Brigg Blog was very sorry to learn of the death of a well-known and long-serving sportsman, coach and club official.
Keith Smith played hockey for Brigg over a lengthy period and also cricket for the Brocklesby Park club, of which he was the very long-serving treasurer and had a remarkable association of more than 60 years.
He also enjoyed playing golf, particularly at Elsham, and watching a variety of other sports.
As a team captain, coach and later manager, Keith helped Brigg Men's Hockey Club reach new heights in terms of league status, with matches as far afield as Newcastle and Sunderland after the sport had switched to artificial surfaces.
He chaired Monday evening selection committee meetings in Brigg for some years on a range of licensed premises - always keeping a watchful eye out for young players in the lower teams who might be fast-tracked through ranks.
With five sides to line up for the following Saturday, these were often time-consuming sessions, punctuated by beer breaks!
Keith encouraged many promising young players and helped them to develop their skills.
His contribution to youth hockey was his biggest sporting accomplishment.
Setting up Brigg Hockey Colts (with others) he attended tournaments abroad and in the UK, coached Lincolnshire hockey at all levels and (alongside Tony Stamp) coached the county Under-21s to win the national championships.
Although a defender, he scored many goals for Brigg Hockey Club - often while linking up with Val Jeffrey for their well-rehearsed short corner routine.
Stopping and then striking home the ball on bobbly grass pitches was a real skill.
At the end of each hockey season in late April, Keith enjoyed playing in Friday evening inter-club friendlies at the Rec - followed by showpiece dinners in the Angel Hotel Ballroom, with a sit-down meal, speeches and socialising.
Keith's sons, Chris and Nick, also played hockey for Brigg and cricket for Brocklesby.
From the early 1960s through to 1999, Keith appeared in almost 700 games for his beloved 'Brock Park' - scoring more than 9,000 runs at an average of 17.24 and hitting two centuries (career best - 108 not out).
As a wicketkeeper, he dismissed 458 batsmen (130 being stumped).
View his complete club record here, courtesy of the club website administered by Richard Bedwell - player, statistician & club historian...
A lifelong Scunthorpe United supporter, Keith was educated at Brigg Grammar School from 1953 to 1961 and later played in annual men's reunion matches held in September - known as Old Boys' fixtures.
Funeral arrangements are to be announced; Brigg Blog will pass on the information when we receive it from Keith's family.
PICTURED: A family picture of Keith enjoying the London Olympics; in his tracksuit while manager of Brigg Hockey Club's first team; supporting Brocklesby Park's 1998 dinner, held at Oliver's Restaurant in Brigg Market Place; and in his hockey club shirt before a Youth v Experience Briggensians' hockey reunion match at Brigg Rec in the late 1980s.
