London Raiders - Revision history

Ross Burgess at 08:06, 16 August 2017

2017-08-16T08:06:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:06, 16 August 2017
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	[[File:London Raiders.png\|thumb\|Raiders logo]]'''The London Raiders''' (formerly known as ''''The Rainbow Raiders''') is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1989 and is an LGBT sports club.		[[File:London Raiders.png\|thumb\|Raiders logo]]'''The London Raiders''' (formerly known as '''The Rainbow Raiders''') is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1989 and is an LGBT sports club.

	== About ==		== About ==

Ross Burgess at 13:34, 11 January 2014

2014-01-11T13:34:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:34, 11 January 2014
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	'''The London Raiders''' (formerly known as ''''The Rainbow Raiders''') is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1989 and is an LGBT sports club.		[[File:London Raiders.png\|thumb\|Raiders logo]]'''The London Raiders''' (formerly known as ''''The Rainbow Raiders''') is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1989 and is an LGBT sports club.

	== About ==		== About ==

Ross Burgess at 17:04, 10 October 2013

2013-10-10T17:04:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:04, 10 October 2013
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	'''The London Raiders''' (formerly known as ''The Rainbow Raiders'') is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1989 and is an LGBT sports club.		'''The London Raiders''' (formerly known as ''''The Rainbow Raiders''') is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1989 and is an LGBT sports club.

	== About ==		== About ==
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	[[Category:Softball]]		[[Category:Softball]]
	[[Category:London]]		[[Category:London]]
			[[Category:Former Consortium members]]

Ross Burgess: /* Softball Sunday */ Removing an out-of-date item

2013-07-02T16:51:44Z

Softball Sunday: Removing an out-of-date item

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:51, 2 July 2013
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	Raiders has seven different league teams, including one in the top division of the Greater London league (GLSML). If you would like to play with us, get in touch with our Membership Managers by using the contact form on our website.		Raiders has seven different league teams, including one in the top division of the Greater London league (GLSML). If you would like to play with us, get in touch with our Membership Managers by using the contact form on our website.

	~~== Softball Sunday ==~~

	~~There is no official Sunday session on 3rd July (day after Pride). Our next planned Sunday activities will be on 17th July, starting at 1pm.~~

	== Tournament Success ==		== Tournament Success ==

Ross Burgess: /* History */

2013-07-02T16:50:19Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:50, 2 July 2013
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	'''1989-1992'''		'''1989-1992'''

	Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from Cardiff in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on [[Clapham Common]] in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in Hyde Park. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to Harrogate for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to Brighton for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1992, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and ~~Coventry~~ Garden, including [[The Village]], [[Compton's Café]] (now Ballan's Café) and [[The Edge]]. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play.		Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from [[Cardiff]] in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on [[Clapham Common]] in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in [[Hyde Park]]. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to [[Harrogate]] for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to [[Brighton]] for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1992, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and [[Covent Garden]], including [[The Village]], [[Compton's Café]] (now Ballan's Café) and [[The Edge]]. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play.

	'''1993 - the gay league'''		'''1993 - the gay league'''

	In 1993 Jonathan encouraged the new gay venues of the burgeoning West End gay scene to form teams, and play each other in a gay league. This proved very successful, and teams from the following gay venues played that year: [[Comptons]] (pub), [[The Village]], [[The Edge]], [[Centrepoint Gym]], [[First Out Café]], and [[Compton's Café]]. That year a lot of fun was had - Comptons brought crates of beer along to the match and [[Lady Compton]] arrived in [[drag]], getting up on a soap box at [[Speakers' Corner]] to give a pro-gay rant. First Out sponsored a tequila slammer match, runs having to down a double tequila slammer for every base they got to. Jonathan and Malcolm came second, getting around 10 bases, I really can't remember who won, achieving 11 bases, but we all rolled around laughing on the grass for a long time. The league that year was won by Centrepoint Gym (an all-male team that had been allowed to compete against mixed teams!).		In 1993 Jonathan encouraged the new gay venues of the burgeoning [[West End]] gay scene to form teams, and play each other in a gay league. This proved very successful, and teams from the following gay venues played that year: [[Comptons]] (pub), [[The Village]], [[The Edge]], [[Centrepoint Gym]], [[First Out Café]], and [[Compton's Café]]. That year a lot of fun was had - Comptons brought crates of beer along to the match and [[Lady Compton]] arrived in [[drag]], getting up on a soap box at [[Speakers' Corner]] to give a pro-gay rant. First Out sponsored a tequila slammer match, runs having to down a double tequila slammer for every base they got to. Jonathan and Malcolm came second, getting around 10 bases, I really can't remember who won, achieving 11 bases, but we all rolled around laughing on the grass for a long time. The league that year was won by Centrepoint Gym (an all-male team that had been allowed to compete against mixed teams!).

