The Auckland Deaf Society Basketball Club celebrate their ‘Golden’ Anniversary, their 50th anniversary, at the ADS Balmoral clubrooms. Many people share their memories of being involved in the Basketball Club, speeches are given, and many people enjoy the celebrations by dancing and chatting.
In 1950, Dz Svikers came up to Auckland to stay for the weekend from Wellington and it was his idea to form a deaf indoor basketball team. The Auckland Deaf team was formed and was taught by Jack Bonham and Buddy Corlett, of the YMCA. The team was called “Deaf Old Boys” but the name was later changed to Auckland Deaf Society. The 1950 team consisted of Owen Gibbons, Keith Gordon, Jim Cheyne, Alan Hartley, John McRae and Tom Gibling. They played at the old YMCA Hall, and eventually attained ‘A’ Grade, starred in the YMCA competition and two of the members were selected for the Auckland representative team. It was during this time that the Auckland Deaf Society had a large influx of players from other smaller towns such as the two Forman bothers – Mervyn Forman and Ray Forman.
