The ‘Ken Jones Memorial Match’ will see the home side, who play their rugby in Swalec National League Division 4 East, tackle their big city neighbours, Newport, for the first time in many years.
And the game will take place at around the time that Jones was awarded an Olympic gold medal the last time the Games were staged in London back in 1948. As part of the British men’s 4 x 100 relay squad, Jones helped the home team finish as runners-up to the Americans, only to find the favourites were disqualified for allegedly running out of the hand-over box.
That led to the British team being promoted to the gold medal position and actually going out into centre field at Wembley Stadium to receive their gold medal and hear ‘God Save the King’ played while they stood on top of the rostrum.
The Americans appealed and, the following day, were reinstated as Olympic champions. Jones had to hand back his prized possession and was later given a silver medal – which matched that of his near neighbour from Pontnewynydd, marathon ace Tom Richards.
It promises to be a big day of rugby action at the Recreation Ground with the Dragons due to train at the club between 10.00am-3.00pm before the game kicks-off at 7.00pm.
The event is being staged to help raise funds for the ‘Ken Jones Memorial Fund’, which is hoping to raise £90,000 to erect a statute in the town to honour the remarkable Jones. As well as his Olympic silver medal, he won silver at the European Championships, bronze at the Commonwealth Games and won 18 Welsh athletics titles.
On the rugby field, he won a record 44 caps for Wales, scored a record 17 tries and also toured with the British & Irish Lions in 1950. He scored 146 tries in 293 games for Newport, captaining the side in 1950/1 and 1953/4.
He is also remembered as the man who scored the try in Wales’ last win over the mighty All Blacks way back in 1953. .He became the first winner of the Welsh Sports Personality of the Year in 1954, was made OBE in 1960 and was an inaugural member of the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame’s ‘Roll of Honour’.
“We have raised £14,000 to date and it is great that Newport are coming to play us to help raise more funds,” said Blaneavon RFC chairman Alan Jones, who is also secretary of the Ken Jones Memorial Fund.
“We still have a long way to go to meet our target, but we have identified a site in Blaenavon for the statue and there is a huge amount of good will in the town surrounding our plans.
“Ken was an incredible ambassador for Wales and Blaenavon and we want to honour his wonderful achievements with a permanent reminder of who he was, where he came from and what he did.”
The game against Newport kicks-off at 7.00pm on Tuesday night and entry is £4 on the gate. All monies raised will go towards the Memorial Fund.
