From Rugby to auctioning sports memorabilia; this was Peter Banner’s story told to the PCEC at their August 9 meeting. But before Peter’s presentation, the meeting began on a more somber note. “Hawaii” Bob Sutterfield a well known and active member of the Club had passed away the previous Sunday. So the meeting started with a remembrance of “Hawaii” Bob and his contribution to the PCEC and Pattaya Expats.
The meeting then proceeded with Peter’s presentation. Better known in Pattaya as “The Happy Auctioneer,” Peter was born premature and weighed three pounds, six ounces at birth. He spent the first three months of his life in a hospital that used to be a workhouse. By age 14, he had decided he wanted to be a professional rugby player. “Everyone laughed at me because I was too small,” said Peter.
PCEC Board Chairman begins the meeting with a memorial for “Hawaii” Bob Sutterfield who passed away on August 2, 2015. Bob was very active in the PCEC. Roy noted that his smile and presence will be missed.
But four years later he signed his first rugby contract, and in his 20-year career that followed, he played 750 games, helped his teams win numerous trophies, and earned every medal in the sport. How did he do it? In large part, he said, he was inspired by the words of President John F. Kennedy: “Words will only be good if actions follow them.” So he took action.
At age 16, Peter tried out with an amateur rugby team and was offered 150 pounds to sign a contract for life. He said he wanted at least 1,000 pounds to start. Another team offered him a contract, but said his father had to sign for him. However, his father wouldn’t sign unless Peter first got a trade to fall back on when he failed. “So I got a trade,” said Peter. “I went to the local pie shop, got a job, and ended up owning four kitchens.” When he turned 18, he worked out his own contract for 5,000 pounds.
PCEC Board Member Jerry Dean comments during the memorial for “Hawaii” Bob how it was Bob who introduced him to the PCEC and then became one of his closest friends. The memorial can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube .com/watch?v=vaIM2BP5X3w.
“I’m short, but I was quick & fearless,” he said. “In my entire career, I never had a stitch or a broken bone. I have no fear of anything or anyone. I learned that people who hold back get hurt. It’s the same in life. You need dedication to what you’re doing. Dreams come true because of passion.”
Peter is also known as a very passionate and entertaining story teller. He said most of the players on one of the teams he played with early in his career were small, but they were a very physical team. Further, one of their favorite tactics was to stand on the referee’s toe, and when the referee looked down a teammate would hit one of the opposing players. One time the referee said, “Behave yourselves you dwarfs, or I’ll send you back to Snow White.”
Peter Banner, the “Happy Auctioneer,” relates several humorous stories to the PCEC about his professional rugby career that wasn’t hampered by his small stature and his later venture in obtaining and auctioning off sports memorabilia to benefit charities.
Peter talked about the amazing camaraderie that he felt with his teammates, and the lessons he learned from them. “I was cocky, and learned that I was a small cog in a big team.” He told several stories about the antics of his teammates while they toured Australia and New Zealand. “We went on a wine-tasting trip in New Zealand, but we didn’t know what wine was, only Guinness.” He related the time that Big Jim, a 6-foot-4 teammate, grabbed Peter by the ankles and dangled him over a railing in retaliation for a prank.
One time after Peter had been traded to a new team, the coach was so hard on him in training that after three or four months he was ready to quit. He finally confronted the coach, who said the reason he was so hard on Peter was that at first the other players on the team resented Peter because he had taken the place of a popular player, and was the highest paid player on the team. But now they don’t like me, the coach said, but they do like and respect you because you’ve stuck it out.
MC Roy Albiston presents the PCEC’s Certificate of Appreciation to Peter Banner for his interesting and entertaining stories on his professional rugby career.
After retiring from playing rugby, Peter conducted rugby league supporters on tours to Australia. He said the 1987 Crocodile Dundee movie did a lot for his promotions. “Everyone wanted to see Walkabout Creek.” During his rugby career and tour promotions, Peter developed connections with numerous sports celebrities and international charities. That gave him the idea of auctioning off celebrity memorabilia to raise funds for various charities. He has been holding charity auctions for the past 17 years. He said he has sports celebrities and private buyers around the world who donate items for the auctions.
During one televised charity auction in Dubai, he raised over 1 million US dollars in 40 minutes. This year he has already raised more than 2 million baht for charities in Pattaya.
Peter Banner shows PCEC member Ren Lexander an item of sports memorabilia he will auction for charity. The video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFR9DjTZX8Q.
Peter said that in recent years, he has been greatly influenced by a line from the “Star Wars” movie: “May the force be with you.” He recalled that George Lucas was turned down by United Artists and Universal before 20th Century Fox finally said yes.
“I believe the force is already in you,” said Peter, ending with the words, “May the force within you shine through.”
After Peter’s presentation MC Roy Albiston brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and called on Judith Edmonds to conduct the Open Forum, where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.
For more information on the PCEC’s many activities, visit their website at www.pcecclub.org.
