How a Westminster Old Scholar became the croquet legend behind the ‘full Spooner’
Neil Spooner (‘70) first picked up croquet while at Westminster in the late 1960s, quickly excelling to reach A Grade level within just nine months of playing.
Neil Spooner pictured in the Westminster Croquet Team, 1968
By the 1970s, he was representing Australia on the world stage and established himself as one of the sport’s most accomplished players.
Neil targeting a roquet with his distinctive shooting style
Years later in the United States, Neil achieved a near impossible 26 - 0 victory in U.S. Rules croquet. The result became legendary, coining the term ‘full Spooner’. From this, a 26 - 1 victory became known as a ‘half Spooner’.
Neil’s legacy continues to live on in croquet history.
