Few men had a greater love of the Randwick District Cricket Club than Wally Byrne. He began as a player and finished as President of the club, a position he held for seven years between 1952 and 1958.
In 1932-33, Wally Byrne was captain of the Randwick First XI. In the four years he skippered the side, it finished 2nd, 3rd, 3rd and 2nd. It was an amazing effort and only bad luck prevented the team not taking out a premiership or two during that period.
An indication of his dedication to Randwick and the game he loved was illustrated by an incident during the course of a 1st Grade match at Kensington Oval in October 1933. A member of the Randwick team was Dr. William McCristal, a fine left-hand bat and later captain of the team. However, on this occasion, Wally was in charge of the side and was a little upset to learn that the Doc had to leave the ground to deliver a baby. Once the delivery was complete, Dr McCristal returned to the game although Wally’s enquiry of the details of the birth did not eventuate until the fall of the next wicket. This was an amazing display of patience and restraint by the skipper as the baby Dr McCristal delivered, was in fact Wally’s daughter, Judy!!