Three Cambridge alumni mark a milestone for their unique tiddlywinks club, blending fun and competition for seven decades.
Bill Steen, 91, co-founded the club with his friend Lawford Howells, 90. They were later joined by Peter Downes, 86. They realized they weren’t great athletes. So, they thought, why not create their own sport?
They wanted a chance to earn a prestigious blue, the highest honor for Cambridge athletes. The first tiddlywinks match happened in 1958. They even got a “quarter blue” for their win against Oxford.
The club became famous after they challenged celebrities and even royalty. They once played against The Goons, a famous comedy group. It was a huge event, and the game sold out quickly.
This month, the trio returned to celebrate the club’s anniversary. They were amazed at how many students have played tiddlywinks since 1955. The current president, Emmy Charalambous, shared how the club still thrives today.
It’s a fun way to represent the university, and many take it seriously. Tiddlywinks has become a beloved tradition at Cambridge, and the story of its creation is still cherished.
