Very often in my weekly ramblings I write of some of the characters I have met and to an extent have mourned the passing of. Sadly, in recent days three more have left us.
Dennis Crowther was without doubt one of the funniest men I’ve ever met. He was a natural comic.
If you have never or heard of him, his poems of the countryside were superb. They were about people he knew and met and adventures he had. His poems about Bill the sheepdog and the hop pickers were two of my favourites.
Dennis was also a fine musician. I met him many years ago, and became reacquainted on the Sunday morning show when I used to play some of his poems and on odd occasions he would call in.
I was ill in hospital one time, and Dennis along with Al Bowen came to visit me dressed as a pair of tramps. I saw them come through the door and ask for me, the nurse came over and asked me if I knew them. I denied all knowledge.
Dennis was a great entertainer and when I see some of the rubbish trotted out in the name of entertainment I often puzzle why he was not a great star.
‘Major Tom’ has gone as well, and anyone in St John’s or at Worcester Rugby Club will have known him.
He was a war hero but I got to know him by seeing him in St John’s and at Sixways. He had an allotment next to the one we had.
He used to push his bike round, in fact I rarely saw him riding it, but I’m sure he must have got in the saddle at some time.
Dolly Bills was another salt-of-the-earth type and I know my good friends Jill and Blom will be saddened by her parting.
We shall not see their like again, may they all rest in peace.
On a lighter note, well done to my old mate Wesso and Jean for a splendid wedding do last Saturday; an excellent night and I wish them very well, and hope they have many happy years together.
Good company, good music from Clive John and good food from Gibbo’s army, what more can you want from a night out.
I am saving unusual cricket moments and might make up my top 100 some day, like the three-legged dog that stopped play at Colwyn Bay and the like.
Well, I added another at Edgbaston when ‘Hickey’ played a perfect pull to leg, right off the meat of the bat, and it flew at Neil Mallender, the umpire who stopped it with his hands, robbing Graeme of three runs, but very amusing.
Big night at Sixways tonight with Newcastle in for the Euro semi-final and what a good game last Saturday. I think Bath are a quality side, but the Warriors almost nicked it at the end.
At least we won’t have to read the stuff out in French tonight, maybe just in Geordie.
* Dave Bradley is the BBC Hereford and Worcester sports correspondent