He was a great cricket enthusiast and eagerly looked forward to his card arriving in the Wednesday morning post telling him where he would be officiating the following Saturday. He stood with all the greats of his era-umpires like Billy McCallan, Billy Finlay and a young Billy Taylor. His greatest achievement was officiating with Billy Finlay at the 1954 NCU Senior Cup Final at Ormeau between Woodvale and Lurgan. It was in the middle of Woodvale’s dominance of local cricket and not surprisingly the Ballygomartin Road team won convincingly by an innings and 16 runs.
Howard fought bravely against cancer during the latter part of his life, but finally succumbed in August 1956. Many cricket friends attended his funeral.
Just recently I received a letter from Howard’s son, who lives in British Columbia. He enclosed two photographs of his dad and asked if we have any other information on him or is there anyone still around who remembers him? I’ve attached the two photographs, one of which shows Howard and Billy Finlay with “Pete” Upritchard’s victorious Woodvale team just before the 1954 Senior Cup final. Included in the team are some of the great Woodvale legends-players like Larry Warke, Ronnie Craig, Johnny Graham, Harry Armstrong, George Wilson and the unforgettable Tommy Scott.
The other photograph has presented a bigger challenge and hopefully it will be recognized by one of our website browsers. At this time the only person we know for certain is Howard and it is likely the match was a Junior, Intermediate or Minor Cup Final, probably around the early Fifties. And what of that corrugated fence in the background? That has to be a city ground! Which one?
If you have any knowledge of the team or of the late Howard Burns please get in touch with me.
Many thanks,
Clarence Hiles
Editor