	The gay league was hard to sustain, the following year the venues were not up for fielding teams, most of the staff of Compton's Cafe worked all night (the cafe was open 24 hours on the weekend), so players had no sleep before arriving for games, and there were a few accidents. But a core of individual players remained, including [[Jimmy Somerville]], Malcolm and [[Amy Lamé]] (from First Out) and [[Jay Eff]]. on tap music tour of the States, accompanied by friend Malcolm, Jimmy Somerville (who worked out at Centrepoint Gym with Jonathan) bought the softball club's first proper equipment: bats, balls, bases and gloves. For the first time the club had a full set of gloves which prevented broken fingers. Malcolm was asked to carry it back. There was no official committee at this stage, people were asked to pay £1 per game as a contribution, and Jonathan lugged the equipment from his flat in [[Marylebone]] to [[Hyde Park]] every Sunday afternoon during the summer months. They all ended up in the [[City of Quebec]] pub afterwards.		The gay league was hard to sustain, the following year the venues were not up for fielding teams, most of the staff of Compton's Cafe worked all night (the cafe was open 24 hours on the weekend), so players had no sleep before arriving for games, and there were a few accidents. But a core of individual players remained, including [[Jimmy Somerville]], Malcolm and [[Amy Lamé]] (from First Out) and [[Jay Eff]]. on tap music tour of the States, accompanied by friend Malcolm, Jimmy Somerville (who worked out at Centrepoint Gym with Jonathan) bought the softball club's first proper equipment: bats, balls, bases and gloves. For the first time the club had a full set of gloves which prevented broken fingers. Malcolm was asked to carry it back. There was no official committee at this stage, people were asked to pay £1 per game as a contribution, and Jonathan lugged the equipment from his flat in [[Marylebone]] to [[Hyde Park]] every Sunday afternoon during the summer months. They all ended up in the [[City of Quebec]] pub afterwards.

Ross Burgess: /* History */

2013-07-02T16:45:26Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:45, 2 July 2013
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	'''1989-1992'''		'''1989-1992'''

	Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from Cardiff in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on [[Clapham Common]] in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in Hyde Park. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to Harrogate for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to Brighton for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1992, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and Coventry Garden, including [[The Village]], [[Compton's ~~Cafe~~]] (now Ballan's ~~Cafe~~) and [[The Edge]]. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play.		Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from Cardiff in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on [[Clapham Common]] in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in Hyde Park. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to Harrogate for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to Brighton for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1992, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and Coventry Garden, including [[The Village]], [[Compton's Café]] (now Ballan's Café) and [[The Edge]]. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play.

	'''1993 - the gay league'''		'''1993 - the gay league'''

