Triple international sportsman and former long-serving State Minister of Sport, Mike Cleary, heads an impressive lineup of sporting celebrities who will converge on Lithgow for a huge fundraising function on July 25.
The dinner-auction will be held at Club Lithgow and, as Mike used to say, it will raise ‘a motza’ for two outstanding local athletes who are striving to again represent Australia at Paralympic Games — Ben Houlison and Ben Austin.
Mike made the motza statement when he was the face of FootyTab when it was first introduced — his spiel in the lead-up to the first dividend was ‘win a motza on FootyTab’.
The first dividend paid about seven dollars.
Hopefully, much more than seven dollars will be raised at the Two Bens function at Club Lithgow … and there’s little doubt that will happen, what with the array of celebrity speakers at the lectern and the wonderful items which will come under the hammer.
Accompanying Mike to Lithgow are rugby league’s Parramatta and Australian superstar Bob O’Reilly, fiery fast bowler Len Pascoe, Socceroo legend Alex Tobin, Olympic swimmer Mark Tonelli, horse racing genius (at riding and tipping) Wayne Harris and track and field 400m great Darren Clark.
Sydney-based sports promotion company, Events du Monde, which is organising the function, is also hopeful of luring other sporting celebrities such as that sharp sharp-shooter Michael Diamond and boxer Rocky Gatellari.
Mike Cleary’s presence at the function is sure to be a major attraction to a host of people who have admired him for his deeds on and off the sporting field for half a century.
Mike represented Australia in three sports — athletics, rugby union and rugby league — and served his community and the people of NSW as a long-serving member of State Parliament.
The strapping speedster represented Australian at the 1962 Perth Commonwealth Games and won a bronze medal in the 100 yards sprint and also put that ‘toe’ to good use on the footy field, playing six rugby tests before switching to the professional code in which had remarkable success.
Mike represented Australia in eight Tests and earned premiership honours with his beloved South Sydney in 1967-68 and 1970.
Mike switched to league in 1962 and played as an amateur that year so he could compete at the Perth Games.
Mike well remembers winning a man of the match award from broadcasting legend Frank Hyde.
“Because I was an amateur I couldn’t accept a Seiko watch worth 21 quid but they gave it to our secretary, Charlie Gibson who in turn gave it to me later that night,” Mike said with a laugh.
Another memorable moment during his sporting career was in 1964 in match-race against the great Ken Irvine in front of a huge crowd at a Wentworth Park dog meeting.
Both men had clocked a sizzling 9.3 seconds for the 100 yards so the match-up created immense interest among the sporting fraternities.
“I got the bikkies by about a yard — the prize was £1000 (a REAL motza at the time) and I split it with Kenny,” Mike recalled.
After retiring in 1971, Mike turned his interest to politics and represented Coogee electorate from 1974-91.
He was the Minister for Sport, Recreation (and additionally) Tourism from 1981-88 as well as the Minister for Racing (1986-88).
After retiring from politics he became a member of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Bid Committee where his knowledge and advice greatly enhanced Australia’s successful bid attempt.
For his services to sport and parliament, Mike was a recipient of an Order of Australia in 1992.
The Two Bens function at Club Lithgow will play to a packed house — only 200 seats are available and at just $50 per head the house-full sign is certain to be hoisted.
Those attending will receive a mouth-watering buffet meal and the opportunity to rub shoulders with a host of sporting champions.
Co-comperes for the evening will be renowned sporting journalist Chris Scholtz and sporting historian John Gilmour.
To book your berth on the Good Ship Fun ’n’ Frolics at Club Lithgow, give the club a ring on (02) 6351 3375.
The Two Bens Dinner is proudly supported by Lithgow Mercury, Henry Plant and Equipment Hire, C and W Printing, Valley Drive Car Wash, Family First Credit Union, Lithgow Parkside Motor Inn, Delta Power, 2LT, Royal Hotel Wallerawang and Coronation Hotel, Portland.
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