Tributes have been made to all-round Gosport sports legend Jim Stares, a stalwart of the town's cricket and football, who has died, aged 84.
He played for the Borough with distinction at both sports, a left wing-half in 1950s and Sixties soccer and an outstanding cricket all-rounder, hugely respected as an in-swing bowler. He later developed a passion for golf.
A gasman by trade, Jim played Hampshire League soccer for Fareham Town in the 1950s before switching to Gosport Borough, where he later assisted Charlie Howard in managerial affairs.
But cricket was undoubtedly his first love - he lived and breathed the game, playing at every opportunity, initially for Gosport Amateurs then, after an amalgamation of clubs, Gosport Borough, whom he skippered for many years.
Long standing team-mate Peter Edgar recalled: "Jim was a forceful, attacking bat and one of the best in-swing medium-pace bowlers I have seen in local cricket.
"He was also an outstanding fielder at cover-point, possessing a devastatingly accurate and powerful throw, which bagged many unsuspecting run out victims in his early days."
Bowling economically off only a few paces, more often than not with the new ball, the competitive and coke drinking Stares took 243 wickets for Gosport after the formation of the old Southern League in 1969.
His wicket tally would be multiplied five-fold in all the cricket he played in a career spanning four decades.
The highlight of Stares' career came in 1980 when he played a significant part in Gosport Borough reaching the final of the John Haig Trophy, the national club cricket championship, at Lord's, beating powerful sides like Wimbledon and Neil Foster's Colchester & East Essex on the way.
Gosport were comfortably beaten by top Birmingham Premier League club Moseley on the day, but Stares collected a post-match performance award for his miserly nine-over bowling spell on the day.
Speaking from his home in Western Australia, former team-mate Peter Farley remembered: “Jim played an immeasurable part in the success of Gosport Borough cricket over many years.
“Who could forget his amazing contribution in the John Haig National Club K.O. final at Lords – eight overs 0–9 and 29 runs late in our innings, including our only six which sailed into the Tavern Stand.”
* Funeral service: Portchester Crematorium, Friday January 20 2017 at 10.30am.
He played for the Borough with distinction at both sports, a left wing-half in 1950s and Sixties soccer and an outstanding cricket all-rounder, hugely respected as an in-swing bowler. He later developed a passion for golf.
A gasman by trade, Jim played Hampshire League soccer for Fareham Town in the 1950s before switching to Gosport Borough, where he later assisted Charlie Howard in managerial affairs.
But cricket was undoubtedly his first love - he lived and breathed the game, playing at every opportunity, initially for Gosport Amateurs then, after an amalgamation of clubs, Gosport Borough, whom he skippered for many years.
Long standing team-mate Peter Edgar recalled: "Jim was a forceful, attacking bat and one of the best in-swing medium-pace bowlers I have seen in local cricket.
"He was also an outstanding fielder at cover-point, possessing a devastatingly accurate and powerful throw, which bagged many unsuspecting run out victims in his early days."
Bowling economically off only a few paces, more often than not with the new ball, the competitive and coke drinking Stares took 243 wickets for Gosport after the formation of the old Southern League in 1969.
His wicket tally would be multiplied five-fold in all the cricket he played in a career spanning four decades.
The highlight of Stares' career came in 1980 when he played a significant part in Gosport Borough reaching the final of the John Haig Trophy, the national club cricket championship, at Lord's, beating powerful sides like Wimbledon and Neil Foster's Colchester & East Essex on the way.
Gosport were comfortably beaten by top Birmingham Premier League club Moseley on the day, but Stares collected a post-match performance award for his miserly nine-over bowling spell on the day.
Speaking from his home in Western Australia, former team-mate Peter Farley remembered: “Jim played an immeasurable part in the success of Gosport Borough cricket over many years.
“Who could forget his amazing contribution in the John Haig National Club K.O. final at Lords – eight overs 0–9 and 29 runs late in our innings, including our only six which sailed into the Tavern Stand.”
* Funeral service: Portchester Crematorium, Friday January 20 2017 at 10.30am.
