Sunday 05 April 2009
Following a long and protracted process of gathering evidence and separating fact from fiction, we have now had confirmation from our lawyers that we can finally publish what really happened on that dark August day in Vancouver.
To understand the significance of his actions you first have to understand a bit about the man: As a (much) younger man Harry played for a club called Stan, and although Stan were relatively successful bridesmaids at most UK tournaments in Harry's eyes they were no Druids. The Druids ,or purple scum as they were affectionately known by the rest of UK ultimate, were another team of that era and were famed for their sophisticated sense of humour, legendary players (including, amongst others, the best D player in Europe) and for their trademark purple shirts.
We asked ex chevron and Stan player Sam 'Sammy' Neilson more about the Stan days "Although we were always having a good time and playing some good Ultimate you could see Harold's heart was elsewhere. At first we thought it was a team called Shotgun he was pining for but then came the crazy and wacky haircuts and we knew there was only one team that his kind of wackiness was intended to appeal to."
It seems that Harry spent the rest of his playing days trying to manufacture his 'dream' move. But it wasn't easy to become a Druid and they were naturally wary of outsiders with double-barrelled surnames. As Derek 'the wind' Robbins explains; "we found it a bit embarrassing at the time but Harry would often be seen after games hanging around the Druids offering help. He was seen on more than one occasion massaging Stebbo's calves or shampooing Wayne's back."
Alas for Harry it wasn't easy getting into the Druids and their players were constantly having to prove their love and devotion to the purple shirt. As Druid legend Adam Bachelor explains "I've spent the last twenty years playing with my hair looking like a bog brush for God's sake."
Our very own Chris Berry, a Druid through and through, once proved his purple love by pretending to be interested in playing for Chevron then turning up for pre-season training and ordering a prawn cocktail in the curry house. Steve 'Kenny' Kennedy takes up the story: "We just couldn't believe what we were seeing. I mean I know I've been known to order the odd Korma in my time but a prawn cocktail! As a team we just felt violated. I remember asking him what the hell he was doing, he just looked at me with ice cold eyes and said 'I bleed purple'." Although Chris came back twelve months later with his tail between his legs he had made his point.
And so to the incident in Vancouver… With the Druids having folded many years ago it seemed that Harry would never get his chance to prove his one true love, but then the opportunity he had waited for all his life presented itself and he wasn't going let it pass. Having played with Harry all week for the masters and realising his playing days were nearing the end, the Druids in the squad took pity on him and decided to give him the chance to fulfil his dream. It was in the beer garden in front of as many people as possible that they presented Harry with his very own purple shirt. What happened next was at first shocking but then made perfect sense. To the disgust of true Druids like Dane 'always hard' Barrard Harry threw the shirt on the floor and proceeded to urinate on it, but then to Harry’s moment of destiny. Just wearing the shirt was never going to be enough of a statement for Harry so without hesitation he picked up the golden-showered purple T-shirt kissed it and put it on. His moment was everything he had dreamed of, his playing career complete.
Stu Mitchell