Blog

Video Broadcast on October 25, 2020

Football (in Myanmar)

• Divisions
  First Division : played at BAA / Aung San Stadium
• Knock out Tournament
  Dunlop
• League Play
  Points : 2 for Win, 1 for Tie
  Bottom teams get relegated

• Inter State and Division (ISD)
  Shan States : Inaugural winner
  Suk Bahadhur later played for Army, Burma and Asia
  Mandalay and Tenasserim : Later winners

• SEAP Games
  Won several times

• Asian Games
  Won twice
  See Memoirs of Ko Aung Khin

Asian All Stars

Burma produced Asian Selected including Suk Bahadur, Maung Maung, and Goalkeepers — Khin Maung Tun and Tin Aung.

Olympics

• 1972 Munich Olympics
• Placed third in Group (first round)
  Lost to USSR 0-1
  Lost to Mexico 0-1
  Beat Sudan 2-0 (Goals by Than Soe and Tin Aung Moe)
• Rank : 9 / 16

Diocesan

• Scott / Shwe Yoe
• Saya Nyein (RU Coach)
• Toe Aung (Youth Selected)

RU First Eleven

• Aung Khin
• B. Singh
• Ba Maung
• Chan Tha
• Hla Aye
• Htay Aung
• Kenneth Shein
• Khin Maung Myint (John Tint, RIT)
• Kyaw Htin (RIT)
• Kyaw Sint (RIT)
• Mahindar Singh
• Maung Maung
• Soe Myint
• Soe Myint Lwin (RIT)
• Than Win
• Tint Lwin (Goal, Dr)
• Tun Kyi
• Collegian Nay Win (Pa Pu)

Outstanding Footballers include :

• Auro (Thaung Tin)
• Aye Maung (Aye Maung Lay, BAF)
• Aye Maung (Aye Maung Gyi, PWD)
• Gale
• Gwan Shein (SPED)
• Hla Htay
• Hla Tin (Kee)
• Htoo War
• Kenneth Shein
• Khin Maung Tun
• Ko Ko Gyi
• Kyaw Min
• Maung Maung (Navy)
• Maung Maung (RU)
• Collegian Nay Win
• Pe Khin
• Suk Bahadhur
• Than Soe (Suttee)
• Tin Aung
• Tin Aung Moe
• Tin Han
• Tun Kyi
• Tun Wain
• Vernon Stiles (Tin Tun)

Aung San Stadium

The First Division matches are played at Aung San Stadium. The teams include Rangoon University, Burma Railways, Customs, Army, Navy and several others. The bottom teams in the League get relegated to Second Division the following year.

My uncle U Win Tin (GBNF) took me to watch soccer matches. We watched selected matches (e.g. Dunlop Trophy) and some International matches (e.g. 2nd SEAP Games).

The Northern and Southern Stands cost about fifty pyas, but they provided limited scope and vision. But, they have roofs.

Grand Stand costs about five kyats. It would be a rare treat to watch from the Grand Stand (especially near the center line).

The Open Stand opposite the Grand Stand is a good compromise for about K1.50. We had to carry umbrella or wear raincoat for matches during the Rainy Season.

The Inter State and Division (ISD) Soccer tournament was established in 1952. Shan States with Suk Bahadhur won the inaugural tournament ISD Champions.

Mandalay (with Ba Pu), Tennessarim (with Ko Ko Gyi), Irrawaddy (with Hla Htay) became Contenders and/or Champions. Many players were recruited by the First Division teams and some became Burma Selected.

World Cup / Jules Rimet Trophy

Early tournaments had 16 teams. Later tournaments had 24 – 32 teams.

• Brazil
  Pele, Garrincha, …
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Argentina
• …

English Premier League

Points : 3 (for Win), 1 (for Draw), 0 (for Loss)

• Liverpool
• …

Euro Cup

• Barcelona
• Real Madrid
• …

U Aye (M62, HIC/FAO/UN (Retired)) wrote :

Inter State and Divison – 1952

The final match was played between Shan State and Sagaing Division. Shan State was led by Suk Bahadur,
Bahadur Lama and another Bahadur. Sagaing Division had an excellent goalkeeper Pho Tha Bay. Many deadly shots from the Shan State were saved by Pho Tha Bay. Shan State won the shield after narrowly beat the Sagaing division. Suk Bahadur was recruited by the Army team and became a legend. Two other Bahadurs and Pho Tha Bay faded out.

Tenasserim division was third, (If I remember correctly).

The following footballers also played for RU First Eleven. (in different times)

• Khin Pe Gyi
• Goal keeper Than Shwe
  (before B. Singh arrived)
• Nyi Nyi Lwin
  Joined Navy after graduation later
  Worked in Dept.of Fisheries as Dy. DG
• Maung Pyone (from Mandalay Hall)
  A good volleyball player, he played for Pyapon District.
  Joined Army after graduation.
• Kyi Gwan (from Mandalay Hall)
  He was from Dawei.
• Ngwe Gaing (from Sagaing Hall)
  He was a Burma selected Youth team.
  He was from Morton Lane Judson HS, Moulmein.

