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YES!
BELIEVE it or not there was a formal beginning to the Hong Kong Hash House
Harriers. There was also a start. The start, however, was after the
beginning. To get the story straight we must begin with the beginning and
end with the start! With me so far?
Back
in the bleak days of January or February in the year, sa‑rilm sombilan‑ratus
tujoh‑puloh or 1970 (if you're illiterate or cannot speak Malay) the SCMP
carried a small but important advertisement ‑ a most unusual ad and one to
be understood by only a very few in exile. The mystery of this ad prompted a
keen SCMP reporter to track down, the one responsible and after a few days
H4 got its first publicity. Unfortunately this keen chap wrote , lot of
balls, telling everyone in Hong Kong that a strange cult had arrived in Hong
Kong which spent Monday evenings JOGGING! Still, how was the poor fool to
know?
The
ad (you might have guessed by now) which prompted all this publicity was an
appeal to exiled Hashmen to meet to form a chapter in
Hong
Kong. A date was fixed ‑ l6th Feb. 1970 ‑ and, in the "PUB" in D'Aguilar
St., H4 was born. Then followed some chug‑a-lugging and general merriment, a
song or two perhaps and I can even recollect some one on a table! Office
bearers were eventually elected (appointed!) and in true hash style, the
proceedings were late in starting, quick in appointing and late in ending.
This historic gathering voted YES to form a Hash and John Beavon fucked off
to lay a run. This was the Beginning. |
A
week later the first circular was dispatched to the "few" with a request to
spread the gospel and bring friends. (How times have changed!). The moment
of truth had arrived. How many would turn out? Would the "lads" in Hong Kong
join the intrepid exiles from Singapore and Malaysia?
Beavon set the date, time and place ‑ 6 p.m., Peak Car Park ‑ Monday Feb.
23, 1976. They came in twos, in threes add alone. Rowe and Watson, Buyers,
Gibb. Hendrie. Tatham, Thatcher and Whitson, Green, Malcolm and Sandy Glass,
Atria, Stewart followed by Woodford, Chapman, Wilson and Muller, Duhigg and
Campbell, Bellis
Hosie and Carr. This, then. was the START.
At
six o'clock "ON ON": the familiar cry, was heard in Hong Kong for the first
time as 22 stalwarts disappeared into the swirling fog, The sound that has
scattered terrorists in Malaysia, disturbed the citizens and wild life
throughout Singapore; frightened the living day lights from peaceful
natives in distant kampongs, now, scared the shit out of the residents of
the Peak in Hong Kong, "ON ON" and up and around one and up again and down
Mt. Austin, Lugard Road, Harlech Road ‑ all over the Peak the select little
group ran: the old hands explained what "checks" were, cursed false risks
etc. Ever "ON ON" until somehow in about an hour every one was back at the
start for an "ON ON" in the cozy comfort and warmth of the Peak Cafe. A good
run? OK, agreed the old hands, but could do with a bit more country! To,
much Toad running. At that time we didn't know that in Hong Kong "the
country" meant vertical hillsides. We were to lean! |
The
"few" (23 in all) have their names securely etched on pewter entries to
commemorate that great occasion. There are others, who from time to time,
claim to have participated in "Run I". Those are all liars! Even Tim Green,
a Hashman who has more runs to his credit than most, didn't make it. Sure,
he was there at the end. Not on the ran, so his name didn’t get on
that mug. Not Robin Radcliffe, although he was our first Hon. See. Aim, from
this first expedition only Dick Glob remains, SCB extraordinaire, a hashman,
from the Singapore school. His philosophy: Ran a bit, walk a bit. rest a
bit, always walk up hills, may be run some more, but above all, enjoy the
company of your fellow runners.
Of
the others, many still link in Hong Kong; Glass, Hendrie, Beavon Buyers,
Green R., Watson, Rowe. Can they be persuaded to run with us again? Whitson
runs with the others over in China (Traitor!) Stewart, Artis Tatham,
Thacker, Glass (Sandy), Muller and the others have all left. Artis still
runs in Singapore and messages received from Bangkok state that Stewart has
difficulty in checking in Pationg. Woodford having hashed in Kboramshar is
now in Chicago. Of the rest nothing more is known. No doubt, if the is a
Hash somewhere they will be a part of it.
Well that's how it all started.
Since then countless individuals have been turned into Hashman, all have
left their mark in some form or other and have enjoyed a bit of fresh air on
Monday nights. Early next year will be 114's 7th amaweroay. May we hope that
H4 and all we think it stands for, keep going and, on occasion, say "thanks"
to those few Hash stalwarts who got the whole thing going here in Hong Kong
back in 1970.
Dick Gibb - 1977
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