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DENNIS PAUL TROPHY
FIRST PRESENTED 1989 |
Presented to the Season’s Most Improved Player as voted by the Club’s committee.
Dennis played for the Club for over 20 years and was Club Treasurer for many of them. Below is Zed Bertwistle’s account of the conception of the Dennis Paul Trophy taken from his book ‘Playing Away’. Available from all good bookshops.
Realising all these trophies were being introduced in the ‘evening’ of his Greenheath career and being sad that he would now be unlikely to enter Greenheath’s ‘Roll of Honour’. Dennis duly presented the Club with the ‘Dennis Paul Trophy’ to be awarded to the player who makes the greatest improvement during the season.
He provided himself with the necessary incentive and the metamorphosis was amazing; like a caterpillar changing into a frog. Dogged, dour, determined, Dennis moved into line. He played shots. Left elbow, once at twenty-five to seven progressed to ten to ten. Paraguayan Elbows C.C. at Cudham, 1991 the day when Dennis put a red stain on the meat of his bat. This was the season when Dennis Paul had his name inked rather than pencilled onto the teamsheet.
After the season I lobbied the other committee members and we decided that Dennis deserved to be awarded the ‘Dennis Paul Trophy’. Of course Dennis (also a committee member) must not know. A stand in proposal was needed, and at the pre-AGM committee meeting I suggested Alan Heath. A creditable choice, Alan had made many valuable contributions and was a solid all-rounder, a candidate for Player of the Season, but not the most improved player. It was passed. Of course at the AGM the real winner would unexpectedly receive his trophy. No trouble, eezy-peasy only a fool could get it wrong. The AGM could be all over in thirty minutes but Dennis, with his Treasurer’s Report made sure it lasted 3 hours. Eventually the time arrived for the presentation of the trophies. Chairman Peter Harris gave his pre-amble before awarding the ‘Dennis Paul Trophy’ to... Alan Heath! I hadn’t explained the plan to the Chairman. Only a fool could get it wrong.
Dennis Paul never did win the Dennis Paul Trophy
Dennis played for the Club for over 20 years and was Club Treasurer for many of them. Below is Zed Bertwistle’s account of the conception of the Dennis Paul Trophy taken from his book ‘Playing Away’. Available from all good bookshops.
Realising all these trophies were being introduced in the ‘evening’ of his Greenheath career and being sad that he would now be unlikely to enter Greenheath’s ‘Roll of Honour’. Dennis duly presented the Club with the ‘Dennis Paul Trophy’ to be awarded to the player who makes the greatest improvement during the season.
He provided himself with the necessary incentive and the metamorphosis was amazing; like a caterpillar changing into a frog. Dogged, dour, determined, Dennis moved into line. He played shots. Left elbow, once at twenty-five to seven progressed to ten to ten. Paraguayan Elbows C.C. at Cudham, 1991 the day when Dennis put a red stain on the meat of his bat. This was the season when Dennis Paul had his name inked rather than pencilled onto the teamsheet.
After the season I lobbied the other committee members and we decided that Dennis deserved to be awarded the ‘Dennis Paul Trophy’. Of course Dennis (also a committee member) must not know. A stand in proposal was needed, and at the pre-AGM committee meeting I suggested Alan Heath. A creditable choice, Alan had made many valuable contributions and was a solid all-rounder, a candidate for Player of the Season, but not the most improved player. It was passed. Of course at the AGM the real winner would unexpectedly receive his trophy. No trouble, eezy-peasy only a fool could get it wrong. The AGM could be all over in thirty minutes but Dennis, with his Treasurer’s Report made sure it lasted 3 hours. Eventually the time arrived for the presentation of the trophies. Chairman Peter Harris gave his pre-amble before awarding the ‘Dennis Paul Trophy’ to... Alan Heath! I hadn’t explained the plan to the Chairman. Only a fool could get it wrong.
Dennis Paul never did win the Dennis Paul Trophy
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