Video Broadcast on October 1, 2020

Different kinds of Cards

• ID : for identification
• Credit Card
• Debit Card
• Cash Card
• Prepaid Card
• Greeting Card
• Playing Cards

Standard Deck

• 52 cards
• Jokers / Wild Cards

Four Suits

• May signify the four seasons or the four quarters of a year
• Usually called Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades
  (Implicit ordering of the suits in some games such as Bridge)

13 cards in a Suit : may signify the number of weeks in a season or quarter

52 cards in a Deck : may signify the number of weeks in a year

2 colors

• Usually Black and Red
• May signify two-valued concepts (e.g Ying and Yang)

• Model for Deque (Double Ended Queue)
• Data structure
• Items can be added to both ends of a Deque, and can be retrieved from both ends.
• With restrictions, a Deque can be used as FIFO (First In First Out) Queue and LIFO (Last In First Out) Stack.

Bridge

• Card Game requiring intellect, communication and finesse.
• Championships
• Ivan Lee (Khin Maung Oo, M69) is a Life Time Platinum in Bridge (after completing Bronze, Silver and Gold).

Solitaire

• Collection of Card Games that can be played by a person.
• May be played on a computer.
• I spent a lot of time (several months) to earn and defend “Daily Challenge” title (five games of varying complexity every day for the whole month).

Card Games (involving betting)

• Games in Myanmar
  (e.g Koe Mee and variants)
• Casino
  (e.g Black Jack, Poker and variants)
• Computers and Online

Video Broadcast

Types

• 4th Standard (Scholarship) Exam
  Win Myint (Myeik) wrote : ကျနော်ကတော့လေးတန်းစကောလားရှစ်ရဖူးပါတယ်ဆရာကြီး
• 7th Standard (Scholarship) Exam
• Collegiate Scholarship
• SS (Science Scholar)

Miscellaneous

• State Scholars
• UN Fellowship
• Colombo Plan Fellowship
• Grants by Governments, Institutions, Foundations …

Dr. Ye Myint (my cousin nephew from U.K.) wrote :

Interesting. I received similar 75 Kyats per month but did not get any money till we were in Second year. With inflation, it was not much but enough pocket money for food and drinks.

Some early Collegiate Scholarship winners

• U Ba Than matriculated from St. John’s Diocesan in 1947 and won the Collegiate Scholarship.
• U Khin Aung Kyi stood 7th in 1949 and won the Collegiate Scholarship

Rules for Collegiate Scholarship

The rules change over the years.

In the early days, the Top Twenty Five (or so) students were awarded Collegiate Scholarship.

In 1960, the Top Hundred students were awarded Collegiate Scholarship. Dr. Than Toe placed 99th and won the Collegiate Scholarship.

In 1963, those for the non-government schools have to place in the Top Forty to be awarded Collegiate Scholarship.

SPHS 63

In the Matriculation of 1963, five Paulians won the Top Honors.

SPHS had seven students in the Top Ten and ten students in the Top Twenty.

• Khin Maung U (George, SPHS, First in Burma)
• Min Oo (Kenneth, SPHS, 2nd)
• Myo San (Freddie, SPHS, 3rd, GBNF)
• Nyunt Wai (Victor, SPHS, 4th)
• Thein Wai (SPHS, 5th)
• Kenny Wong (MEHS, 6th)
• Hla Min (SPHS, 7th)
• Winnie Aung (Branch Convent, 8th, top among female students)
• Aung Kyaw Zaw (Johnny Mg Mg, SPHS, 9th)
• Maung Maung Kyi (SPHS, 11th)
• Khin Tun (St. John’s Dio, 12th)
• Aung Thu Yein (Brownie Way, SPHS, 13th, GBNF)
• Khin Maung Zaw (Frank Gale, 17th)
• Aye Aye Kyu (Ch 6, 1969, Morton Lane Judson High School, Moulmein, 36th in the list announced in ‘The Guardian’ Newspaper dated 6th August 1963)

Group Photo

Seated
Min Oo (Kenneth, 2nd)
Khin Maung U (George, 1st)
Myo San (Freddie, 3rd)

Standing
Hla Min (7th)
Khin Maung Zaw (Frank, 17th)
Nyunt Wai (Victor, 4th)
Thein Wai (5th)
Maung Maung Kyi (11th)
Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, 13th)
Aung Kyaw Zaw (Johnny, 9th)

Old Paulians’ Association Dinner

Honor Roll

Old Paulians (Top Matriculates)

