Nostalgic day for Miami’s finest
WHEN Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew started at Miami State High in 1971, surfers were still frowned on as dopesmoking no-hopers.
But the school’s visionary then-principal, Bill Callinan, had glimpsed the future and pioneered surfing as a school sport in 1970 at a time when rugby league and cricket were about all there was on offer.
Bartholomew went on to become the 1978 world professional surfing champion, but credits his school surfing days at Miami High for laying the foundations for his glittering career.
Yesterday, Bartholomew – who is standing for Labor in the Burleigh electorate in the October 31 state election — presented the trophy for the 50th anniversary Miami High surfing contest.
It was a proud and nostalgic moment for Rabbit, now 65, who won the coveted trophy in 1972.
He was enrolled at Tweed River High in 1970 when he saw a front-page newspaper photo of Burleigh surfing legend Mick Murphy riding his push bike to Miami High in his school uniform, surfboard under his arm.
“Surfing didn’t have a very good image in 1970. The then school principal Bill Callinan had taken a huge risk ... it was such an innovative thing to do, to recognise surfing as a sport.
“This was back in the days when wagging school got you the cane. It was the time of corporal punishment, so it had to be a really good day of surf on a cold winter’s morning to get six cuts with a bamboo cane on cold, wet fingers after surfing in the morning.”
Rabbit recalled surfing Burleigh with Mr Callinan’s son, Dennis, before school one morning.
“Dennis came in and got to school by 9am but I had to stay and get that one more perfect wave,” he said. “I got to school at 9.30am, with dripping wet hair, and got sent straight to the headmaster’s office in anticipation of getting the cane.
“Bill Callinan was a tough but fair principal who also had a sporting background. He had represented Queensland in both rugby union and rugby league. I sat down and he looked at me very sternly and said ‘Rabbit what do you want to do with your life?’
“I looked him in the eyes and said ‘Sir, I want to be the best surfer in the world. I want to be a professional surfer and I want to go to Hawaii and learn to ride the big waves’.
“Remember, this was seven years before there was a world tour. There was no such thing. It was a complete fantasy.
“He looked at me ... I was waiting, I was used to a look of scorn from adults ... and he said ‘Rabbit, I will back you’.
Miami High became Rabbit’s first sponsor, with students bringing 20c each for a free dress day to bankroll his maiden trip to Hawaii.