Hall of Fame
Tom Howat
Born: 18th March 1912 :
Died: 7th March 1995
Inducted: 2009
Tom Howat in the 1969 Merlbourne MacRobertson Shield Test Series
Tom Howat was arguably the best player in Australian croquet. He has won the most Australian Championships, doubles and singles and was an excellent coach who freely passed on his knowledge of the game. He willingly lived up to his statement to "teach you all I know".
There were many who benefitted and followed his example of passing on "all we know".
As A Champion Player Tom Howat was a member of Brunswick and Coburg Croquet Clubs in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He took up croquet when a pennant Lawn Bowls - his wife Isobel was a member of Brunswick Croquet Club and when waiting for Isobel after Bowls he was captured by the techniques, tactics and challenges of the game of Croquet. He was a natural and quickly progressed through the handicap ranges to become one of Victoria and Australia’s leading players. Tom’s record as a player qualifies him as Australia’s No. 1 player of all time.
Tom was Croquet Victoria’s first Director of Coaching. He was instrumental in organising both the Practical and Theoretical components of our first accreditation course. He also organised a coaching video that was the forerunner of a coaching video with leading players Allan Cleland and John Tyrell for distribution to clubs.
Tom and wife Isobel invented the game of King Ball, a single ball game with a croquet stroke after each ball ran Rover hoop that was used to croquet opposition balls out of the play. King Ball was the forerunner of Aussie Croquet, a single ball modified version of Association Croquet now used in schools and clubs throughout Australia to introduce community groups and new club members to croquet.
Tom Howat was particularly noted for being most generous in passing on his expertise to all players throughout Australia. In particular Tom’s coaching and support of John Tyrell, Alan Cleland, Owen Morgan and George Latham played a big part in their national and international success. George Latham and Owen Morgan succeeded Tom as Victoria’s Directors of Coaching. His example continues to influence croquet in Victoria and Australia through those whom he coached.
Tom Howat has left an outstanding legacy for croquet in Victoria and Australia.
Titles Won By Thomas William Howat:-
[ACC is now the Australian Croquet Association (ACA)] Australian Croquet Council (ACC) Championship Singles (Wall Cup 1950) 1955; 1959; 1961; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1967; 1968.
Australian Doubles Championships:-
1959 Mr & Mrs T Howat; 1965 Mr & Mrs T Howat
ACC Men’s Singles Championship:-
1974
ACC Gold Medal:-
1956-67; 1963-64; 1965-66; 1968-9; 1970-71; 1972-73; 1975-76; 1979-80
British Silver Medal 1964; 1966; 1967
English Bronze Medal 1957; 1969; 1971; 1976; 1980
Victorian State Singles Championships 1954-55; 1956-57; 1957-58; 1962-63; 1965-66; 1966-67; 1968-69; 1972-73; 1975-76; 1976-77; 1977-78; 1979-80
Victorian Doubles Championships
1971-72 T Howat-Len Mason; 1972-73 T Howat-Len Mason
Victorian Interstate Team 1955; 1956; 1957; 1961; 1964; 1965; 1967; 1969; 1973; 1976 (Captain); 1977 (Captain); 1979; 1980
MacRobertson International Shield
1969 (Team of 11 in rotation) Played between England, New Zealand, Australia
Victorian Wren Memorials – Singles 1973-74; 1976-77
Victorian Wren Memorials – Doubles Mr & Mrs T Howat: 1969-70; 1976-77; Mr T Howat and Mr A Ford 1979-1980