{"id":126559,"date":"2015-11-10T20:33:11","date_gmt":"2015-11-10T10:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=126559"},"modified":"2020-11-06T11:43:03","modified_gmt":"2020-11-06T01:43:03","slug":"last-chance-to-book-for-tennis-lunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/11\/10\/last-chance-to-book-for-tennis-lunch\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Chance To Book For Tennis Lunch"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Best-selling author Hugh Lunn … special guest at Blackbutt lunch (Photo: hughlunn.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The model of the proposed Roy Emerson statue which will be auctioned at the lunch
(Photo: Hazel Christie-Small)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

November 10, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

Author and journalist Hugh Lunn and former Aussie tennis great Mal Anderson are the special guests at a special fundraising lunch being held in Blackbutt later this month.<\/p>\n

The Mayor’s Fundraising Luncheon, organised by South Burnett Regional Council and Blackbutt & District Tourism & Heritage Association, is designed to kickstart the project to erect a statue of former Nukku boy and Wimbledon champion Roy Emerson in town.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $50 a head and must be booked as soon as possible (the original deadline has been extended to November 11).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Hugh Lunn<\/strong> is well-known for his best-selling autobiographical books, including “Over The Top With Jim” which detailed his childhood during the 1950s growing up in Annerley.<\/p>\n

Amongst his other books is “The Great Fletch” about his great mate, larrikin and tennis ace Ken Fletcher.<\/p>\n

The tale of Fletcher, who died in 2006, fits well with the occasion as he was a former doubles partner with Emerson.<\/p>\n

The pair won the French Doubles championship in 1964 (against fellow Australians Tony Roche and John Newcombe), and were runners-up in doubles finals at the Wimbledon and the Australian Championships.<\/p>\n

Mal Anderson<\/strong> MBE<\/strong> is another former Australian tennis great born in Queensland. He took out the US Championships in 1957 and was runner-up at the Australian Championships in 1958.<\/p>\n

Amongst other titles, he won the men’s doubles championship in France and the Australian Open Doubles.<\/p>\n

He also has another claim to fame … he is Roy Emerson’s brother-in-law.<\/p>\n

The lunch will include a two-course meal served with complimentary refreshments on arrival.<\/p>\n

There will be lucky door prizes; and an auction will be held to purchase a limited edition miniature bronze statue of Roy Emerson as well as autographed copies of “The Great Fletch”.<\/p>\n

The life-size statue that the Blackbutt community hopes to erect is valued at $65,000.<\/p>\n

‘We have one very generous benefactor who has pledged a considerable sum,” spokesperson Hazel Christie-Small said,<\/p>\n

“South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Peter Rasey (Brisbane Tennis Trail) are each donating $2000.”<\/p>\n

The Mayor’s Fundraising Luncheon will be held from noon on Saturday, November 21, at the Blackbutt Community Hall.<\/p>\n