As an avowed republican monarchist, Oddie has been watching the commemorations for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II with much interest.
All the pomp and ceremony has reminded Oddie that the Brits do horses, carriages and soldiers in impractical uniforms better than anyone, though but for a twist of historical fate, all that ceremony might have been lining the streets of Jerilderie instead of London.
Late Jerilderie resident Michael Abney-Hastings, who passed away in 2012, was once claimed by a British television program to be the true heir to the throne.
It was claimed that a royal dalliance with an archer back in the 1400s may have set the line of succession off course.
A king for Jerilderie would surely have eclipsed even Ned Kelly as the town’s most famous interloper.
These kids are 2 kool 4 skool
While perusing the announcements for Paris 2024, one addition caught Oddie’s eye.
Oddie hadn’t realised breakdancing had been added to the Olympic Games, and while you could look at it as crazy and weird, and drifting away from ‘what the Olympics ought to be’, you could also look at it as the institution trying to stay relevant to younger audiences, which is admirable.
And Australia’s 14-year-old Olympic breakdancing hopeful was listed — a kid named Jeff Dunne.
He would be the youngest Jeff, or Geoff, Oddie has seen — with the name seemingly going the way of Graham, Reg, Gordon and Bob — the latter a name rapidly disappearing from world sport.
Old names are having a resurgence among girls, with Margots and Roses and the ilk aplenty — now it’s time to bring back older boys’ names.
Why stop at Gordon and Reginald? Bring back names like Hrothgar and Unferth.