ON THIS DAY - 15th September
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | September 15, 2024
In 1973, Life Member and player of 21 seasons, Syd Philp (#269), made his debut in A-Res grade. Syd had previous played for Churches since the late 1950’s, for a long time as an opening bat in A grade.
After only a few seasons, he was ushering in a host of young players in B grade who would go on to be club greats. He is one of only four players to make 5,000 or more runs, with only 2 of them made in his sole A grade game. He holds the record for the most runs scored in B/4th grade (2,706), all of them made without batting gloves because he claimed he couldn’t feel the ball on the bat. His gnarled fingers were evidence of that decision.
Syd batted in four century partnership, the most remarkable of which was an all grades record of 144 unbeaten with Ian Campbell for the 9th wicket when they steered 4th grade home against Churches in 1988, after Waratahs had slumped to 8-107 chasing 249.
He was durable and unmovable at the crease and is one of only 8 players to carry his bat through an innings and the only one to do it twice!
Syd made 114 catches, many of them as wicketkeeper.
A dry wit with a long memory he was an institution at Waratahs.
