Bill Rogers
one of Australia's oldest and most respected
players passes away on 29th May, 2005.
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VALE WILLIAM TIBBOTT TREVOR ROGERS
(Bill)
(Extracts from eulogies given at Bill’s Thanksgiving Service)
One of Australia’s oldest and most respected veteran tennis players, Bill Rogers passed away at Toowoomba on the 29th May, 2005 just days before his 91st birthday.
In April, Bill captained the Rest of the World team of 90 yo’s which played a US team in Palm Springs, California. At the time of his passing he was scheduled to be in Austria, where he had entered the Austrian and European Championships, and where he had been chosen to play in the Bill Talbert Cup.
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Bill was privileged to be born a Welshman, certainly not with a silver spoon in his mouth, but with music in his blood and poetry in his soul. He was born at home at "The Moat", in Montgomeryshire, the seventh child, and second son of John and Margaret, nee Benbow.
Bill had happy memories of his childhood. He enjoyed physical activity and was a willing worker from a young age. The only form of transport was on foot, so children were accustomed to walking and running for miles. When the gentry had their fox hunts, the boys followed.
Bill was destined to love singing. His mother hummed all through her busy days, and his father often practised quartets with his friend with the aid of a tuning fork. Listening to the village choir rehearsals on Monday nights was a boyhood delight. Especially after a music festival, the boys would interrupt their lunch time game of soccer, to sing their most recent piece, with Bill conducting.
In 1927, he arrived in Australia with his family, aged 13 and immediately became a working man. While working on the Darling Downs an accident with a horse caused him to break his femur. The leg mended short, resulting in painful problems with his back and legs that continued for the rest of his life. At 15, Bill returned to farm work, rose at 3 a.m. every day, and worked up to 110 hours a week. In 2½ years he had 2 days off, and was very thankful to have a job, which many men didn’t.
Bill became independent at 18, by buying a milk run and horse and cart. This meant rising at 1.30 a.m. every morning to milk the cows and deliver the milk, and milking and delivering again in the afternoon. Later his brothers joined him to form Rogers Bros. to become the largest milk vendors in Qld. Because they sang on their rounds, - anything from opera to scales to oratorio - they became well known as "The Singing Milkmen ".
From his late teens, Bill sang with many Church choirs and at charity concerts. It was not unusual for the family to provide the entire program. He was a keen member of Toowoomba Choral Society, and sang solos, duets and quartets. For many years the Rogers Brothers quartet was unbeaten at the Queensland Eisteddfod.
When hostilities broke out with Japan, Bill volunteered for the Coast Watch, but was rejected because of his short leg. He was rejected for the same reason when he volunteered for the AIF, but was eventually placed in an Army hospital unit. He was listed to sail on the hospital ship, Centaur, which was torpedoed by the Japanese with great loss of life. Just before sailing, Bill’s name was withdrawn.
By 1947, the brothers had grain farms on the Downs. Bill married Joan in 1959, and while farming at Macalaster, their children were born – Peter (decd) John, Margaret, David and Evan.
For the first few years there was no phone, no electricity and no all weather road. One of Bill’s off-season farm jobs was to spread 1200 tons of gravel with a shovel, to raise the house surrounds above flood level. His capacity for hard physical work was legendary, even up to his death, and remarkable for such a slightly built man.
He relinquished farming in 1974, and “retired” to Toowoomba, where he was able to realize his dream of taking up tennis seriously. He build his own court by breaking up over 100 tons of ant bed with a shovel, and spreading it evenly by the same means. He enjoyed coaching dozens of local children, always with extraordinary patience.
Since his first overseas tournament in 1991, Bill represented Australia in a number of Veterans’ teams, won many European and other ITF singles and doubles championships, and in 2001 was ranked No 1 in the world in the ITF rankings for men 85 years.
Bill always enjoyed the camaraderie of the international tournaments and appreciated the numerous friendships he made. Last year in Philadelphia, Bill and his American partner won the World Doubles title for the 90’s, against Gardnar Mulloy and his partner. Bill played one of the best matches of his life against Gardnar in the singles. In a three set, 3½ hour tussle, Gardnar beat Bill by a whisker.
At a party in the USA last year, Bill was asked to sing, after which a fellow guest, a Professor of Music, exclaimed, “This 90 year old shows such skill and agility on the tennis court, and also has such a pure sweet voice AND perfect pitch.” (Tennis and Singing were Bill’s two passions in life.)
Bill always thought himself as very ordinary. Never did he think of himself as better than anyone else, at anything. He would have been utterly amazed at the comments about him that I have received since his passing.
A leading Welsh academic told me that Bill endeared himself to people because he was so natural. The message from a tennis contemporary stated, “I won’t use the word “loss” for he can’t be lost to you the family, or friends in many parts of the world who saw in him the trait of a great athlete and competitor who was an example to us all. How much better person McEnroe would be if he had even the tenth of the humility and sportsmanship of Bill. I feel fortunate to have known him, on and off the court, a true blue Aussie in every way”. Another contemporary spoke of him as one in a million, always a keen competitor and a true gentleman on court. Others remembered Bill as being so full of life, a fabulous man, with a twinkle in his eye all the time, a special man. Many remember him as much for his singing as his enthusiastic tennis. He was a real inspiration to countless young players.
Bill was very much loved by his children, and adored by his 8 grandchildren. They saw him as a quiet, simple man, a little guy who was all guts and determination, and passion for life. He had endless energy, always keeping his mind and body active, either by hard physical work, reading biographies, studying tennis, or practicing his tennis or singing. He was full of commonsense and awareness, and they thank him for their ability to think for themselves. They will long remember him as a wonderful story teller. All acknowledge that he was instrumental in setting them on the path to taking a keen interest in health and fitness. Above all, he gave them the keys to success by pure example. He taught them the importance of a diligent work ethic, and exhibited the qualities to look for in a life partner.
Bill’s Christian faith was simple and uncomplicated. In keeping with the music in his soul, he often spoke of the need to keep in tune with God.
His Thanksgiving Service gave full expression to this music. St Luke’s Church, Toowoomba was filled with the Welsh hymns he loved so dearly. Toowoomba Choral Society sang Schubert’s Psalm 23, which Bill and Joan had enjoyed singing so often with the choir.
Although Bill unhesitatingly called himself Australian, he prized his Welsh heritage and his service concluded with a stirring rendition of the Welsh National Anthem, sung by massed male voices.
It has been noted by Bill’s family and friends that old age never caught up with him. He died the free, youthful spirit he always was, agile in body and mind. He was rosy-cheeked to the end and his heart and lungs which had carried him through so many demanding singles matches, did not fail him. He died from septicaemia, because his time of departure had come.
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