Wonthella and Mullewa bowling clubs battle it out to remember club legends

Wonthella Maroon and Mullewa met on the greens of the Wonthella bowling club in the second annual Murphy Johnson Memorial clash. The two clubs met on Friday night to honour Charlie Murphy and Paul Johnson, two men who were heavily involved in the bowls scene. Jean Murphy, the widow of Charlie Murphy, said bowls was his second home or even his first having played and presided over the Saint Kilda Bowling club in Victoria. “When we moved here from Victoria this is the first club we came to, and we joined the club here,” she said. “So he has won championships here and he was actually a president here and he also played a season out at Mullewa,” ”He went over there to help them out one year so won the Mullewa golden bowl over there.” Paul Johnson’s mum Shirley said he picked up the game through corporate bowls. “He just started playing corporate bowls and then he decided that he would take it up and played for Mullewa and was there for quite a few years. “He was a really good and along with his father won different accolades up there as well.” “There’s been quite a rivalry between the two.” After the first meeting was fought over a plastic cup Shirley and Jean decided to have a special trophy commissioned to honour the two men. “We thought we could do better, I took one of Charlie’s bowls from Melbourne to see what could be done and I think it’s just beautiful,” Jean said. The two men were accomplished sportsmen across the board with Murphy playing reserves football for Everton in England while Johnson was a stand-out performer in football, golf and basketball. “They just love the sport and we’ve always followed them,” they said. While both men were excellent bowls players they are also fondly remembered for their personalities off the greens. “Both clubs knew of Paul just as well as they’d know Charlie,” they said. “If you walked in on a bowls day you’d see the two of them sitting there at the bar.” “They were real larrikins, they’d give you all the cheek under the sun they’d have an answer for everything.” “But they’d do anything for their clubs, they loved their bowls but more so they loved their clubs.” Regardless of the result Shirley and Jean are appreciative of the two clubs coming together to remember the men. “It really is lovely, the guys playing today would’ve all known the boys, it’s lovely that the clubs got together to do something like this.”