Welcome to Week 33 of Box CC’s 150th Anniversary Player / Member Profiles.
With only a few profiles left to do of current and past members, this week we pay tribute an ex-player who passed away in 2018.
We spoke to a few ex-players who told us a few stories
A word from the Chairman Gerald Hayward
Ron was probably near the veteran stage when he joined Box CC, but he became an integral member of the club fulfilling various roles in the club over the years.
Ron was a deceptive bowler with a funny action with no use of his front arm and his legendary hair flick as he ran in to bowl, but he would swing and seam the ball and picked up loads of wickets for the 2nd XI, still bowling well into his late 60s.
I spent a lot of time with Ron over the years both through cricket and playing snooker together in a team. He was a great storyteller and he always raised a chuckle with me whenever he launched into a yarn, of which there were so many.
One year myself, Ron and Matthew Hope ventured on to cricket tour to Sussex staying in a tent in a pub garden. We all had a different version of the story of being awoken in the night by running water, with a figure in the corner of the tent answering a call of nature. I guess we will never truly be sure of which one of us it was!!
Ron was captain of the Sunday 2nd team for many years which became affectionately known as Ron’s Raiders! Famously on one Sunday, the Raiders were struggling to get a full team together for a game at Purnells at Paulton, so travelled with 7 players rather than calling off…….and won by 8 wickets!it must be said with the help of a home player who was watching in the bar and was persuaded to become a Raider for the day!
Ron was also midweek captain for several years and we welcomed many touring teams to Box during that time.
I remember a team I think called Worcester Nomads came one year and we were batting second with no chance of winning but holding out for a draw. I think I was in my teens and batting when a new bowler was brought on with a very long run up, as he was running in short leg whispered to me, this is quickest bowler in Worcester senior league! I managed to survive a few overs albeit a bit bruised from numerous blows from this bowler who later opened the bowling for Worcestershire in the County Championship. There was about 2 overs left when we lost our 9th wicket & I looked to the pavilion expecting our no 11 Ron to stroll out to join me to play his forward defensive to secure the draw…….but Ron just stood in the pavilion door and gestured all the players off the field, declaring and losing rather than the prospect of facing the quick bowler……..hilarious but probably the right decision for his wellbeing!!!
He organised successful tours to Blackpool which were very enjoyable playing at some lovely cricket grounds.
There are so many stories to tell from cricket tours with Ron, but as with lots of tour stories not many of them are PC enough to put in print!!

What happens on tour stays on tour in general, but perhaps one we can tell, was that Ron arrived on tour for the week breaking in a new set of teeth. His name on tour was quickly changed to Den Ture. I think we may have overdone use of this new name because come Friday morning we were informed that Ron had an early breakfast and had caught the train home, which would have been no trouble, but Ron was the driver of the mini bus!!...Yours truly had to drive it home. Ron had made his point!!

From David Kelly
David recalls the false teeth story thus: On one tour in 1994, which Ron Key had done an excellent job of organising. One morning at Breakfast with everyone dressed in the normal casual attire, Ron came dressed smartly in a suit and tie. He was also brandishing a new set of dazzling false teeth. He told everyone he was going to visit a relative in the area. Not surprisingly there was a lot of humour at his expense and one of the touring party gave him the name ‘Den Ture’. Ron had mistakenly been called Don Key by an opponent on a previous tour to the Devon area, since then he had often been called ‘Don’, but now his nickname was ‘Den’.
Ron was very sociable and quite a character, he takes the majority of things in good humour, but will only be pushed so far. One particular retort from Ron directed at Tony Trotman’s baiting of him one tour was “ I can take it up to here (gesturing to his throat)”……. “But not up to here!” (Defiantly moving his hand above his head!)

From John Tooth

When Ron arrived at Box, he took on the Sunday 2nd team which soon became known as Ron's Raiders, of which I was one in the early days. Never a dull moment during those days and it was a continuation of the development that Ant Smith started and became the pathway to league cricket.
Most of the best stories are from tour, the running joke was that Ron took 7 identical outfits every year, although one year he took blazer and slacks that were stolen when his car was broken in to, Jags was very quick to say that police were looking for an untrendy car thief.
One year on tour, Ron, Jags and Matt Hope stayed in a tent, their arrival at game 1 was just in time and they were slightly worse for wear, including Ron, who was driving. I think this was the game where the ball was smashed at Ron and missed his head by about a foot and he never moved a muscle or blinked. Mick Perrin was skipper and sent him off!
My stint as Chairman was straight after Ron and came about because he decided not to show up for the presentation night and I was a late sub
He was a good servant to the club and a great bloke and is missed, we shared many hours together playing cricket and snooker

From Alan Joy

I was captain Sunday Xl Ron had not signed up his name on the team sheet to say he was available and turned up at 3pm saying “I thought the game was off”, I said “you did not sign up so thought you were unavailable, so we have a team thanks”. He mumbled something about signing up, so I produced the team sheet which he ripped up and started threatening me. I said to him “ You hit me, and I’ll get the Police!”.
A good man was Ron

From Tony Trotman
Ron was a great bloke, I had so much fun with him, he could be awkward and cantankerous but was more often than not great fun !
I noticed one thing particularly after travelling around with him on Sundays and spending lots of time with him over the years that he had a very good vocabulary and enjoyed a story, it's a great shame that he is not here now to tell his Box cc story as I know it would be a brilliant read !
One story travelling back from WSM (I think) on a coach with the team and some others was stopping in the dark for 'toilet' break!
We all done our business and as we were getting back in the coach Ron pointing at Simon King's nether regions and exclaimed " you dirty little bastard! " Simon had a small wet patch! We then turned to Ron and his trousers were completely soaked !!

A famous story on tour in Sussex...
We had 26 on tour and somehow only had 10 at the match so some calls were made to the golf course and a certain Mr Joy raced back to the match to make up the team! Ron was captain and Box had already started batting on this particular day, as Alan walked past him to get changed Ron put his hand up to acknowledge him! Alan thought he meant can you bat number 5 as Ron had raised his 'whole' hand (5 digits) when acknowledging him !
So, he went in to pad up only to find Neil was already padding up! Neil said, "what are you doing Joyer?" Alan said, "Batting 5 as Ron said!"
The issue was eventually resolved with Ron pointing out to Alan that he was merely waving his hand to thank Alan for turning up !
This then had an adverse effect on Alan who promptly packed his kit and left for home!!! Hilarious especially as Joyer was organising the Greek meal that evening!
Not to be left out someone in the club presented Alan with his Greek meal a few days later at Box on the Saturday league game !

Our next episode of Player/Member profile is on a man who featured for the club both on and off the field for many years between 50/60’s up until the late 9