It was an emotional but special day at Beechgrove on Sunday when the Roy Torrens scoreboard was officially unveiled.
Torrens, the former Ireland international and team manager and lifelong member of Brigade Cricket Club, died from Covid in January 2021, aged 72, and his family have purchased a new digital scoreboard in his memory.
The idea was first mooted last winter by his wife Joan and according to Brigade chairman John Manning it was a ‘no-brainer’.
“It was put to a committee meeting and when Joan and her three daughters, Judith, Andrea and Joanne said they would pay we had no hesitation in going ahead with it,” he said.
“The days of needing a scorebook are now long gone and we have three people trained up to use it.”
Fittingly, Rachel Johnson, Roy’s granddaughter, has taken over as scoreboard operator and she was on duty on Sunday for the big day.”
And the board doesn’t just give you the score. “It can show instant replays and during the upcoming Euros we can show the football on it and it can also display adverts from our sponsors. “It’s a real fancy piece of kit!” added the chairman.
“Roy and Joan have done so much for Brigade over the years and given so much of their time to help develop the club.
“Joan has continued this since Roy passed away and he would be so proud of this investment that Joan and the girls have made in his memory.
“While Sunday was a sad occasion as we remembered Roy’s untimely passing in 2021, we had some laughs and remembered the fun times, and many of them were in Roy’s company.
“We enjoyed seeing members and friends on the day, had a bite to eat and a few glasses of Famous Grouse (Roy’s favourite tipple).”
Speaking at the unveiling were Cricket Ireland president Stella Downes, another long-time friend of the Torrens family since Roy’s days as team manager which lasted from 2005 to 2015 and included seven World Cups and those famous victories against Pakistan, England and West Indies, former Presidnet Robin Walsh and Roy's daughter Judith.
Roy played in seven Senior Cup finals for Brigade, the first as a 16 year-old in 1964 and his last exactly 20 years later when he was captain and named man of the match after taking 11 wickets in the two-day final against Sion Mills and top scoring with 40 in the second innings.
In between, the Torrens connection was strong with Roy playing alongside brothers Ross, who was captain, and Norman in 1972, when they beat Ardmore at Beechgrove with Roy taking 10 wickets and he was joined by younger brother Ian in their 1977 victory over Sion Mills.
The new scoreboard, which has been in operation since the start of the season has yet to record a Brigade defeat with the current Senior Cup holders making an unbeaten start to the season.