Lion Mooney honored to be member number 50 

Another milestone was passed at the 2002 Mongrel Masters when rookie Brian "the Lion" Mooney became member number 50.

A membership number is allocated to every new player in the Mongrel Masters. The number is in ascending order and determined by the year the player first competed in the tournament and their position in the Order of Merit for that year. Should two rookies be tied the number is allocated by alphabetical order.

With the Lion finishing tied for 10th place with fellow rookie Simple Ben Oldham, the coveted half century number allocation came down to whose surname was higher in the alphabet and Mooney got the nod. " I was extremely honored to have played in the Mongrel Masters and to be member number 50 is quite special" said the Lion when told he was the Steve McGarret of the Masters. 

With a record number of nine rookies in the field, the total membership of the Mongrel Masters has now reached 55. 

Interestingly 1996 is the only year that the tournament has not had any new members, with the average number of rookies per year since its inception in 1990 being 4.

Some other pieces of member number facts include;

• Inaugural champion Noni Scanlon is member number 1

• Member number 10 belongs to the first international player, Japan's, Mav Yokohama

• It took five years before Boxcar Willey became member number 25 and a further 8 years for the 50th member

• Patrons Mosie Lonard and Cambo Campbell hold numbers 35 and 47 respectively

Click here for the complete Mongrel Masters Membership Number List

Click here for the 2002 Mongrel Masters in Photographs

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