The mystery of the Blue Bird Cafe Cup that was found after it was forgotten gathering dust in a cupboard at the Lithgow Mercury office for many years may have been solved.
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The impressively proportioned old trophy, which bears the inscription 'Lithgow District Rugby League', 'The Blue Bird Cafe Cup for perpetual competition in the district of Lithgow' and 'Presented by Mr Leon Bizannes 1941', was donated to the library.
Leon Bizannes, son of the Mr Leon Bizannes who donated the cup, travelled to Lithgow with his family on Friday, October 11 to take a look at the cup and shed some light on the man who donated it.
READ MORE: Mystery trophy's new home at Lithgow Library
Mr Bizannes was a Greek newspaper editor for the National Tribune before coming to Lithgow in 1940. He married an Australian woman and they had three children, all sons.
His son Leon was eight years old when he came to Lithgow, where he stayed from 1940-48 before moving to Sydney with his family when he was 15.
The children studied at Lithgow High School and went to La Salle Academy, then known as Cooerwull Academy, for one year.
"This is the first time I've been back," he said.
A love of sport, especially swimming and rugby was passed down from his father who was enthusiastic about it.
Christina Bizannes, Leon's wife, only had kind words for her father-in-law.
"He was a wonderful father in law, he cared deeply for his family, friends and community," she said.
"He taught his children love and his son became a loving husband and father and I have to thank him for a lot."
In 1941 the Blue Bird Cafe was located in what is today the Lithgow Post Office, opposite its present Main Street location, with the generous Leon Bizannes as proprietor.
"It's nice that the name has stayed the same for all these years, even after the cafe relocated," daughter Ninetta Ray said.
The family left the trophy at the library, where it is on display in the local history section.
"I think its home is here," she said.
The visit also gave Lithgow veteran sporting figure Sandy Davidson, the chance to talk to the man, whose father donated the cup.
Sandy was a 19-year-old five-eighth in the Lithgow St Patrick's side that won the cup in 1951.
"It's nice to see reminisce about those days," he said.
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