Former Maitland rugy league player Warren “Dinger” Bell died on Friday.
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Bell, 72, had gone to the doctor with a slight cough a couple of weeks earlier only to learn that he had aggressive throat cancer and not long to live.
Bell was a first grade winger with the then Pumpkin Pickers in the 1960s, scoring one of two Maitland tries – the other was scored by Brian Burke – in their 1965 premiership win over Souths.
He also played representative football for Newcastle and was a member of their famous 1964 State Cup side that beat the top Sydney teams as well as Great Britain and France.
Family friend Keith McDeed organised a fund-raiser for Bell’s family at the Windor Castle yesterday.
“He was a humble sort of guy, pretty quiet, and I thought this might be a good way to help his wife Margaret and son Michael with the bills,” Mr McDeed said.
“We managed to get quite a few well known guys along . . . Brian Burke was MC, Johnny King, Eddie Lumsden, Barry Jennings, Merv Wright and Milton Burrows were all here, as well as a few of the current Pickers.”
Funeral arrangements are yet to be determined. The Mercury will publish them when they are finalised.
Anyone wishing to make a donation can call Cheryl at the Windsor Castle.