Merseyside Quiz Leagues

After a delay of only 39 weeks the Merseyside Heats of the 2019-20 Mimir Competition were played online on Wed 16 December!  Almost all 32 players who qualified in February were able to take part.  In spite of being online the heats were no less competitive than usual and after three rounds of closely fought matches Pat Gibson (Ormskirk), Mark Kerr (Liverpool), Karl Whelan (Wirral) and John Wilson (Ormskirk) reached the final.  Thanks to everyone who took part and especially to the Question Persons and Scorers.

The final will hopefully be played at the postponed 2019-20 Presentation Evening scheduled for  Wed 26 May 2021. 

All results are here.

It is with regret that MQL announce the cancellation of the 2020-21 Leagues season.  This was a unanimous decision made at last week’s meeting of the MQL Council.  It means that there will be no face to face quizzing in the Liverpool, Ormskirk, Southport & Formby, Warrington or Wirral Leagues.   Any question sets and membership fees that may have been submitted will be carried over to the 2021-22 season, which we hope will begin as normal next Autumn.   As you are aware, three online league competitions are currently being operated by Southport & Formby, Ormskirk and by MQL.  If any teams or individuals would like to get involved with these, please contact your league secretary.

The President’s Trophy competition is being played online and it is hoped that the Merseyside Challenge Cup and possibly the Mimir Individual competitions may run in some form of online version in the Spring.  The President’s Shield, Feeny Cup and Rendon Cup competitions will not take place.

We plan to hold a Finals and Presentation Evening in May to conclude all 2019-20 and any 2020-21events.

The decision to cancel was made very reluctantly after months of uncertainty.  However we had reached the stage that even if circumstances may have allowed venues to open and host, there would be insufficient time to complete a league programme.  We hope that all players and their families stay safe and look forward to meeting up again in September.

MQLOnline got underway on Monday 14 September with the first round of matches.  15 teams from Liverpool, Warrington and Wirral are taking part.  The Ormskirk online league also began on Monday 14 September with 7 teams taking part.  The first season of the Southport & Formby online league has finished and the new season will begin at the end of the month.

Arthur who held managerial status in the Fire Department of The Royal Insurance, started quizzing in the 1960's for the Brooke Hotel in what was to become the Northern League, probably MQL's first super team.  He and team secretary, Bill Bent were Merchant Taylors Old Boys and also played Hockey and Cricket together.  Arthur stayed with The Brooke until their demise after the deaths of Bill and Alan Urion.  In that time they had been the first team to win their own league, the Merseyside Challenge Cup (when over 200 hundred teams would enter) and the Feeny Cup in the same year.  To complete a clean sweep, Northern also won the President’s Trophy with a team described as ‘The Brooke plus Ken Smith’.  He once again enjoyed success after becoming a member of Castaways with John Wilson, still in the Northern League, until they too folded and Arthur decided to retire.

In 2006 he came out of retirement to join Casablanca after the death of Frank Clark and continued to play for them in the Southport and Formby League until this year.  In spite of being a fine player, Arthur would not be persuaded to enter the Mimir competition saying that it didn't appeal

Unfortunately early in August Arthur had a fall whilst visiting his bank and suffered a broken shoulder, broken arm and facial injuries.  Whilst in hospital due to visitation restrictions he was only able to communicate with his daughters by phone.  Complications arose and sadly he passed away on 12th September aged 88.

Arthur was a most pleasant companion and a top rate quizzer.  It was hard to say what his specialities were; he was good at most subjects.  Remarkably, for a man who had the same car for almost 25 years, his knowledge of cars and their manufacturers was particularly bewildering

There have already been many tributes to Arthur, he will be greatly missed.

It is with sadness that we report the death of George Lucy.  A long standing member of the Ormskirk and Merseyside Quiz Leagues, George served as President of the MQL from 1990 until 1993 and was a current Vice-President.  He was for many years responsible for Question Distribution throughout the Leagues and the organisation of the President's Trophy competition.

We send our sincere condolences to his family and friends.