Run No. 2621 -18th September 2017

Hare: Lurch – ably assisted by Goanna and Moishe
Gordon Bowling Club, Pennant Rd

From run 1 (18/09/1967), the first in Australia, to run 2621 (18/09/2017) Celebrating 50 Golden Years there has been a lot of hashtory, so as humble stand in scribe I have asked legends of old to contribute. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday lunch and the sight of over 100 Hashers, old and older heading off in the bespoke colourful white shirts – and have added a list of who was there below. Enjoy the tales of the Ruptured Duck, and the World Hash President popping from the cake. On On WS

50 GOLDEN YEARS RUNNING
Here’s cheers to Posh people!

Incredibly, from a backyard BBQ of buddies in Bushlands Avenue, Gordon five decades ago, a band of Fifty Golden Years of Brothers has blossomed.
Exactly 50 years later, on Monday, September 18, 2017, more than 80 Sydney Hashmen and 35 of those who were, retraced the first trail laid down by founders, Mike Miall (The Little General) and Phil Riddell (The Ruptured Duck) with Bill Davis and four other ex-pat types.

All proudly-prepped in their commemorative T-shirts, this posse of Poshmen, paused half-way through to hoist a fine Port toast to Hashtory and a new plaque to mark the occasion [GPS coordinates 33.7704S,151.1419E (my best guess Ed)].
Reflecting the epithet Posh Hash that others had laid upon us in the ’70s, the OnOn at Gordon Bowling Club offered nostalgic sangers, fine wines, craft beers, and a 50 Golden Years celebratory cake containing everything from nibbles to nuts–all from the same animal–including the newly proclaimed World President of all Hashdom, Darwin Don, who leapt nimbly from it to tumultuous applause!

The Emcees, massacres of ceremonies, Jungle Jim and TicToc, recognised such Posh luminaries as Co-founder, Phil Riddell who regaled us with the rhythm of The Ruptured Duck; Iceman with news from Crocodile Dundee, Bazza Warden with his fund of gags and, of course, our 50th President, Maximus Minimus (Brock Bowen), thanking all who made the celebrations so successful, including Your Choice and his 49th Committee, the 50th Anniversary Committee, and the many invaluable volunteers.

Memory fades now … did the Posh Players present their musical tribute “50 Ways to Love your Liver’?  Did we raise a wee dram of the late and missed Hamish McTavish’s tokay, carefully cellared by Grape Ape?  Were Mr. Neat’s album, Moments of Glory & Infamy on screen?  Were the walls decked with enlargements (photos, not body parts) of a score of Posh legends?

Recalling the highlights was made difficult as the day before at North Ryde Golf Club 200 Poshmen and their partners enjoyed a commemorative luncheon to remember that featured: four courses, (including the splendid celebratory cake ceremoniously cut by Maximus Minimus and Ruptured Duck), bountiful beverages, golden décor, banners, bunting and PeeweeKing Arthur and the Golden Men of Music, who recalled another 50-year milestone, The Beatles’ Sydney Poshes’ One-and-Only Band.

Hosts of hugs and kisses were climaxed by pomp and ceremony signalling the recognition, elevation, anointment and proclamation, of Darwin Don Grenville as World President of all Hashdom with appropriate regalia.

Two unforgettable days of celebration sparked the beginning of a week of Hashing, with the key Sydney Clubs [all spawned from that first SH3 Run]. And then it’s on to Tasmania where Hobart H3 is to celebrate its own Golden Anniversary from Monday 2 October.   —

OnOn TicToc

The 50 Golden Brown – Hash Bash.

And those who might think that this is all about the Clash’s classic 1970’s song of hedonistic substances can now move on and refer to last Sunday and Monday when Monday 18th 1967 was re-enacted…….but first it was all about cramming as many former, older and current hashmen, their memsahibs and partners into one expansive hall (North Ryde Golf Club) to eat drink and celebrate 50 years since the inauguration of the Sydney Hash House Harriers, AKA SH3

But really it is much, much more than that. What Ruptured Duck (The president you may not know about) and a handful of budding beer drinking buddies started way back then has transformed into a way of life. The POSH hash, as it has become well known, is so much more than a just weekly run to keep the respiratory tissues and right elbow alive. It has become a fraternity for all manner of extra curricula activities; namely the once legendary annual relay, (where tall and true stories and heroic acts athleticism fill the annals of time), golfing, swimming, kayaking, garrulous and indulgent eating, wine collecting and quaffing, hiking (long and short), and weekends away in the country with wives and partners. Hash members have become lifelong friends within a friendly ‘institute’ where professional and trade services, advice and health support are generously shared. Membership results in true and loyal mates.

And so it was that the celebrations on Sunday last were a hall mark of all that is good in life. Artfully and humorously compared by Jungle Jim and Tic Toc, who summarised the highlights of the last 50 years culminating in the inauguration of Darwin Don, the oldest active hashman in the world (now 95) as President of the World of Hashing. There was music and frivolities to wash down another gourmet meal all in the name of POSH hashing in Sydney.

And then the following Monday night onto a re-enactment from Gordon Bowling Club. Moishe and Lurch, both original members of the pioneering group and practicing their “eternal youth” not only set the run but Moishe also helped TM the same. It takes age and older legs of today to appreciate that the numerous hills and bush running in the dark were of little consequence to “twenty and thirty somethings” a mere 50 years ago.

Sporting flash new bombastic celebratory T shirts with our Running Man Logo was the attire for the night. Not so Molly Meldrum who togged in himself in the real clobber; Black Top hat, striped long sleeved running shirt and hooped leggings. It was a sight to behold and a hall mark of loyalty to the hash fraternity.

Having hashed just about every nook and cranny around Sydney in well over 2600 Monday nights over the last 50 years, the terrain was generally familiar in parts. We followed Goanna’s pipe line trail off Lady Game Drive, the creek line and finally back home across Gordon Golf course. All Good.

And just as we are now so accustomed to top tucker to follow a sweaty night’s run, suddenly we were faced with an original hash meal…….sausage sizzle doused in BBQ and tomato sauce and topped off with mild mustards. It was a reminder of how far we have come. But the wine was good, and plenty of beer to wash down the grease and cholesterol.

The poor PA system muffled the ‘once again’ comparing by Jungle Jim and Tic Toc and humour was best enjoyed at the front of the hall. But nothing could dampen 50 years of camaraderie

On-On Changi

They were ON