A drunk riding a horse home
a pensioner whose house was broken into while he was in bed in the early 1990s.
“The burglar wasn’t satisfied with stealing items so he made the old chap make breakfast for him before getting away,” he said. The story of Rhondda miners Les Williams and Dai Bowen who were also talented young boxers is another of Dave’s favourites.
Spotted by an American boxing promoter, Dave said the pair decided to seek fame and fortune in America but perished after booking a passage on the ill-fated Titanic which sank in 1912.
When Westernworld Bit The Dust Believe it or not, there was once a cowboy theme park planned on the site of the former Fernhill colliery in Blaenrhondda – the site of the 1867 disaster that saw 178 men and boys killed.
The theme park story happened in 1987, and Dave said: “Supposedly based on Dolly Parton’s Dollywood resort in Tennessee, the £1m venture turned to tumbleweed a short time after opening.”
When the Rhondda Became Little America This was in the 1980s when five black American basketball players lived in the valley.
Dave said: “They were here to play for the Just Rentals team and included slam dunk star Dave Lawrence from North Carolina who became known as Dai Dunker and 6’7”, and 18-stone Bruce Crump from Florida.” became known as the valley’s anthem, but was actually written by a Geordie.
Johnny Caesar, from South Shields, wrote the words to the hugely popular If I could See The Rhondda One More Time by singer David Alexander, while sitting in a friend’s house in Quaker’s Yard. Dave explained: “The Bonny Babies contest was always popular in the Leader but I discovered some years ago that there was one Bonny Baby winner who went from flannelette to fame.
“Stanleytown-born comedian Paul Whitehouse was a Bonny Babies prizewinner in 1958. The actor, writer and comedian moved to London at the age of four but still has fond memories of the valley.” destroyed a man... at darts Rhondda-born darts player Alan Evans took on the World Heavyweight boxing champion in a darts match in a stadium in the north of England.
After winning the match, Dave said Ali immediately proclaimed himself world darts champion.
Friends of the Animals get “Blessed” This story began when Rhondda rescue group Friends of the Animals had an elderly poodle called Titch who needed a lot of dental treatment.
Dave said: “When thunder-voiced actor Brian Blessed heard of the poodle’s plight he decided to give him a home.”
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