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Ken Ruby
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Kenneth Darrol James Ruby QSM (14 August 1921 – 10 September 2011) was a New Zealand wrestler who represented his country at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He was later a wrestling referee and judge.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Ruby was born on 14 August 1921, and grew up in Wellington.[1] He was educated at Rongotai College, and went on to work at the Wellington Paper Company.[1] During World War II, Ruby served with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force and saw active service in the Pacific.[1][2]
Wrestling
[edit]A member of the Kilbirnie Gym, Ruby won the New Zealand national amateur wrestling championship in the featherweight division in 1948.[1][3]
At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Ruby competed in the bantamweight division.[4] He lost his opening two bouts, against Ian Epton representing Northern Rhodesia[5] and Muhammad Amin from Pakistan,[6] and was eliminated to place fifth overall.[7]
At the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Ruby was a referee and judge, and in 1980 he was awarded life membership of the New Zealand Olympic Wrestling Association.[1]
Later life and death
[edit]Ruby moved to Wanganui in 1954, and worked for Weeks Printing Company and then New Zealand Railways.[1] He established a wrestling gym in Wanganui, and worked with local police to set up a club to increase children's participation in sports.[1] He retired to Tauranga in 1983.[1] In the 1998 Queen's Birthday Honours, Ruby was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service.[8]
Ruby died in Tauranga on 10 September 2011.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i Hammond, Roly (22 October 2011). "Wrestler who achieved high honours". Bay of Plenty Times. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Kenneth Darrol James Ruby". Online Cenotaph. Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Canterbury wins four titles in amateur wrestling contests". Gisborne Herald. 9 October 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Kenneth Ruby". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Empire Games in detail". Daily Telegraph. 2 August 1953. p. 21. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Empire Games results". The Age. 2 August 1954. p. 15. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Wrestling freestyle 57kg – men Vancouver 1954". Commonwealth Games Federation. 2018. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 1998". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 1998. Retrieved 2 July 2019.