HENRY SLAWINSKI

November 2, 2011

When Henry Slawinski teamed with Peter Harris and Dirk Ertzen to win the Seniors Triples at Melville Bowling Club in 2008 the popular bowler was overcome by emotion.

The veteran of over three decades in the game was no stranger to success, and the Seniors Triples trophy was by no means his greatest achievement. But the significence of this win was far greater than anything else Slawinski had done.

Just months earlier the likelihood of standing on the winners podium again was bleak, with a doctors diagnosis ringing in his head.

"I'm sorry to say we can't help you. We can't operate, it's gone too far."

But while there are ends to be played you're always a chance, and Henry Slawinski, with the help of some dedicated medical people including oncologist Janelle Hayward, toughed it out and came up trumps.

Four months after undergoing treatment he was a winner on the green again.

The competitive spirit that saw Slawinski though his biggest challenge has been evident throughout his sporting career. Whether as a wicketkeeper who as a fourteen year old made six stumpings on the WACA ground during Junior Country Week, then after losing a finger made a comeback with a century, a basketballer who topped the pointscorers, an East Fremantle footballer, or a trotting driver, he has always given a hundred percent.

Henry Slawinski's last report card at school before he left as a fourteen year old in 1960 was a manuscript of just three words, none of which referred to his scholastic abilities.

"Good at sport." It turned out to be a prophetic summary.

He showed plenty of ability as a centre half forward/full forward at Wagin and soon attracted the notice of talent scouts from East Fremantle as well as defenders from opposition clubs in the GSFL. One of the top sides in that competition was Wickepin, and his first meeting with their centre half back Colin Fleay didn't last long. "The ball came down, Colin cleaned me up, I ended up in hospital," Henry recalled. "Nothing untoward, he wasn't that sort of player, but he was hard at it."

Slawinski played six reserves games with the Sharks in 1966 and was highly regarded at Moss Street but returned home. Forced out of cricket when an accident saw him lose the index finger from his right hand, Henry made a comeback when the Wagin District Club, which he was managing, decided to enter a team in the local competition. Most of the side were novices at the game and they took several seasons of beltings before emerging as a leader in the competition. At the age of thirty Henry became the club's first century maker.

He was also a good basketballer, and at just under six foot and possessing a spring of foot and a foot of spring, Slawinski was one the Association's highest pointscorers while he was playing.

Henry was also a trainer and driver of pacers. Saluting the judge with his second drive in a race, he trained eighteen winners including one at Gloucester Park. One of his best was Anthony Mist, who won eight races and was placed over fifty times, after costing him two hundred dollars to buy.

Henry Slawinski's bowling career began inauspiciously in 1977 at the age of thirty two.

He formed a friendship with Les Howe and Arthur O'Brien(father of Colin) at the Wagin District Club and played scroungers for a few months without becoming too serious. It was a move to Kalannie as manager of the local Sports Club that resulted in him embracing the game. An association with Tony Di Bello, who later played at Carlisle-Lathlain and Bedford, was to reap the pair the runner up trophy in the club pairs, an event they were to win a couple of years later, as well as two triples and a fours.

Slawinski then bought a share in the Dalwallinu Hotel, and got immersed in the chores of running a pub. Staff shortages were a hindrance to his sporting interests, but he managed to play in two winning club fours combinations, plus runner up in two championship singles and two championship pairs events. In 1984 his seventy two year old yardman at the hotel, Charles Sinclair, was having an ale at the club when the draw for the club fours was about to take place. Finding they were one team short, Charles was asked to put a team in. Charlie was a very occasional bowler but emboldened by the singing syrup readily put his hand up.

He recruited his boss, Henry, and two more novices, Brian Fenner and Jim Cullen.

The four upset the field and won the event.

Qualifying for the League Fours they then went to Moora and were successful again, defeating Gordon Smith's team in the final, a feat the quartet repeated the following year.

A move to Perth saw Henry begin a five year stint at Riverton-Rossmoyne, where he resumed his friendship with Les Howe. During his time there he won the club singles and two club triples, before deciding to have a crack at one red with Melville in 1992.

Hoping for a second spot in red, he played the first game of pennants that year as skipper in one white, before teaming with Frank Vella and John Andrews to win the championship triples. The selectors were no doubt impressed, and an elevation to one red skip followed. Runner up in the club pairs with Max Sheehan twice, Henry spent four seasons with Melville before a phone call from Peter Sardelic resulted in a transfer to Cockburn.

Skippering in the top division, Slawinski performed well for the high achieving Cockburn, but the sixteen were bridesmaids in the pennant finals two years in a row. With Allan Davis, Denis Haydock, and Lindsay Muter in his rink, Henry won fourteen and a half of the eighteen pennant games in his first season at the club. and was selected in the State Squad in 1996-97.

In the meantime, good mate Paul Keating and Slawinski teamed up for the Masters Pairs and made a semi final as well as winning several country carnivals. Henry has plenty of time for Paul as a bowler. "Paul was good enough to lead or for that matter play anywhere in the State side," he said. "He was a very good player, and was unlucky not to be recognised at a higher level."

Keating continually attempted to entice Henry to join him at Kalamunda, but to no avail. Finally, Slawinski said "OK, if you make top red," not really thinking that would happen.

The Kala boys duly achieved promotion, and Slawinski was true to his word. Henry regards his time at the hills club as some of his best in bowls. With Keating he reached the semi finals of the Masters Pairs twice, and the duo joined forces with Glyn Vaughan and Bill West to add a Masters Fours to their resume. With Allan Kemp and Mark Clancy they won a Bedford Bowl and with Steve Novak and Neil Griffen were equal third in a State Fours. Paul and Henry were also equal third in a State Pairs.

Living in Jandakot was always going to be a travel problem, and eventually Slawinski transferred closer to home at Leeming, where he helped the club graduate from first blue to first white, before moving to Geraldton to be nearer to his son and grandchildren. Henry is enjoying life at Wonthella these days, having fought the big battle, and has been a great stalwart of the club, where he received magnificent support during his illness.

Slawinski was the winner of the 2006 Country Week Singles, and three years later teamed with Eddie Dodd to be successful in the Country Week Pairs.

Henry was an inaugural member of the Western Australian State Over Sixties team, and has represented his State in four carnivals. It was with much angst that he made the decision recently to step down from the Interstate competition. "It was a real tough call," he told us, "but the travel was too much.I enjoyed the camaraderie of the side, and will miss it."

But he has no plans to slow down on a local level. The opportunity to be part of son Mark's burgeoning career has added a new dimension to his game, and he is enjoying it. They were runners up in the Wonthella Championship Pairs recently, have been successful in other events together, and Henry is looking forward to future games.

His choices of the best players of his time are no surprise. "Peter Sardelic was without peer as a skip, and Dennis Katunarich, Robbie Ball, and Steve Shroy were all great players. Keith Doncon was also brilliant, and would have to be the best sportsman to have come from the country."

Henry Slawinski thanks the game of bowls for many enduring friendships and wonderful times. He has been and still is a good competitor, talented player, and a nice bloke.

As one bowler who frequently encountered him in country carnivals commented recently: "Henry's what it's all about," he said. "He's beaten cancer and is still out there playing."

RON HEAD