John Collings writes a tribute to one of Looe's most well known sportsmen - Norman Pengelly, who has died at the age of 86.

TOP class, all-round talented sportsmen are a rare breed, but there was never any doubt from his early days as a teenager just after the 1939-45 War, that Norman Pengelly, of West Looe, would achieve high standards in both football and sailing. In fact, the large congregation attending Wednesday's funeral of Mr Pengelly – Tonkin, as he was always affectionately known – was reminded that, if it had not been for the war, his professional football career might have really blossomed. As it was, Mr Pengelly's stint with Plymouth Argyle did not start until he was almost 28 – an age when some present-day players might be considered past it! Richard Norman Woodrow Pengelly died at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, on Monday October 11, four days after his 86th birthday. Born in Looe, where he lived all his life, he made his debut in the old Football League Second Division (the equivalent of today's Coca-Cola Championship) at Leeds United in September 1947 and played nine games for the Pilgrims, the last being against West Ham United at Home Park in 1949. He was also a renowned boatman and dinghy sailor; the record books show that he won the West of England Redwing sailing championship – now the National Redwing title – four times in 1948, '49, '50 and 1953, although in one 1949 Championship race, his Argyle manager, Jimmy Rae, wouldn't release from his footballing duties, so boatbuilder Roy Dann took the helm for a vital race. Mr Pengelly hailed from a well-known Looe family. He was the youngest son of a family of 11, with five of his six brothers being successful fishermen and his father and brothers owning the legendary Looe fishing luggers, the Our Boys, the Our Girls and the Guide Me. He was also uncle to former Redwing National sailing champions Derek Hocking, George Pengelly and Roger Hocking and great-uncle to Derek's son, Desmond, another former National Redwing sailing champion. Although his own family's roots were in fishing – and one of his grandsons remains a prominent figure in the local industry – Norman earned his living from the shore as a carpenter and boatbuilder, who later ran his own business. His Redwing dinghy was No.6 of the fleet designed especially for the Looe Bay waters by the legendary Uffa Fox. Named Skitten, his crew was usually 'Jack-I' Lewis and later his nephew, Derek. Nine times winner of Looe's Redwing points title, including runs of four and three consecutive years, he also won the National title outright on four occasions and shared it with nephew Derek in 1963. He was also five times winner of the local Fishermen's Cup. Perhaps his finest national hour came in 1950 when Skitten completed her hat-trick of titles at Babbacombe when there were no fewer than 53 entries. The 12-mile race lasted over three hours and was won by a mere ten seconds from his great rival, Looe boatbuilder Norman Pearn. While Mr Pengelly probably retired from sailing prematurely, his late start to a professional football career precluded him from setting many records on the Home Park turf. He signed for Argyle in 1946 after shining in both the Looe and Cornwall county sides, which he also captained, and being wooed by the First Division (now the Premiership) club Cardiff City. As a hard- tacking centre-half, he often made his presence felt; one press cutting referring to the fact that 'Pengelly appears to have a "hoo-doo" on opposing centre-forwards....' During his nine-game career, the Argyle defence conceded only eight goals, and the centre-forwards he marked bagged none of them. It was a knee injury which finally forced him, on a specialist's advice, to give up the game. It didn't stop him sailing, however, and his sporting prowess also extended to table tennis and cricket. Mr Pengelly was a caring and modest man, well- loved by his family and friends in Looe, and, as the last survivor of his generation of the Woodrow Pengelly family, he will be remembered with great affection and sadly missed by his wife Pam, children Janice and Carolyn and his grandchildren.