Rugby
He always seemed ungainly and rather ponderous at games, especially football. However, the senior school opened up the world of rugby to him. Still not fleet of foot, he nevertheless used his superior height and strength to great advantage. As he grew, so did his prowess on the pitch. I remember, in one rugby match, trying to tackle him round the waist. This only slowed him slightly and, as other opponents came in, he smashed them down with his free hand. A couple of other boys grabbed onto him, but he powered down the field with three of us clinging on, being thumped heavily to free his progress. He easily made the school rugby team in the successive years he was there, growing bigger all of the time.
Mean Machine
In Junior School and for the first two years at the senior school, I remember Ronnie as being affable, despite his later prowess on the rugby field. This changed in the succeeding couple of years. By the time he was fifteen, Ronnie had developed a bullying mean streak. You tried to avoid him when going home at dinner (lunch) and tea times. A normal conversation would suddenly turn nasty because of some imagined slight, and you would find yourself being pinned against a fence, or crushed in a head lock or flat on your back on the pavement with him on top. If you didn't beg for mercy or forgiveness he would simply bash you until you did.
By a series of eliminators, Ronnie eventually came face to face with his main rival for school fight champion, an equally cruel and vicious boy from across town. This, apparently, was the fight to end all fights. There was no Marquis of Queensbury rules applying here. The fight was with fists, feet, knees, elbows and heads. It was, in truth, like a gladatorial contest. If one of them fell, the other would simply kick him in the face and at full force. Eyes were gouged, hair pulled, shirts and trousers bloodily ripped and fists, clothes and shoes were smeared with the blood of both parties. After an epic and stomach-churning battle that lasted for over an hour, Ronnie emerged as the undisputed champ. He was bloodied, battered and bruised but, as they say, you should have seen the other guy!
Just a year later, when still at school, Ronnie suffered a bad bout of rheumatic fever, which nearly killed him and which weakened his heart. However, his reputation was still intact and no one bothered to take advantage of his weakened status when he returned to school. The walks home were no better; his bullying instincts were undimmed.
Ronnie suffered academically, maybe as a result of his illness. He stayed on at school, past eighteen, for another one or two years, I was told.
What happened to him? He eventually became a primary school head teacher.
By a series of eliminators, Ronnie eventually came face to face with his main rival for school fight champion, an equally cruel and vicious boy from across town. This, apparently, was the fight to end all fights. There was no Marquis of Queensbury rules applying here. The fight was with fists, feet, knees, elbows and heads. It was, in truth, like a gladatorial contest. If one of them fell, the other would simply kick him in the face and at full force. Eyes were gouged, hair pulled, shirts and trousers bloodily ripped and fists, clothes and shoes were smeared with the blood of both parties. After an epic and stomach-churning battle that lasted for over an hour, Ronnie emerged as the undisputed champ. He was bloodied, battered and bruised but, as they say, you should have seen the other guy!
Just a year later, when still at school, Ronnie suffered a bad bout of rheumatic fever, which nearly killed him and which weakened his heart. However, his reputation was still intact and no one bothered to take advantage of his weakened status when he returned to school. The walks home were no better; his bullying instincts were undimmed.
Ronnie suffered academically, maybe as a result of his illness. He stayed on at school, past eighteen, for another one or two years, I was told.
What happened to him? He eventually became a primary school head teacher.
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