BOB Kirton's bowling background goes back further than most - nearly 60 years to be precise.

The Banister Park member who is Hampshire Indoor BA president this season, first appeared on a green after leaving school in 1946-47 near Middlesbrough - while waiting for a vacant tennis court at the public park. He's got the pictures to prove it!

The Yorkshireman subsequently bowled occasionally on the sacred Smith's Docks green of Billy Linton, the 1935 EBA singles champion, in the same area.

He also played against Tom Fleming, friend and international colleague of Peter Line during the 1960s.

It was not only on the bowling green that he rubbed shoulders with Fleming.

"I played against Tom in tennis competitions, a game in which he also excelled," said Kirton.

Another of his tennis opponents was football legend George Hardwick, captain of Middlesbrough, England and a Great Britain team.

Playing alongside such illustrious names, the embryonic Kirton might have been expected to develop into a top bowler or tennis star but as he admits: "I have always played sport for enjoyment - I have made my mark more as an administrator."

He is much travelled, having been to 36 countries and it was two years after returning from a post in east Africa that he moved to Southampton in 1964 to begin a career with ferry operator Thoresen - which ended with him reaching the position of managing director with P&O Ferries at Portsmouth.

Once on the south coast, he took up bowls again, joining the County Bowling Club and was their president in 1994. Four years later he was Southampton and District BA president and served as match secretary and is still secretary of the S&D benevolent fund.

Besides his county connection, he became a Banister Park member too, initially for the indoors game, and was elected their president in 2003-04.

The fact that he has also been bestowed with the title of honorary life gentleman commoner of the Old Green means the 74-year-old stalwart is a member of three S&D clubs.