More on the Rugby Boys

Here's another old photograph of a St Joe rugby team.

According to Chee Kok, this might be the school team in 1975, when we were in Form 4. There are many more players from other forms, including Vernon Chew, older brother of Bertram who was in Form 5 Arts 1 (1976).

Here are the usual zoomed-in sections ...

Left section

Middle section

Right section

Anyway, have fun identifying the players ...
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Snapshots at St Joe (Part 3)

Today's post features the sports facilities of St Joe - for football, hockey, sepak takraw, shot putt, other sports and exercises ...

The first shot is kindly contributed by Kuan Chee Kok and shows a somewhat aerial view of St Joe in the 70s or early 80s. I think this is a scene that most of us would find familiar ...

Fig 1: St Joe in 1970/80s

The subsequent shots are of St Joe as it looks today. These were taken over the weekend by Leo Sia. Thanks Leo!

Fig 2: Football, rugby and hockey fields

Fig 3: Football field with shot putt areas in foreground

Fig 4: Hockey field, with marching band practice & Primary School block

Fig 5: Sepak takraw court

Fig 6: A new, well-equipped gym

Well, those are the sports facilities at St Joe, then and now. By the way, for some of you who asked about the woodwork workshop and the old chinning bars, Leo advises that unfortunately they have been removed.

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The Rugby Boys

Someone asked about the St Joe rugby fields in the previous posting on "Snapshots at St Joe". Well, I don't yet have any photos of those fields, but I do have a great contribution from our master photo archiver Kuan Chee Kok on ..... (drumroll) ..... the Rugby Team in the 70s, posing with their coach Bro Adrian!

What a bunch of macho guys. I think this is the A Team ... (please confirm, chaps).

Once again, thanks very much KCK and do keep the photos coming !

As usual, here are the zoomed-in shots ...

Left section



Right section

Undoubtedly a great sporting momento. Now for a couple of questions:

* Firstly, how many of the chaps in the above picture can you name ?

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* Secondly, what year was this picture taken?

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* And thirdly, could the next picture be the same team a few minutes later? And if so, can you match face to bum ? :-)

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Before the entire team decide to find me and do their "scrum" on top of me, let me hasten to say: JUST KIDDING GUYS !!! LOL
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Snapshot of an EVEN FURTHER Past

Guys, we certainly have a lot to thank our old friend Kuan Chee Kok for ! Here's an even older photograph of ..... (drumroll) .... St Joe Primary 6A class of 1971 ... that he has kept in near perfect condition all these years! [ CK, I think this qualifies you to claim a drink from every chap in this picture who happens to be in or visit KL ;-) ]

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Not all of us from the Form 5 (1976) classes were there in this Primary 6 class, but quite a large number were. See if you can recognise the familiar faces. And hey, weren't some of us SOOOOO CUUUTTTEEE .... ??? !!!

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The Principal is Mr Chai Chin Tu, the lady on the left is Mrs M. Leong, and the other lady is (I think) Miss Chong.

Huh, what was that you say? Too small? Can't see? Tsk tsk tsk - ok, ok, just for you half-blind old foggies, here are the blown up sections again ...

Left section

Middle section

Right section

Enjoy the reminiscing ...
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Snapshot of the Past: Form 3A in 1974

WOW!!!! Here's a rare, old photo contributed by our friend Kuan Chee Kok. It shows the class that was Form 3A in 1974 ... some 35 years ago. Kudos to Chee Kok for saving this gem!

I know, I know ... it's too small and you want me to blow it up in sections. OK, here you are.

Left section

Middle section

Right section

Have fun identifying all your classmates ... btw, does anyone remember what's the name of the lady teacher?

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Mini Reunion in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

On the evening of 2nd April 2009, seven members of the Form 5 Sc class of 1976 met up at Bangsar Shopping Centre, KL. We were at a place called La Bodega. Lots of wine, finger food, conversation and laughter. It was the first meeting after 33 years for some of us.

KCK was there early, waiting for us as PC picked two of us from around the KL Sentral area, and quickly got us to Bangsar around 7:30pm, albeit with some unsure navigation :-) About half an hour later CM joined us. For me, as one who hasn't seen my friends since Form 5 days, I must say that KCK has probably changed most in appearance, less so for the others. But when we got down to chatting, we quickly found out that the core of everyone had not changed at all.

KCK works for computer giant HP. Both PC and CM say they are semi-retired. Geez, some people are lucky, while others still have to slog away...

Left to right: PC, CK & JY

Another shot of us + CM who just joined us

After while, LC in a bright red shirt joined us, looking very fit and healthy. Been keeping up his gym cardio workouts, I am told. He has been working in the IT industry for many years, and is a senior executive in FSBM.

JY & LC

Later still, RZ dropped by - even excusing himself from a Petronas corporate function. I can still see the old Roney grin, although the top of the head is a little smoother and shinier. But the lanky look kinda suits Roney, who looks hip in his dark t-shirt.

JY & RZ

Good conversation lubricated by good wine

Look at the animated discussions (even from the back!)

Checking out old photos on the PC ... hey, i knew that gal!

RZ listening pensively ...

Three bottles of south american Carbernet Sauvignon and many plates of snacks later, we all stumbled to say goodbye for the night. Most of us can be seen in this group photo ....

Left to right: PC, LC's son, LC, RZ, KCK, CM & JY

Certainly a great evening. So, so much to catch up on. Hilarious stories from Kuching and Australia and New Zealand and UK, career recollections, ups and downs and twists of life, stories of who got hitched to who, family updates, perusing old photos from JY's notebook .... Six and half hours flew by without our feeling it. It was almost 2am by the time we left.

As Cyril later remarked "I've not laughed so much for a long while. Good for the soul ..." . I've no doubt that ALL present would agree with him. I hope this is just the first of a series of more regular mini-reunions, possibly with a bigger reunion later in the year.

[Cameraman's post-script: Apologies for the poor quality of the original set of shots. My old 10 mega-pixel camera obviously cannot compare with PC's 12.1 mega-pixel number, which generated most of this second batch of photos. Good stuff Philip. Thanks mate ...]