Took place at Manchester Golf Club, 30th May 1983.
The tournament saw 40 celebrities, plus amateurs and professionals competing. It was staged to raise money for Oldham hospital.
The celebrities who took part were: Jack Bond, Frank Myler, Ged Keegan, David Watkins, Jimmy Greenhoff, Brian Greenhoff, Mike Doyle, Stu Francis, Roger de Courcey, John Stokes, Russ Abbot, Les Dawson, Stuart Pearson, Frank Carson, Freddie Garrity, Eddie Large, R O’Sullivan, Gordon Banks, Willie Morgan, Renato, Tony Christie, Brian Close, Franklyn James, Jimmy Hill, Mick Adams, Kevin Neil, Ian St John, Gareth Hunt, Alex Murphy, D Alexander, Robin Askwith, Arthur Albiston, Steve Coppell, Roger Millward, Max Boyce, Berni Flint, Bryan Robson, Alex Stepney, Jimmy Frizzell and Tommy Cannon
TV-AM feature
The tournament was featured on TV-AM the following day, Tuesday 31st May. The segment showed footage of some of the golfers, plus a short clip of Cannon and Ball.
Yesterday’s unsettled bank holiday weather to watch the stars in action at the first Cannon and Ball Golf Classic tournament in North Manchester. Tommy and Bobby called on their showbiz friends to help them raise £20,000 for an Oldham hospital. Peter Shard was there.
As the stars drove skywards and with the fundraising well on target, Bobby Ball wanted to take the opportunity to make one thing perfectly clear.
Bobby: Could I just say this before I finish? I would like to squash your press reports. That me and Tommy are not splitting up.
Tommy: I am
Bobby: No. Tom, please. We’re not splitting up. Just because we have a season in Scarborough and Blackpool this year. He’s in Blackpool, I’m in Scarborough but…
Programme
The Captain’s Welcome
It is my privilege and pleasure to extend on behalf of the members of Manchester Golf Club a warm and sincere welcome to all our guests and visitors. I hope that you have a most enjoyable day and that you will find the course as interesting as the wonderful array of personalities who will be playing over it.
I would like to thank Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball for inspiring todays event, C.I.S. Windows for their benevolence, and the celebrities and professionals for providing that special charisma which one associates with this kind of competition, and all the amateurs who have so generously supported it.
May I express my appreciation to those who have worked so diligently behind the scenes, particularly the Pro-Am Celebrity Committee, Greens Committee and greens staff, House and Competition Committees, catering and bar staff, my colleagues on the Council and members of the ladies section for their valuable support and encouragement. One realises that much of todays enjoyment will depend on the weather which, hopefully, will be kind to us. However, much more depends on the spirit of those who will participate in todays activities – a spirit which I am certain Messrs Cannon and Ball and their friends will do much to enjender.
John F. Scott Captain Manchester Golf Club
The PGA’s thanks
On behalf of all the professionals, it is a great pleasure to be associated with the CIS Windows Cannon and Ball Classic. Thanks to our generous sponsors, all the receipts from the event wiD go towards the Saddleworth Round Table project to raise funds for a Laser Scan at Oldham Hospital.
At the request of that popular duo Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball, the ‘stars’ playing today have given their time and travelled from all parts of the country to participate in the event.
Thanks are also due to the members of Manchester Golf Club on the Pro-Am committee who have so willingly given their time and backing to the event to ensure success. Due to their efforts, I am sure that a most enjoyable day will be had by all concerned.
W. G. Morton
Northern Region Secretary
Professional Golfers Assoc.
A message from Tommy and Bobby
Bobby and I are delighted to host today’s tournament which we hope you will all enjoy. Our thanks go to the sponsors C. I. S. Windows without whose generosity the event would not have been possible, the Manchester Golf Club members for their support, the Saddleworth Rotary Club and the Northern Section of the P.G.A. and all those numerous people who have helped in their own particular way to ensure that today’s effort is successful. In particular we would wish to thank our old friend Ken Kent who first suggested the idea of a golfing classic to us.
Most of all I would like to thank the members of the public for supporting us in our efforts to raise money for a new laser machine at the Oldham Hospital, which, I am sure you will agree is a worthwhile cause.
