Bowlers salute centurion Cyril Hockham
Cyril Hockham was the star attraction at Willenhall Trinity Bowls Club as he took to the green to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Bowlers from across the Black Country turned out in force to mark the special occasion.
Cyril played a few ends prior to the club's Wolverhampton Senior Citizens League clash with Codsall.
Chairman Peter Prescott helped organise the day and revealed Cyril still harbours hopes of a comeback after retiring from league bowls three years ago at the age of 97.
Prescott said: "We arranged to bring our league game with Codsall forward so we could celebrate Cyril's birthday.
"Before the match Cyril had four or five ends of bowls with a very good local bowler Terry Wood, who used to be his apprentice during his working days.
"It's a remarkable achievement to still be able to bowl at 100. Bowlers from various other teams in the league came along to watch.
"There must have been about 70 or 80 people there for the occasion. It was brilliant. Cyril took it all in good heart. He was a bit emotional and overwhelmed, at times.
"He still comes along to watch our games and brings his woods, hoping someone is away or can't play.
"He will have a roll up and threatens us that if we don't come up to scratch he will be playing next week!
"He played competitively in the Senior Citizens League until he was 97 and has been a member of the club for nearly 40 years.
"His family were steeped in bowls. His dad was a bowler, so he played with his dad at a young age and then took up other sports.
"He came back to bowls when he retired when he was in his 60s."
Staffordshire bowls are set to mark the achievement with a special award to Cyril, who lives in New Invention.
Prescott said: "We had representatives from Staffordshire bowls come down on the day and they gave a little talk at the interval.
"They are going to get a Staffordshire cap for Cyril to mark the occasion and the achievement that he is a 100 and still actively involved in bowling.
"Mentally, he is a sharp as ever and his other great love is the Cannock Orpheus male voice choir – he still sings in that choir."
Prescott has been a member at Trinity for just under 40 years and is proud to see the club thriving, but admits he would like to see a few more younger members.
He said: "It's a fantastic social club. It's probably as good a social bowls club, as you are likely to get.
"We have got 13 teams that are a good mixture of male and female bowlers. We have over 80 members who are active bowlers.
"We run sides in the Wolverhampton Senior Citizens league, Heath Town League, Heath Town Over-50s, Walsall Vets League, Cannock League and Wolverhampton Works League on Saturday afternoon.
"But it is a sign of times that not many clubs have many younger members. It's mainly, as you think bowls traditionally is, for older people.
"Willenhall Trinity is linked to the Methodist circuit in Willenhall and Brownhills.
"Each year we invite the youngsters from that circuit to come and have a fun afternoon of bowling and try and encourage youngsters to take up the sport.
"It would be nice to get some younger members. I am one of the younger ones in my mid-60s. I am looking forward to a good few years, but probably not as many as Cyril."
