Part 19: A Tribute By Des Newton

Des Newton

False Bay Old Boy

During the 1972 rugby season False Bay played a game against Van Der Stel, at Van Der Stel’s unfriendly home venue – never an easy game. At an advanced stage of this clash False Bay were in command. Despite the Bey mantra of “Play, play, never stop playing” ringing in the ears of the False Bay players, one individual forgot the tune. Dave McGregor was a fine player, but that day he went walkabout at some stage. It happens to the best of us.

False Bay won comfortably, but the seed was sown in that fertile brain which was the Bey.

At practice on the following Tuesday Basil handed Dave McGregor a folded note in the shed before proceedings commenced. Dave took the note, opened it, read it and with a look of utter bewilderment turned to Des and enquired what on earth it meant. Des, being of solid Christian stock, knew the Good Book better than most. Talk about a contradiction in terms!

Des perused the short note and patiently explained what the text intended to convey to Dave McGregor.

It read:

Proverbs 6:6… Go to the ant, you sluggard; Consider her ways and be wise. Proverbs 6:9… How Long will you Slumber, O Sluggard?; When will you rise from your sleep?

Dave McGregor pondered long and deep on this, went out to practice, and (according to witnesses) played as if his very life depended upon that performance on the rugby field.

Such was the wisdom and canny psychology of Basil Bey.

Here endeth the Lesson.