Baggies star honed his skills kicking a block of wood in the playground
ON opening Bugle 1469, October 21, I was surprised and a little saddened to learn of the passing of Chuck Drury, a prominent and well known West Bromwich Albion football player of the ’60s.
Chuck was a classmate of mine at Slater Street Senior School in Darlaston, the Central, as it was always known. It was a bit of a shock to think that he has gone, and I’m still here at 83.
I knew him well. He was always prominent and popular in our years at school. I think we all knew he was a talented footballer, certainly a class above the rest of us.
Some of his skills were probably honed in the exercise yard at the Central, where we all played games of five-a-side at break time.
As no balls were allowed, we developed a particular system where a block of wood, 3x3 inch, was a substitute. This proved to be excellent for it slid over the smooth surface of the playground rather like a curling stone. I have never seen this employed anywhere else.
But back to Chuck – a footballing success from Darlaston. He lived at the far end of Blockhall in Bell Street, behind the old Olympia ABC cinema, a venue now long demolished, origi
nally a roller skating rink. It was reputed to be built over a seam of slow burning coal. It was certainly very warm inside and this generated vast sales of ice cream and drinks.
In conclusion, I would mention another sportsman I remember from our school. This was Teddy Williams. I believe that he trialled for the Baggies as a goalkeeper. He would have been a year or so older than Chuck and myself but I have no idea if he made any progress in the game.
It’s wonderful to remember those days back then and salute a sporting son of Darlaston for whom the final whistle has blown – well played Chuck.