John Somerville

Jack Somerville’s great moment as a lawn bowler came at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, when he teamed with Dave Baldwin, Kerry Clark and Gordon Jolly to win the fours gold medal. The consistent New Zealanders thrived on the atmosphere at the Woolston Workingmen’s Club venue, and compiled a record of 10 wins and two losses to finish with 20 points.

They edged out Australia and Scotland for the medals, despite being beaten by Australia 33-11 early in the tournament. In the final round, New Zealand delivered when they needed to, scoring a thumping 33-9 win over defending champions Hong Kong, while Australia came unstuck against Papua New Guinea.

Born in 1926, Somerville competed at one world championship, in Johannesburg in 1976. He, Dave Baldwin and Boob McDonald finished 4th in the triples, a loss to Ireland in the second-last round costing them a medal. In the fours, the same three plus Vic Sellars finished 8th.

Somerville won three national fours titles representing the Rewa club in Matamata.

He died in 1987, aged 60.

In 2013, Jack Somerville was an inaugural inductee into the Bowls New Zealand Hall of Fame.