Hurricane Harold had sports mojo

WHEN Harold Haslam died, Newcastle lost one of its true characters and sporting icons.

Harold, or ‘‘Doc’’, as he was fondly known, was an outstanding cricketer and a top-flight baseballer, and is one of a handful of people who can say they graced the rugby league field with the great Clive Churchill.

His sporting achievements aside, Harold was a friend to many and was always up to telling a good story or joke.

Harold, from Charlestown, died in a retirement home in Waratah aged 89 on October 26.

Good friend Judy Maynard said Harold died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes.

The Haslam family came from a strong working class background which helped mould them as local sporting high achievers.

Harold’s grandfather, Thomas Denny, began work with the Newcastle Morning Herald, as it was then known, in the 1880s and established what was to become a long-lasting family tradition with the newspaper.

Harold’s other grandfather, Benjamin Haslam, would eventually go on to become the first rail station master appointed at Glen Innes.

But it wouldn’t be in newspapers or on the rail that Harold Haslam would make his name.

He was a highly regarded plumber working for Middleby Brothers for years and also spent time at the state dockyard.

He was also an excellent cricketer, who played in Newcastle for more than 30 years, beginning as an exciting young wicketkeeper.

Despite his peers regarding him as one of the very best glovemen to play in the Hunter, it was his big hitting which coined his cricketing nickname, ‘‘Hurricane’’.

In 1947 he scored 50 runs in 26 minutes while playing for Hamilton against Stockton. The year before he had reached the milestone in an even quicker time, scoring a half-century in 19 minutes at the crease.

He made his maiden first-grade century against Stockton in 49 minutes, hitting 13 fours and five sixes, with 82 of his 101 coming by way of boundaries.

Harold would often tell people he always considered himself a rugby league player first, but despite his keenness and natural ability he realised he preferred cricket.