World Bowls Tournament 1976

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info card_2

Cachet: The cachet shows a close up photograph of a dark, well used lawn bowl with three thin white grooves ringing its surface and the maker's mark "Edgbrap" pressed faintly into the leather. Above it, on the reverse of the envelope's left side, the words "World Tournament / Wêreldtoernooi" run underneath in matching black text. Two circular postmarks near the stamp show a bowler mid delivery, crouched low with the bowl just released, echoing the same pose captured on the stamp itself.

Info card

1976 WORLD BOWLS TOURNAMENT WÊRELDROLBALTOERNOOI 1976 Die idee van 'n Wêreldrolbaltoernooi het in Suid-Afrika ontstaan en is bespreek met die bestuurder van die Australiese rolbalspan wat in 1961 deur die Republiek getoer het. Die bestuurder het dié idee aan die Australian Bowls Council geopper en die afgevaardigdes van hierdie raad het so 'n toernooi op 'n vergadering van die International Bowling Board voorgestel. Dié raad het die voorstel goedgekeur en die wêreldrolbalkampioenskap is die eerste keer in 1966 in Sydney, Australië, en die tweede keer in 1972 in Worthing, Engeland, gehou. Suid-Afrika het gevra dat die derde wêreldrolbalkampioenskap in die Republiek gehou word en dit is op die vergadering van die International Bowling Board in Worthing goedgekeur. Die amptelike opening van die kampioenskap vind op 18 Februarie 1976 om 11h00 by die Zoo Lake-klub, Johannesburg, plaas. Elke land wat deelneem, word verteenwoordig deur vyf spelers wat op 'n rondomtaliegrondslag soos volg speel: Pare en drietalle gelyktydig Viertalle en enkelspel gelyktydig Die wenners van elke item ontvang 'n goue medalje en 'n trofee en die tweede en derde span ontvang onderskeidelik silwer- en bronsmedaljes. Die land wat die beste in al vier items vaar, ontvang die Leonardtrofee. WORLD BOWLS TOURNAMENT 1976 The concept of a World Bowls Tournament originated in South Africa and was discussed with the manager of the Australian bowls team that toured the Republic in 1961. The manager took the idea back to the Australian Bowls Council, whose delegates proposed such a tournament to a meeting of the International Bowling Board. The Board approved of the proposal and the first World Bowls Championship was held in Sydney, Australia, in 1966, and the second at Worthing, England, in 1972. South Africa applied to stage the Third World Bowls Championships and this was approved at the meeting of the International Bowling Board held in Worthing. The official opening of the Championship will take place at 11h00 on 18 February 1976 at the Zoo Lake Club, Johannesburg. Each participating country is represented by five players and they play on a round-robin basis as follows: Pairs and triples simultaneously Fours and singles simultaneously The winners of each event receive a gold medal and trophy and the second and third teams receive silver and bronze medals respectively. The country that does best in all four events receives the Leonard Trophy. Note: a second photographic insert accompanies this cover, showing bowlers on the green at the Zoo Lake Club with an inset bowl reading "3rd World Bowls Championships South Africa 1976" and the BIB (Bowls International Board) triple-globe logo.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 18 February 1976 in Johannesburg, SAPO reference PT 2.12. It marks the official opening of the Third World Bowls Championships at the Zoo Lake Club, a tournament South Africa itself proposed after discussions with the touring Australian team back in 1961. The stamp was designed by John Maskew and shows a bowler in mid delivery. What's easy to miss is that South Africa didn't just host this event, it originated the whole concept of a World Bowls Tournament, years before the first championship was even held in Sydney in 1966.

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