	In 1993 Jonathan encouraged the new gay venues of the burgeoning West End gay scene to form teams, and play each other in a gay league. This proved very successful, and teams from the following gay venues played that year: [[Comptons]] (pub), [[The Village]], [[The Edge]], [[Centrepoint Gym]], [[First Out ~~Cafe~~]], and [[Compton's ~~Cafe~~]]. That year a lot of fun was had - Comptons brought crates of beer along to the match and [[Lady Compton]] arrived in [[drag]], getting up on a soap box at [[Speakers' Corner]] to give a pro-gay rant. First Out sponsored a tequila slammer match, runs having to down a double tequila slammer for every base they got to. Jonathan and Malcolm came second, getting around 10 bases, I really can't remember who won, achieving 11 bases, but we all rolled around laughing on the grass for a long time. The league that year was won by Centrepoint Gym (an all-male team that had been allowed to compete against mixed teams!).		In 1993 Jonathan encouraged the new gay venues of the burgeoning West End gay scene to form teams, and play each other in a gay league. This proved very successful, and teams from the following gay venues played that year: [[Comptons]] (pub), [[The Village]], [[The Edge]], [[Centrepoint Gym]], [[First Out Café]], and [[Compton's Café]]. That year a lot of fun was had - Comptons brought crates of beer along to the match and [[Lady Compton]] arrived in [[drag]], getting up on a soap box at [[Speakers' Corner]] to give a pro-gay rant. First Out sponsored a tequila slammer match, runs having to down a double tequila slammer for every base they got to. Jonathan and Malcolm came second, getting around 10 bases, I really can't remember who won, achieving 11 bases, but we all rolled around laughing on the grass for a long time. The league that year was won by Centrepoint Gym (an all-male team that had been allowed to compete against mixed teams!).

	The gay league was hard to sustain, the following year the venues were not up for fielding teams, most of the staff of Compton's Cafe worked all night (the cafe was open 24 hours on the weekend), so players had no sleep before arriving for games, and there were a few accidents. But a core of individual players remained, including [[Jimmy Somerville]], Malcolm and [[Amy ~~Lame~~]] (from First Out) and [[Jay Eff]]. on tap music tour of the States, accompanied by friend Malcolm, Jimmy Somerville (who worked out at Centrepoint Gym with Jonathan) bought the softball club's first proper equipment: bats, balls, bases and gloves. For the first time the club had a full set of gloves which prevented broken fingers. Malcolm was asked to carry it back. There was no official committee at this stage, people were asked to pay £1 per game as a contribution, and Jonathan lugged the equipment from his flat in [[Marylebone]] to [[Hyde Park]] every Sunday afternoon during the summer months. They all ended up in the [[City of Quebec]] pub afterwards.		The gay league was hard to sustain, the following year the venues were not up for fielding teams, most of the staff of Compton's Cafe worked all night (the cafe was open 24 hours on the weekend), so players had no sleep before arriving for games, and there were a few accidents. But a core of individual players remained, including [[Jimmy Somerville]], Malcolm and [[Amy Lamé]] (from First Out) and [[Jay Eff]]. on tap music tour of the States, accompanied by friend Malcolm, Jimmy Somerville (who worked out at Centrepoint Gym with Jonathan) bought the softball club's first proper equipment: bats, balls, bases and gloves. For the first time the club had a full set of gloves which prevented broken fingers. Malcolm was asked to carry it back. There was no official committee at this stage, people were asked to pay £1 per game as a contribution, and Jonathan lugged the equipment from his flat in [[Marylebone]] to [[Hyde Park]] every Sunday afternoon during the summer months. They all ended up in the [[City of Quebec]] pub afterwards.

	'''1994 - the Publishing League'''		'''1994 - the Publishing League'''

	In 1994 the team was still going, and players wanted to join a proper league. Jonathan, by this time, was working at [[Boyz]] magazine and the [[Pink Paper]], so signed them up to the London Publishing League. To join, they needed a name, many names had been suggested by members, but crossing the park on the way to the pub where the Publishing League meeting was taking place, Perry and Jonathan had still not decided upon a name. Suddenly it occurred to one of them, that the combination of two of the suggestions hit the spot, walking into the pub minutes later, they declared themselves to be "The Rainbow Raiders".		In 1994 the team was still going, and players wanted to join a proper league. Jonathan, by this time, was working at ''[[Boyz]]'' magazine and the ''[[Pink Paper]]'', so signed them up to the London Publishing League. To join, they needed a name, many names had been suggested by members, but crossing the park on the way to the pub where the Publishing League meeting was taking place, Perry and Jonathan had still not decided upon a name. Suddenly it occurred to one of them, that the combination of two of the suggestions hit the spot, walking into the pub minutes later, they declared themselves to be "The Rainbow Raiders".

