Judy Blair
MNZM
Personal information
Full name Judith Ann Blair (née Dunlop)
Born (1941-11-29) 29 November 1941
Height 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
School Linwood High School
Spouse Kevin Richard Blair
Relatives Belinda Charteris (daughter)
Netball career
Playing position(s): GA, GS, WA
Years National team(s) Caps
1960–1967 New Zealand 19
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Netball World Cup
Gold medal – first place1967 PerthTournament
Silver medal – second place1963 EastbourneTournament

Judith Ann Blair MNZM (née Dunlop; born 29 November 1941) is a former New Zealand netball player. She played 19 international matches for the New Zealand team between 1960 and 1967, including captaining the side to victory at the 1967 World Netball Championships.

Early life

Blair was born Judith Ann Dunlop on 29 November 1941, the daughter of Ernest and Monica Daphne Dunlop.[1][2] She was educated at Linwood High School in Christchurch.[3] After leaving school, she found employment as a leather worker.[4]

Netball career

Dunlop began playing representative netball for Canterbury in 1956, and first gained South Island selection in 1958.[3][4] In 1959, it was said that "although short, she moves well into the circle and is outstandingly quick on rebounds. She is a most unselfish player, and although an accurate shot herself, passes well to the goal shooter."[3]

In 1960, Dunlop was selected for the New Zealand team that toured Australia.[4] She played in 14 of the 16 games on tour, including in all three Test matches, and was considered to be one of the most improved players in the team. Her play on tour as goal shooter was described as "outstanding".[5] In the first Test match in Adelaide, New Zealand achieved their first ever victory over Australia, winning 49–40. However, the second and third Tests of the series were won by Australia, 44–39 and 46–45, respectively.[6]

By the inaugural World Netball Championships at Eastbourne, England, in 1963, Dunlop had married, and was known by her married name.[7] At the tournament, New Zealand recorded nine wins and one loss, 36–37 against Australia, to finish as runners-up.[6] In the game against England, won by New Zealand 56–29, Blair played at goal attack and was reported as "working accurately and in perfect unison" with goal shooter Colleen McMaster.[7]

After the disappointment of narrowly finishing second at Eastbourne, Blair gave birth to her first child but continued playing netball, moving positions to wing attack where her explosive speed and deception were ideal. She was named as captain of the New Zealand team for the 1967 World Netball Championships in Perth, where New Zealand won all seven of their matches to become world champions for the first time.[1]

Across her international career, Blair played in 19 Test matches, and she was unbeaten as captain.[1] After retiring, she remained involved in netball, and received a coaching certificate in 1975.[1][8]

Later life

In 1972, Blair gave birth to her daughter Belinda, who would also go on to play netball for New Zealand.[9] They were the first mother and daughter to represent New Zealand in netball.[10]

The 1967 world championship team was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.[11] In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, Blair was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to netball.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Judy Blair". Netball New Zealand. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Monica Dunlop death notice". The Press. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "Canterbury has four basketball trialists". The Press. Vol. 98, no. 28996. 10 September 1959. p. 19. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "N.Z. basketball team for tour has young players". The Press. Vol. 99, no. 29273. 3 August 1960. p. 11. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "N.Z. basketball team did well in Australia". The Press. Vol. 99, no. 29312. 17 September 1960. p. 5. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 "History". Netball New Zealand. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Big netball win of Australia". The Times. No. 55773. 7 August 1963. p. 3.
  8. ↑ "Memories of netball days with Judy Blair". Christchurch Netball Centre. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "Belinda Charteris". Netball New Zealand. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  10. ↑ McFadden, Suzanne (13 September 2017). "When they were Queens – the 1967 world champion Silver Ferns reunite". NewsRoom. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Netball, 1967". New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2006". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 June 2006. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
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