In early January 2024, we sadly lost Anthony Hodge, “Hodgy” (as he was known to many in his home town of Pembroke and beyond) after a long battle with Parkinsons.
Tony was born in early July 1950, the youngest of 5 siblings, all of whom were brought up in The Green. He attended Pembroke Grammar School, where his muscular stature allowed him to demonstrate his all-round abilities and many talents to firmly establish himself as one of the premier athletes of his generation, excelling at athletics, cricket and rugby. He won the Victor Ludorum at athletics and created a number of records in doing so, won a Welsh U16s schoolboy cricket cap as a quick bowler and shone on the rugby field at all age groups, appearing in Welsh schools trials, whilst proving a hugely popular personality with his peers and teachers alike. Whilst in sixth form he regularly got called to perform for our club’s First XV due to his prodigious talent, physical presence and determined attitude.
Mike Williams (ex-teacher, publican, SPGC golfer and Youth club inaugurator in Pembroke in the 60s) confirmed that he along with fellow teachers Dai Williams and Trevor Griffiths, cobbled together a Youth Club rugby seven’s squad around 1964-65, which they entered into the then prestigious Wales Youth Club 7s tournament. The squad included Bruce and Frank Penfold, Tutti Griffiths, Gary Johnson and others, and this group to their teachers’ surprise actually won the Trophy, after a series of matches throughout Wales.
After school he transferred to Cardiff College of Education (a real hotbed of sporting talent) in ’69 to train as a Physical Education teacher, where he met many sporting luminaries of the time, who became firm friends for life; Peter Manning becoming his closest confident and friend. Again he was very popular with peers and lecturers, excelled at sport, qualifying in ’72. He chose not to take up a teaching post in Pembs and settled for a post at Barry Boys, where he became a very enthusiastic, dedicated and highly respected member of a very successful and renowned P.E. Dept. alongside Mal Scott, and where his nickname was “Magnum” (because of his likeness to Tom Selleck’s TV series character Magnum P.I.).
Once established he wrenched his younger sweetheart Christine (who also trained as a teacher in Carmarthen) from her teaching post in Stackpole to marry in ’74 and move permanently to teach in the Cardiff area; eventually settling in Penarth and later Dinas Powys, where they were joined by son Matt, who followed his dad in sporting excellence, winning a Welsh schoolboy cap at No 10 from St Cyres school, where he had come under the expert tutelage of Welsh Schools coach of many years John Huw Williams (a great friend of Morgan Lewis).
Tony had trials for both Llanelli and Cardiff, but settled to play alongside old college friends at Bridgend, where he excelled in the backrow over a few seasons during the 70s. A short spell at Penarth saw him captain the club during the ‘ 77-’78 season (two years before Mike Knill took the captaincy), before playing his last years for Dinas Powys and then retiring after repeated injuries in his early thirties.
After years at Barry Boys he moved on in 1990 to take on a very challenging post at Greenhill (Rhiwbina, Cardiff) a unit for very challenging, disaffected young people; a role in which he again excelled and gained the respect of many difficult youngsters and his fellow staff. He took early retirement in the early 2000’s, which provided other opportunities and more time to spend with his family, the grandchildren arriving in mid 2010s. In 2007 he and Christine moved back to Kingsbridge in Pembroke and he was regularly seen running and walking their dog around the area; they moved to Gibbas Way as the effects of Parkinsons manifested themselves more strongly, where in recent years he was lovingly cared for by his devoted wife Christine until his passing.
A couple of years ago ITV put out a pilot show called MAMMOTH, which was a parody of the P.E. Department at Barry Boys with ex-P.E. teacher. Actor and comedian Mike Bubbins (who was an ex-pupil of Tony’s) was the lead character, which was based on Tony and his trademark long black moustache. The whole episode was received with much hilarity by the family, ex-colleagues and friends. A much anticipated full series is due to be aired in May and June this year, (see YOUTUBE, The Socially Distant Sports Bar, “Wimbledon Razzle”, as an insight).
Hodgy will always be remembered by everyone he interacted with as a “complete one off”, with a sunny personality, mischievous smile, wicked wit and sense of humour, who was always up for some fun; and even when having his health challenges increased in recent times these qualities still shone through.
Whilst there were the inevitable tears shed in his memory at the well-attended funeral on January 25, his great friend and ex-Bridgend team mate Meredydd James gave a heartfelt eulogy, which contained many humorous anecdotes that encapsulated Tony’s attitude to life and work, before summing him up using the following string of adjectives from his close friends, “ fun, likeable, outgoing, flamboyant, vivacious, charming, humorous, honest, genuine, kind, always positive, a great influencer, a free spirit with indomitable spirit, a dedicated family man; without doubt he made a huge impact on all those he interacted with and no doubt the TV series later this year will reflect on all of these qualities of a much respected and loved character.
RIP big man, a life well lived but so cruelly cut short, you leave a huge legacy.