	Playing in a league, the Raiders soon became aware that they were not very good. It was one thing to be lesbian and gay in the 90s, but another thing to be lesbian and gay and losers. One regular was an older American man called [[Michael Michaelian]], because he was American, the other members thought he must know how to play ball, so they asked him to be the official coach. From that day on they never lost a game - and came second in the finals against the leading [[Finsbury Park]] team (at that level). In the stands at this finals game, Jonathan was struck by the crowd (from other teams) cheering for the Raiders for the first time. Up until now the 'gay team' had been a figure of fun, but now the underdog was no longer being mocked, but genuinely supported by all the other teams in the league. The Raiders didn't win, but for Jonathan there had been a dramatic turning point in how pele viewed gay sports teams - they could be as good as the rest, if not better.		Playing in a league, the Raiders soon became aware that they were not very good. It was one thing to be lesbian and gay in the 90s, but another thing to be lesbian and gay and losers. One regular was an older American man called [[Michael Michaelian]], because he was American, the other members thought he must know how to play ball, so they asked him to be the official coach. From that day on they never lost a game - and came second in the finals against the leading [[Finsbury Park]] team (at that level). In the stands at this finals game, Jonathan was struck by the crowd (from other teams) cheering for the Raiders for the first time. Up until now the 'gay team' had been a figure of fun, but now the underdog was no longer being mocked, but genuinely supported by all the other teams in the league. The Raiders didn't win, but for Jonathan there had been a dramatic turning point in how pele viewed gay sports teams - they could be as good as the rest, if not better.

LGBT-HP: /* Tournament Success */

2013-03-19T11:28:38Z

Tournament Success

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:28, 19 March 2013
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	== Tournament Success ==		== Tournament Success ==

	Raiders won top prize in the B division at the Pioneers Tournament in [[Canterbury]] on 24-25 June. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the country and a major achievement for the club! Special congrats to Kelvin Terblanche ~~and Pam Wilburn~~, team ~~MVPs~~!		Raiders won top prize in the B division at the Pioneers Tournament in [[Canterbury]] on 24-25 June. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the country and a major achievement for the club! Special congrats to Kelvin Terblanche, team MVP!

	== Development Squad ==		== Development Squad ==

Ross Burgess at 14:17, 9 September 2012

2012-09-09T14:17:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:17, 9 September 2012
Line 24:		Line 24:
	'''1989-1992'''		'''1989-1992'''

	Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from Cardiff in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on Clapham Common in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in Hyde Park. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to Harrogate for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to Brighton for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1992, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and Coventry Garden, including [[The Village]], [[Compton's Cafe]] (now Ballan's Cafe) and [[The Edge]]. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play.		Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from Cardiff in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on [[Clapham Common]] in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in Hyde Park. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to Harrogate for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to Brighton for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1992, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and Coventry Garden, including [[The Village]], [[Compton's Cafe]] (now Ballan's Cafe) and [[The Edge]]. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play.

	'''1993 - the gay league'''		'''1993 - the gay league'''

Ross Burgess: /* Tournament Success */

2012-06-23T11:56:41Z

Tournament Success

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:56, 23 June 2012
Line 15:		Line 15:
	== Tournament Success ==		== Tournament Success ==

	Raiders won top prize in the B division at the Pioneers Tournament in Canterbury on 24-25 June. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the country and a major achievement for the club! Special congrats to Kelvin Terblanche and Pam Wilburn, team MVPs!		Raiders won top prize in the B division at the Pioneers Tournament in [[Canterbury]] on 24-25 June. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the country and a major achievement for the club! Special congrats to Kelvin Terblanche and Pam Wilburn, team MVPs!

	== Development Squad ==		== Development Squad ==

LGBT-HP at 20:40, 15 June 2012

2012-06-15T20:40:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:40, 15 June 2012
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	[[Category:Softball]]		[[Category:Softball]]
	[[Category:London]]		[[Category:London]]
	~~[[Category:Sports]]~~