Murray Halberg in 1962 attended a sports writers’ dinner in Toronto, proceeds from which went to Canadian children with a disability. Halberg was so impressed and moved by this that when he returned home he suggested to his employers, New Zealand Breweries, that a similar function be organised in New Zealand. From that suggestion grew The Murray Halberg Trust for Crippled Children.
In 1963 and in each subsequent year the Trust has organised the Sports Awards. Previously, under Fairbairn’s reign, the trophy had been presented to the winner at a formal gathering attended by politicians and civic dignitaries. The Trust adopted the Canadian idea of the dinner with the dual purpose of raising funds and of publicly recognising the leading sportsmen and women of New Zealand.
In 1987 the Awards were changed in format to include categories and in recognition of Sir Murray’s contribution, the overall trophy for the sports person or team of the year is now known as ‘The Halberg Award’.
Today the Westpac Halberg Awards of New Zealand are accepted as this country’s premier sporting awards, which recognise teams as well as individual sports men and women.(from
the Westpac Halberg site)
With the New Zealand Football team (The All Whites) winning a number of the awards and especially the Supreme award, a number of people have expressed disappointment and derision of the people and status of the award.
This to me is extremely sad and a sign of a community or country that has become more exclusive of an 'in crowd' than inclusive and celebratory of the achievement of all people.
It seems the 'big boys' or 'old boys' network and other individuals of NZ's more traditional sports such as Rugby, Hockey, and Netball are not able to recognise when a team achieves significant international acclaim outside of what we are used to. A number of sports and media "leaders" and long time commentators seemed to spit the dummy!
Given that the panel of selectors is probably more representative of a wider variety of sports and is probably more democratic (they no longer meet around a table for hours with wine and cheese influencing others towards their view), I think it is a fairer assessment.
Jesus was executed because the crowd with the power did not like him insisting that everyone could and should participate equally in society, they didn't want him pronouncing that some people's illness or gender, religion, status, or occupation should be viewed as less valuable.
Jesus criteria for salvation was to love one another. And unlike the Westpac Halberg Awards, JC was not comparing different sports with the same criteria open to subjectivity. (How can a first place in a teams competition with no more than 4-6 countries playing seriously compare to an individual sport competing regularly on a global scale?). He was comparing people against his belief in his Fathers words that all were created in God's image.
Yes I'm a football fan and I celebrate - but I would have celebrated any sport that had won because all finalists were deserving.
Lets challenge ourselves to celebrate every success, to accept when our team doesn't win, we don't get the mark we wanted or the job we deserved.
I congratulate Ricky Herbert for his acceptance speech, claiming that NZ is blessed with many great codes (sports) and that he will wear a rugby jersey this year to support what he called "Another great code" (rugby).
The greatest battle is always with oneself, go the All Whites, Go the All Blacks, Go the rowers and shot putters, go the cyclists and yes, go the Black caps in India!
God Bless
Pa Richard
In 1963 and in each subsequent year the Trust has organised the Sports Awards. Previously, under Fairbairn’s reign, the trophy had been presented to the winner at a formal gathering attended by politicians and civic dignitaries. The Trust adopted the Canadian idea of the dinner with the dual purpose of raising funds and of publicly recognising the leading sportsmen and women of New Zealand.
In 1987 the Awards were changed in format to include categories and in recognition of Sir Murray’s contribution, the overall trophy for the sports person or team of the year is now known as ‘The Halberg Award’.
Today the Westpac Halberg Awards of New Zealand are accepted as this country’s premier sporting awards, which recognise teams as well as individual sports men and women.(from
the Westpac Halberg site)
With the New Zealand Football team (The All Whites) winning a number of the awards and especially the Supreme award, a number of people have expressed disappointment and derision of the people and status of the award.
This to me is extremely sad and a sign of a community or country that has become more exclusive of an 'in crowd' than inclusive and celebratory of the achievement of all people.
It seems the 'big boys' or 'old boys' network and other individuals of NZ's more traditional sports such as Rugby, Hockey, and Netball are not able to recognise when a team achieves significant international acclaim outside of what we are used to. A number of sports and media "leaders" and long time commentators seemed to spit the dummy!
Given that the panel of selectors is probably more representative of a wider variety of sports and is probably more democratic (they no longer meet around a table for hours with wine and cheese influencing others towards their view), I think it is a fairer assessment.
Jesus was executed because the crowd with the power did not like him insisting that everyone could and should participate equally in society, they didn't want him pronouncing that some people's illness or gender, religion, status, or occupation should be viewed as less valuable.
In some ways the All Whites experience moved the hearts of people, it is said we cheers for the under dog but back the top dog. In this case we backed and cheered for the under dog. You know, history is full of examples we celebrate similar to the All Whites; the NZ Tall Blacks journey to 4th place in the World Champs, the are countless monuments to the fallen of our nation and in every country - who gave their best and did not return, movies have been made about 'The Alamo', 'The 300' a tale from over 1000 years ago, they didn't win either, but the achievement and spirit shown was of greater worth to those who remember. Or the walker who made it into the stadium, not first, not even third, struggling to the finish line to greater cheers than the winner!
Jesus criteria for salvation was to love one another. And unlike the Westpac Halberg Awards, JC was not comparing different sports with the same criteria open to subjectivity. (How can a first place in a teams competition with no more than 4-6 countries playing seriously compare to an individual sport competing regularly on a global scale?). He was comparing people against his belief in his Fathers words that all were created in God's image.
Yes I'm a football fan and I celebrate - but I would have celebrated any sport that had won because all finalists were deserving.
Lets challenge ourselves to celebrate every success, to accept when our team doesn't win, we don't get the mark we wanted or the job we deserved.
I congratulate Ricky Herbert for his acceptance speech, claiming that NZ is blessed with many great codes (sports) and that he will wear a rugby jersey this year to support what he called "Another great code" (rugby).
The greatest battle is always with oneself, go the All Whites, Go the All Blacks, Go the rowers and shot putters, go the cyclists and yes, go the Black caps in India!
God Bless
Pa Richard
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