Tribute to John Tobin by Lyndsay Knight

John Tobin, one of the great characters of the Bowls North Harbour Centre, and a major contributor to the sport, passed away yesterday, aged in his mid-70s.

 

Not only was John involved for many years, as secretary-manager and treasurer of the Centre, but he was a prominent member, both as a player and administrator, for the Riverhead and Glenfield clubs.

 

John came to bowls when he finished his air force service and completed his lengthy stint with the centre in the 2015-16 season. His term included the Centre’s successful staging of the national bowls championships, with Browns Bay the headquarters, in the summer of 2014-15.

 

 He was an above average bowler, an astute skip and also effective up-front with his accuracy and consistency on the draw. While he never quite managed a Centre title, he won many championships at both the Glenfield and Riverhead clubs.

 

One of Riverhead’s top players in recent years, Duane McDonald, was one of the many to benefit from his experience and expertise.

 

Now Riverhead’s president, McDonald, paid him a handsome tribute.  “He was an awesome guy, on and off the green,” he said. “He was a good player and was one of those guys who took a keen interest in junior bowlers. When I was a junior, he always made a point of playing with us and taking us to tournaments. We will all miss him.”