PNBHS 1917-1922 – Gordon Club

Buster was a fine all-round student with a strong academic record and sporting talent. In athletics he was an expert high jumper, played A Grade rugby for Gordon, was a School Librarian and platoon sergeant in the school’s Cadet Unit. In 1921 he was the NCO in charge of the squad which won the Monrad Cup, a special physical drill competition. The Cup was presented by Mr O Monrad in 1919. This was the first year of the inter-club competition and hence Buster was a foundation member of Gordon Club.

It was tennis where he made his sporting fame. Tennis had started in 1917 at the School when a tournament was arranged to be played at the conclusion of the cricket season. Mr Hodder, Chairman of the High School Board, kindly presented a silver medal to be competed for in the championship singles event. Buster won this from 1920-1922 and was runner-up in 1918-1919.

While at School he became the NZ Junior Champion on two occasions. He was the Senior Champion of the Wellington Provinces in 1922. He was NZ Champion on two occasions and represented NZ four times in the Davis Cup. The first time he won the NZ title was after a tour of Australia where he learnt very rapidly the impact of the serve and volley game.

On moving to England in 1927 he continued to play Davis Cup for NZ and had an excellent record at Wimbledon. In 1928 he defeated 4th seed, American Frank Hunter in the first round; Hunter was the 1923 Wimbledon runner-up and the 1924 Olympic Champion. Buster staved off three match points to win 7-5 in the fifth and, to quote the press at the time, had “stunned the tennis world”. In 1929 he won the South of England Championships at Eastbourne overpowering England’s best to show he was world class. Buster would go on to reach the singles quarter-finals twice at Wimbledon, as well as the doubles and mixed doubles quarter-finals. He competed in the US National Championships, later the US Open, in 1935 while on a business trip. His final hurrah came in the doubles at Wimbledon in 1947.

Buster is remembered annually at the School with the Andrews Cup which is competed for as an inter-club tennis competition and part of the Shand Shield rivalry. Buster presented the Cup to the school in 1934 while on a home visit.