Leading from the front issuu

WONDERFUL WEEKLY MAYHEM —
FOR THREE YEARS!
by tim magill
In Pat’s playing days and in his later rugby admin era,
rugby was it. Nowhere more than in the Mighty Hawke’s
Bay Shield era when the Bay held off 22 challenges.
Then, even as a youngster playing for Napier High
School Old Boys’ under the keen eye of Monty Timms, it
felt good to play the game.
Then there were the parades and they were huge, to
both welcome and intimidate shield challengers and
visiting international teams. A typical extravaganza
would head down Emerson Street from the Marine Parade;
young playing teams like ours, sort of marching.
There was music, local and visiting floats, colourful and
cheeky, all filing festively past the Criterion Hotel, where
the visiting team would watch from the balcony.
Big crowds of spectators would cheer the parade on
down to Clive Square where this wild throng would disperse
and get ready to descend on McLean Park, where
the visitors would have to put up with this proud province
in a frenzy yelling out, “C’mon The Bay!!!”
For one parade I recall Pat and his mates setting up a
float. Impressive. A truck with a lot of rugby paraphernalia,
greenery and people dressed of course in black
and white. The main theme this time was standing proud
in the middle of the deck, an old long drop with someone
sitting inside on a loo seat, moaning and groaning.
A professionally written sign nailed to the door said,“15
visiting players… ill at ease”.
Leading each parade was the headlining mascot
Hawkeye, three to four meters high, on a trailer towed by
probably Jock Stevenson. Our big magpie mascot would
authentically gurgle out the menacing magpie call and a
series of custom-penned songs through this era would
be thrashed on local 2ZC. “There’s something about a
magpie …” and “C’mon the Bay!!!” would shout the thousands
in the stands.
I can recall at one parade on an out of town challenge,
being towed, Hawkeye’s wings became untied from her
tucked-down travelling position. The wings lifted as if
she was taking flight. The drag uncoupled her at the tow
ball as she veered (flew) for the curb. Brilliant, and no
damage to our potentially escaping icon. Not long after
at a home game, a large egg appeared on the field. Then
something special happened. The egg started cracking
and hatched a black and white, leotarded, wings slowly
unfolding, baby magpie.
“Little Hawkeye” (Graeme Nicholson) from then on
would prance up and down the side-line, entertaining
the crowds and willing on our players while Mummy
Magpie proudly gurgled from a higher vantage point.
As with the Bay players, new blood coming through
and a smart succession plan helped the Bay’s Shield era
go down in New Zealand rugby folklore. And what an era
it was. We wouldn’t have missed it for the world, with all
its wonderful weekly mayhem.
Opposite: Hawke’s Bay get hold of the ball again. Photo by James Coleman; Above: Hawkeye is refurbished by the Tremain family in
time for his 50th birthday. Simon Tremain shines the famous bird’s beak.
Glory rugby days continue 43