Ralph Farmer threw a cricket ball so hard team-mates swore you could hear it whistling through the air. So when an article appeared in the Manchester Evening News advertising a challenge to chuck a potato over a viaduct in Bolton, there was only one man for the job.
Ralph arrived at the pub in Darcy Lever one Sunday morning in the mid-60s ready to take on the local champion. His pals from Heywood Cricket Club joined him and were keen to get a few bets on, so confident were they in the power of his arm.
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But Ralph almost scuppered their money-making scheme within seconds of turning up. "When we arrived this particular Sunday morning, I said to Ralph 'You better have a practise throw'," says Heywood CC president and long-time friend Bob Cross.
"He was wearing a mac but didn't bother to take it off, took a potato he had brought with him out of his pocket and it went soaring a huge height over this viaduct and into the distance.
"We wanted to get bets on Ralph to win the challenge, but the chap in question suddenly deemed himself unfit, saying that he had a bad arm. Anyway, Ralph went outside again, took his mac off this time, and the potato again went soaring into the sky and cleared the viaduct comfortably.
"The local champion must have realised he had no chance and decided not to even bother trying to compete with Ralph. And we picked up some winning bets that we had managed to get on."
Ralph, who died on Christmas Day aged 86, is recognised as one of Heywood CC's greatest ever players. Originally from Barbados the popular all rounder joined the club in 1961 after emigrating to the UK as part of the Windrush Generation, becoming Heywood's first overseas amateur.
He would go on to feature in the senior sides for more than two decades. His hard hitting batting and useful bowling contributed to five Championship wins and two Wood Cup successes for Heywood.
He amassed a massive 5,727 runs - the seventh highest by a Heywood amateur - and took 159 wickets. And his incredible arm meant he was a phenomenal boundary fielder, with many a batsmen run out going for a second run that had seemed routine.
His greatest moment in a Heywood shirt came at Radcliffe on July 4, 1965. Radcliffe batted first and, in 41 eight-ball overs, racked up 200-6 declared, a huge total at a time of uncovered pitches. Heywood started batting at 6pm and just one-and-a-half hours later had overhauled that score.
Ralph smashed 125, reaching his century in just 45 minutes and taking just 54 minutes in total, the fastest Central Lancashire League century – according to former Heywood statistician Vernon Connolly – since West Indian great Learie Constantine for Rochdale in 1938.
He hit 10 sixes and nine fours and his runs came from just 42 scoring shots. He smashed former Lancashire and England slow left-armer Malcolm Hilton all over the Racecourse Ground, Hilton finishing with figures of 10-0-97-3, and three times helped lash the hapless home attack for more than 20 runs in an over.
For many years a photograph of Ralph taken that day hung in the clubhouse, to mark one of the club's greatest innnings. Following his retirement Ralph, who worked in a bleach works in Rochdale, remained a supporter and was seen at club's Crimble home ground up until his health deteriorated in recent seasons.
And, as Heywood's first ever overseas amateur player, Ralph, who spent the last years of his life at Meadow View care home in Castleton, Rochdale, also had an impact off the field. Bob added: "When he first came he was quite shy. He wasn't what you'd call a conversationalist. You'd ask him if he was doing something and he'd always reply 'Am I eck!'.
"But he was a smashing bloke, very trustworthy and always happy to help around the club where he could. He was a really popular player and we became really good friends.
"Nowadays, with that ability, he would have been offered professional terms at another league club, and I have no doubt that he was, but he stayed with Heywood throughout his career."
Ralph's funeral will be held on Monday, February 13, at 11.50am at Rochdale Crematorium followed by a reception at the Cemetery Pub in Rochdale.
Read more of today's top stories here.
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