It is also my pleasure to thank the amateurs who have supported the tournament and our colleagues and friends in showbusiness and sport who have freely given up their time to assist us today. May it be a memorable one for everyone concerned.
Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball
Our thanks to:
Manchester Golf Club Professional Golfers Association Saddleworth Rotary Club Norman Hartley Signs Peter Bowes Design Manchester Evening News Piccadilly Radio Keith Brain/Golf Tony Darlington Associates Matchplay Ltd. Greater Manchester Police ERA Company The Last Drop Inn Village Corps of Commissionaires St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Rochdale, Bury & Heywood 75th Royal Engineers Signals Juniors members of Manchester G.C. Crompton and Royton G.C. North Manchester G.C and Rochdale G.C. Members of the Pro-Am Committee Spectrum Press Ltd.
Keeping a promise
Today’s exciting new tournament, the biggest pro-celebrity tournament ever staged in Greater Manchester, sees the fulfilment of a promise made by Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball to the Saddleworth Rotary Club over two years ago.
At the time they promised to assist in some way to help raise the £20,000 required to produce a laser machine for the Oldham Hospital. Such has been their phenominal rise in showbusiness during that time that they have never been able to fit the event into their crowded schedule before now.
Indeed the two former welders who are now beloved throughout the land, could have been forgiven for conveniently forgetting that promise, such is their work schedule and the demands made upon them by their adoring public.
But, despite their overwhelming success, they are not those kind of people. They remain loyal to the Greater Manchester area where they were born. They are justifiably proud to be called Northerners and it was no coincidence that their new film “The Boys in Blue” had its world premiere in Manchester.
When the idea of a golf tournament bearing their names was conceived it never entered their minds that it should be anywhere but in Manchester, the area in which they were raised and still live, and which they love so much. It is fitting that they should choose Manchester Golf Club which for over 100 years has been at the forefront of golf.
Keith Brain
Golf Writer
Manchester Evening News
The Rotary Club of Saddleworth
The Rotary Movement was founded over 75 years ago in Chicago by Paul Harris and 3 friends. From the humble beginning it has grown into a worldwide organisation with nearly 1 million members of whom about 70,000 are in the U.K. Unfortunately it is not permitted by the Communist Bloc but recently some interest has been shown by China. The aim of Rotary is “Service Before Self’ and it is through contact and fellowship that members are able to serve the community. The movement is not associated with any political, sectarian or religious groups and all money raised for Charity goes in entirety to Charity.
Saddleworth Rotary Club was formed 10 years ago and in that time it has achieved a reputation as a progressive and enthusiastic Club, which “gets things done”. Today we are fortunate to be involved in the event because of our friendship with Ken Kent who is a close friend of Tommy and Bobby. Ken is not a Rotarian but has been involved in Charity work for many years and has raised many thousands of pounds for the local community.
We are grateful to Tommy and Bobby for helping us once again and would also like to thank Stuart Littlewood, the Sponsors, the players and Manchester Golf Club for making this event what it will surely be, a wonderful day out.
The proceeds from todays event are to purchase a Surgical Laser machine for treatment of stomach and internal ulcers as well as certain forms of cancer. The machine whilst based at Oldham Hospital will be available to patients in surrounding districts such as Middleton and Rochdale. It will provide a cure in many cases but will also help to improve the quality of life for the terminally sick.
