KEN Graham will this afternoon make county history by becoming the first man to be Hampshire president three times.

He originally held the post in 2008 for the now defunct Hampshire County BA and is just finishing his second 12-month term as the Bowls Hampshire figurehead but as there is no senior vice-president to step into his shoes he is standing once more for 2013.

The Purbrook Heath member was due to hand over to John Jenner of Richmond Park during the BH annual meeting at Banister Park today but Jenner withdrew some months ago because of ill health.

That left a void which Graham as a man dedicated to Hampshire bowls could not accept and he readily put himself forward to be president once more.

He said: “When John was taken ill I said then that if the county could not get anyone else I would stand again. You can’t leave the county without a president – especially as the ladies will not have a president either in 2013 which made it even more awkward.

“I am quite happy to stand. Even though I am 84 I am fit – if I wasn’t I wouldn’t stand – and I am on my own. If I had a wife it would be different.”

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