at the picture you got the other day (here), you can see how he had lost weight in 2 years.
Maniacs Cricket Team, 1965
The cricket picture also includes Cliff (Portwood) of course and I was 11 years old then. Jim’s batting was like everything he played (I played Table Tennis & Tennis with him in later years) very steady and accurate. Never hitting wildly but always playing the ball and placing it exactly where he wanted it to go!
Although I was around, Jim kept things very much to himself and occasionally spoke to my father about football matters but, I believe that because he cared so much about PFC he shouldered too much responsibility without any release of pressure.
My father told me two things about Uncle Jim, one was that he was picked to play tennis at Wimbledon but was not able to because he was a professional sportsman and the other fact, which is rather prophetic, that he could not get life insurance because his blood pressure was remarkably low.
I promised my 84 year old mother that I would tell you that my father was Jim’s best man at his wedding and not the other person named in that otherwise superb book about him – she has always been upset about the error!
Written by dedmans in March 2009.
PLAY UP POMPEY!
Others written in this feature so far are as follows, click on them to check them out!
11/05/85, Huddersfield away – paultsmouth … Palace, Venables, Fenwick, Ball – pompeyrug … Milky Magic – paultsmouth … That first Fratton moment – PFCGino