Norman Hill
Saddleworth Rotary Club and Secretary of the Laser Surgery Appeal
| Match | Time | Celebrity | Amateur | Amateur | Professional |
| 1. | 8.30 | Jack Bond | Captain | J Hammond | D Wills (Fairhaven) |
| 2. | 8.40 | Frank Myler | H J Roche | P Anderson | Nigel Scanlon (Arrowe Park) |
| 3. | 8.50 | Ged Keegan | T Tyrrell | T Grundy | Mike Peel (Bury) |
| 4. | 9.00 | David Watkins | A M Berry | R J Dean | Mark Roe (Arrowe Park) |
| 5. | 9.10 | J Greenhoff | J Revett | P Sheldon | Andrew Murray (Bramhall) |
| 6. | 9.20 | B Greenhoff | C J Gibson | G E Cocker | Alec Bickerdike (Manchester) |
| 7. | 9.30 | Mike Doyle | D Shanley | A Clarke | David Melling (Royton) |
| 8 | 9.40 | Stu Francis | J G Platt | E Thompson | Andrew Chandler (Sandpiper) |
| 9. | 9.50 | R de Courcey | S Barnes | G Southworth | Bryon Hutchinson (M/town) |
| 10. | 10.00 | John Stokes | J Shaw | B Hill | Gordon Townhill (Brough) |
| 11. | 10.10 | Russ Abbot | F Halliwell | G Mclver | Tony Bennett (Duxbury Park) |
| 12. | 10.20 | Les Dawson | J Hughes | W McCann | Paul Jackson (unattached) |
| 13. | 10.30 | Stuart Pearson | K Bolger | C Kirkwood | Aian Thompson (Heswall) |
| 14. | 10.40 | Frank Carson | S Thomas | C Collins | Hedley Muscroft (Roundhay) |
| 15. | 10.50 | Freddie Garrity | A Doodson | T Smirthwaite | D Vaughan (Llangollen) |
| 16. | 11.00 | Eddie Large | R Tattersall | A J Harter | David Screeton (Chorlton) |
| 17. | 11.10 | R O’Sullivan | W Sawyer | P Drage | John Harrison (Barnard) |
| 18. | 11.20 | Gordon Banks | A S Lowe | D Ball | Roger Holland (Wakefield) |
| 19. | 11.30 | Willie Morgan | T Donellan | S Rhamadin | Roger Denton (Pike Hills) |
| 20. | 11.40 | Renato | C F Neill | R McLennan | Gerry Bond (Blackburn) |
| 21. | 11.50 | Tony Christie | J G McGill | J Swords | Brian Thompson (Hornsea) |
| 22. | 12.00 | Brian Close | S Aston | K Mclver | Mike Slater (Walton Hall) |
| 23. | 12.10 | Franklyn James | E Walsh | J Keelley | John Hammond (Ilkley) |
| 24. | 12.20 | Jimmy Hill | J Lever | M Richardson | Paul Dunn (Huyton) |
| 25. | 12.30 | Mick Adams | S Elliott | M Goodall | Richard Masters (Wakefield) |
| 26. | 12.40 | Kevin Neil | C Bamber | A Greenwood | Willie Milne (Boynton) |
| 27. | 12.50 | Ian St John | W Tinning | G Coulson | David Snell (Worksop) |
| 28. | 1.00 | Gareth Hunt | A Minshall | L Welsh | Derek Johnson (Leeds) |
| 29. | 1.10 | Alex Murphy | J Bowie | J T Hunt | Brian Sharrock (Haydock) |
| 30. | 1.20 | D Alexander | D Auker | G Burd | Ken Findlater (Garforth) |
| 31. | 1.30 | Robin Askwith | F N Campbell | B Sayle | Derrick Cooper (Walton Hall) |
| 32. | 1.40 | Arthur Albiston | S Boler | R Whiteheid | Ray Peters (Huddersfield) |
| 33. | 1.6J | Steve Coppell | B Shaw | Guest | Martin Jackson (Morpeth) |
| 34. | 2.00 | Roger Millward | EJ Morten | P Lyon | David Llewellyn (Thirsk) |
| 35. | 2.10 | Max Boyce | B Wells | D Cousins | Mike Ingham (Cleckheaton) |
| 36. | 2.20 | Berni Flint | M Graver | A Mitchell | Paul Bradley (Harrogate) |
| 37. | 2.30 | Bryan Robson | P Buckley | WMannion | Brian Huggett (unattached) |
| 38. | 2.40 | Alex Stepney | K Springham | P Waterfield | Graeme Claridge (Cranford) |
| 39. | 2.50 | Jimmy Frizzell | J Morris | R Dean | Steve Bennett (Grimsby) |
| 40. | 3.00 | Tommy Cannon | A Smith | J Entwistle | Steve Rooke (Windermere) |