Champion of Champions 19 September 2010 cancelled through lack of interest

Ted Robertson... Friend of Pétanque

Ted and I go back a long way, I was playing the game many years before
any interest was shown in Leicestershire. I suppose that I first met Ted
during the foundation of the 'Melton and District league', but must say
that, at that time, I was 'aware' of him rather than 'knew' him.

Over a period of years the league structure became a little too formal
for the likes of Ted and myself, and although we independently tried to
make changes, the divide became more polarised. Sometime during 1988 I
was bemoaning this fact among some players and one of them arranged for
Ted and myself to contact each other by telephone... The foundations of
the 1990 Pétanque League lie in that long telephone conversation.
Various pre-league meetings were held and widely supported. The rest as
we say is now history.

In the early days the league was small and it was no burden that all the
organisation was saddled on our shoulders, in fact this task split quite
easily as Ted did all the running around and canvassing of pubs and
clubs and I did all the paperwork. Committee meetings were simple
affairs and consisted of a few pints at the Three Crowns in Barrow.

The growth of the 1990 Pétanque League has been entirely due to the
effort and cajoling of Ted and the league is now solidly established.

In later times there were other significant figures in the running of
the league, but here we wish to remember Ted and his contribution rather
than give a league history (which can be found at...
http://www.dave-cushman.net/pet/1990.html)

Ted had other interests besides Pétanque, he was passionate about
wildlife, especially badgers, and supported many charities. in the
earlier part of his life in Bolton Ted had been a Jobbing Photographer
and this formed one of our conversation topics, as I was a freelance
during the seventies and eighties.

Ted was tireless in those early days and I dread to think of how much
petrol his car consumed as he roamed the county, he was a good friend of
Pétanque and a marvellous ambassador for our sport. He was often known
simply as 'Pétanque Ted' and he coined the term 'Friendly League' living
up to that ideal every time he played.

As our league grew its structure setted down to that which we see today
Ted being voted as our President. I now hold that position and hope to
carry forward the ideals that we had all those years ago.

Although in his last few years Ted withdrew from active participation we
will remember him every time we hear the clunk of boule against boule as
we play our games in the back gardens and car parks of pubs all over the
county.

Dave Cushman, President