Memorial for man who drank 297 free beers in a week
He had just one eye, ruled Bondi Icebergs weekly races with an iron fist, and once took a week off work to drink 297 free beers. Put simply, Bondi Iceberg local ‘Lofty’ was a legend.
He had just one eye, ruled Bondi Icebergs weekly races with an iron fist, and once took a week off work to drink 297 free beers. Put simply, Bondi Iceberg local “Lofty” was a legend.
The 86-year-old lifelong swimming member will be remembered this Friday at Bondi Icebergs’ annual Reunion Day, renamed “Lofty Day” this year, to pay tribute to the man who wasn’t afraid to give you a piece of his mind.
The lifelong bachelor, whose real name was Ronald Petrie, (but don’t you dare call him that) died on the 15th of October, leaving behind a legacy that best friend Tim Smith says will never be forgotten.
“You had to report to Lofty. If you missed a race, you had to report to Lofty. If you didn’t and your excuse wasn’t very good, he would give you the benefit of his wisdom,” said Tim Smith, Lofty’s closest mate.
“He ruled the race recording the way it should be run - with an iron fist. You had to respect the rules, follow the rules, and therefore you respect the club and can become a full member,” Mr Smith said.
“He was the judge, jury and executioner,” said Iceberg’s manager Bob Tate.
“It would be fair to say he had a navy background and implemented all the discipline of a naval person to everyone in the club. There were no shades of grey. It was Lofty’s rules, and they were the rules. If you played up, you would get into trouble and get a couple weeks off [from the club],” said Mr Tate.
He sounds like a pretty scary guy until you get to know him. And boy, did everyone know him.
For all his might and muscle, Lofty was a softie inside. He knew how to doll out the rules, and he knew how to take them. He was a man known to ban himself from the club from time to time.
“He played up a number of times and got a couple of weeks off himself,” said Mr Tate.
“Even though he had that Aussie scallywag irreverence, underneath all that he was good mentor,” Mr Tate said.
“He would have a tonne of fun but also stand up when a lady entered the room. He had old school values,” said the manager.
There was no Lofty moment more iconic than a fateful week in 1972. Lofty had just won the handicapped race; the prize was a week of free beer. Never one to shy from a challenge (or a free beer), Lofty took the entire week off work to smash down at least 40 beers a day.
By the end of the week he had consumed 297 beers.
“He had the constitution of an ox,” said Mr Smith.
Things that you rate!
- Jimmy_041
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dedja: Dunno, I’m just an idiot.
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mighty_tiger_79
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What happened?Booney wrote:GF bound.Booney wrote:After winning the 8 ball GF last season we've finished top with a home game next week to advance to the GF again.
Carn.
Or is this tonight?
Matty Wade is a star and deserves more respect from the forum family!
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Could be Mad Thursday?mighty_tiger_79 wrote:What happened?Booney wrote:GF bound.Booney wrote:After winning the 8 ball GF last season we've finished top with a home game next week to advance to the GF again.
Carn.
Or is this tonight?
1961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015.... And don't you forget it!
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Maybe, but he was on air fulfilling his contractual duties bright and early this morning!
Matty Wade is a star and deserves more respect from the forum family!
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Hahaha...no, next week, we had the week off as two others fought it out in the prelim.
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
If you want to go far, go together.
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Ha Ha, No excuses, easy road into the GF #freshBooney wrote:Hahaha...no, next week, we had the week off as two others fought it out in the prelim.
So what's you do this week, team meeting, recovery sesh at taperoo or semaphore beach?
Let that be a lesson to you Port, no one beats the Bays five times in a row in a GF and gets away with it!!!
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Just a directive to keep the elbow nicely lubricated, that's all.
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
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So a captain's run then?Booney wrote:Just a directive to keep the elbow nicely lubricated, that's all.
1961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015.... And don't you forget it!
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Ice bath....am Bays wrote:Ha Ha, No excuses, easy road into the GF #freshBooney wrote:Hahaha...no, next week, we had the week off as two others fought it out in the prelim.
So what's you do this week, team meeting, recovery sesh at taperoo or semaphore beach?
Matty Wade is a star and deserves more respect from the forum family!
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Scotch n Ice bathmighty_tiger_79 wrote:Ice bath....am Bays wrote:Ha Ha, No excuses, easy road into the GF #freshBooney wrote:Hahaha...no, next week, we had the week off as two others fought it out in the prelim.
So what's you do this week, team meeting, recovery sesh at taperoo or semaphore beach?
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Captain Morgans Rum?Corona Man wrote:So a captain's run then?Booney wrote:Just a directive to keep the elbow nicely lubricated, that's all.
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Back2Back baby.
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
If you want to go far, go together.
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Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
Let that be a lesson to you Port, no one beats the Bays five times in a row in a GF and gets away with it!!!
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Brown paper bags?am Bays wrote:Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
my yes be yes, my no be no
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Lost a lot more than he’s won?wenchbarwer wrote:Brown paper bags?am Bays wrote:Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.
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So we've got 100 years to win 4 more?am Bays wrote:Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
If you want to go far, go together.
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Recency biasamber_fluid wrote:Lost a lot more than he’s won?wenchbarwer wrote:Brown paper bags?am Bays wrote:Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
my yes be yes, my no be no
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EFA...Booney wrote:So we've got 100 years to win 5 more?am Bays wrote:Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
Let that be a lesson to you Port, no one beats the Bays five times in a row in a GF and gets away with it!!!
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It appears Booneys life is quite parallel to that of GFC, he's finally found his true home.am Bays wrote:EFA...Booney wrote:So we've got 100 years to win 5 more?am Bays wrote:Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
Perhaps you need to get Cornesy to present him with a membership pack at the AA Xmas Party.
Matty Wade is a star and deserves more respect from the forum family!
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Near impossible to reach such lofty heights.am Bays wrote:EFA...Booney wrote:So we've got 100 years to win 5 more?am Bays wrote:Glenelg FC areasBooney wrote:Back2Back baby.
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
If you want to go far, go together.
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