Quiz Ball

Misc

Details

Title: Quiz Ball
Ref: Football related quiz show which Celtic players & fans participated in.
Celtic Involvement: 1969-71

Quiz Ball (BBC)

Quiz Ball - Kerrydale Street

A quiz programme screened on BBC1 in its evening schedule featured a team of four representing a football team from either the English or Scottish League and were allowed a guest supporter.

There were four routes to goal:
4 easy questions,
3 medium questions,
2 difficult questions
and 1 hard question.

After winning the opening kick off question the player chose a route to goal and answered the questions. The opposing team had one chance to tackle the player going to goal by pressing a buzzer prior to the player answering their last question. If they got it right they won possession but if it was wrong the challenge was unsuccessful and a goal was scored.

The route 1 question was not subject to tackle.

A group of Celtic fans/players won the tournament in 1969-1970 (congratulations lads). However, as winners Celtic went on to play ‘England’ in a one off special which they lost 6-7. We believe the result went to a tie break and England got a really easy question to win it!

Celtic then retained the trophy in season 1970-71.

Quiz Ball - Kerrydale Street

First Round 2nd Match

Celtic 3

Sunderland 0

Cairney 2, Craig
Jim Craig player Len Ashurst player
Billy McNeill player Michael McGiven player
Willie Wallace player Richard Pitt player
John Cairney guest supporter James Bolam guest supporter

Semi Final 1st Match

West Bromwich Albion 1 Celtic 2
Ashman Craig 2
Alan Ashman manager Jim Craig player
John Osborne player Billy McNeill player
Ray Wilson player Willie Wallace player
Jeff Smith guest supporter John Cairney guest supporter
  after extra time

Final

Celtic 3 Heart of Midlothian 1
Cairney, Craig Brown
Jim Craig player Donald Ford player
Billy McNeill player Jim Cruickshank player
Willie Wallace player Alan Anderson player
John Cairney guest supporter Eric Brown guest supporter

Source: http://www.btinternet.com/~m.d.pratesi/mp/quizball1969.html
http://londonscrabbleleague.org/londonscrabble/mp/quizballindex.html

Anecdote

Story taken from John Cairney‘s new book on his love of Celtic – ‘The Sevenpenny Gate‘.

Horse racing punters will appreciate Ken Smith’s piece in his diary in The Herald on a tale from Scots actor, John Cairney’s just published book about his lifelong love affair with Celtic FC: The Sevenpenny Gate. Cairney recalls being Celtic’s celebrity team member on BBC sports quiz, Quizball. There were graduates on the Celtic team, but Willie Wallace [former Celtic and Scotland star] had to make up the numbers after someone called off.

Wrote Cairney: “’Wispy’ hadn’t opened his mouth, so we arranged to leave one question to him. It was: ‘Who or what is a Garryowen?’ “We all knew it was a kick in rugby, but looked at Wispy to respond.

“He gulped, pressed his buzzer, and whispered tentatively: ‘The racing correspondent of the Daily Record?’”

Garry Owen, of course, being a tipster on the Record …
Quiz ball - Celtic side

Billy McNeill, Marin Buchan, John Cairney, John Grieve.