• 1951 :
  George Chapman (First in Burma)
• 1952 :
  Dr. Nyunt Tin (First in Burma)
• 1954 :
  Koon Yin Chu (First in Burma)
• 1956 :
  Dr. Than Myint (Harry Wang, Joint Third)
• 1958 :
  Dr. Soe Win (First in Burma)
  Robert Sein (Second)
• 1959 :
  Dr. Frankie Ohn (First in Burma)
  Dr. Shewan Lee (Second)
  Dr. Than Nwe Aung (3rd)
  Rocky (Joint Fourth)
• 1960 :
  Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint (6th)
• 1961 :
  Dr. Kyaw Win (Robin Ban, Second)
• 1963 :
  Dr. Khin Maung U (First in Burma)
  Five in Top Five
  Seven in Top Ten
  Ten in Top Twenty
• 1964 :
  Dr. Aung Winn Chiong (Roll No. 1 for IM2)
  Dr. Min Lwin (Maurice Hla Kyi, Roll No. 2 for IM2)
• 1965
  Bernard Khaw (First in Burma, Roll No. 1 for Chemistry)
  Maung Aye (Second)
  Winston Sein Maung (Third, GBNF)
  Dr. Yi Thwe (Joint 5th, Roll No. 1 for IM1)
  Dr. Paing Soe (Freddie San Shwe, Joint 5th, Roll No. 2 for IM1)

Video Broadcast

Win – Lose

In a two person zero sum game, there is usually a winner and a loser.

In multiple person zero sum game, there is usually some winners and some losers.

No Joint Winners

One or more overtime periods may be necessary to break the tie in a basketball or ice hockey game.

• In some competitions, there is a tie-breaker to ensure that there are no joint winners.
• If two persons in the class end up lifting equal weights, the lighter person wins.
• If two athletes clear the same height in High Jump or Pole Vault, the one with the lesser number of misses win.
• If two soccer teams are tied at the end of regulation and also at the end of overtime, penalty kicks are taken to decide the winner.

Win-Win

There are Win-Win strategies.
For example, by offering elite professional to work remotely, a company can built up a strong talent pool. The employees do not have to relocate from their preferred environment.

Four Wins

We may try out Four Wins strategy:

• Win for oneself
• Win for one’s family
• Win for one’s work and/or company
• Win for one’s community

For example, one might join Toastmasters to improve one’s communication and leadership skills. One learns about the importance of listening, effective evaluation, role taking, and time management. Some Toastmasters ask their spouse and children to join Toastmasters. The skills can enable Four Wins.

The Price of Winning

One should look at the big picture. If one cares only for oneself and ignore the needs of others, a win for oneself might result in a loss for one’s family, company or community.

The price of being a successful astronaut is high. One has to train extensively in places far from the family. From one report, only three (or so) of the 30 (or more) astronauts remained with their spouses after the arduous program.

Video Broadcast

Rangoon University Soccer

Saya Nyein (Coach)

Many RU Selected also played for Burma

• U Than Win
  Captain
  Director, SPED (Sports and Physical Education Department)

• U Chan Tha
  Captain, Prome Hall
  Also RUBC Captain and Gold

• Collegian Nay Win
  Won Best Player award
  Academy winner

• U Tun Kyi and U Kenneth Shein
  Railways and Burma Team

Related Posts in RU Centennial

• U Aung Khin
  Scored the winning goal at Asian Games
• U Ba Maung
  Sports Officer, RASU
• U Gary Maung Maung
  Played for RU, SAMB and Burma

RUBC Gold

• U Thet Toe (C H Chan)
  Barrister-at-law
  Most Senior Past Captain (before his demise)

• James Barrington (ICS)
  Permanent Representative to UN
  Ambassador

• Dr. Ronald Lwin (San Lwin)
  Physician

• Balwant Singh
  Commissioner of Pegu Division
  U.N. Security

• U Tin U
  Part-time Lecturer, Civil
  Director of several companies
  Most Senior Past Captain

• U Mg Mg Than Tun
  Navy Commander
  Ambassador

• Dr. Pe Nyun
  Pediatric Surgeon
  Leader of team that operated on Ma Nan Soe and Ma Nan San (conjoined twins)

• Dr. Pe Thein
  Professor
  Minister of Health and Education

• Dr. Harry Saing (Htut Saing)
  Pediatric Surgeon
  Deputy Leader of team that operated on Ma Nan Soe and Ma Nan San
  ARAE Champion in 1958 and 1960
  Burma Selected in Hockey and Cricket
  Track and Field, Soccer and Rowing selection for Faculty of Medicine

• U Tin Htoon
  Architect
  ARAE Champion in 1958 and 1960
  Silver medalist for Yachting in SEAP Games
  Compiler for 40th Anniversary and Chair for 90th Anniversary of RUBC

Miscellaneous

• Tin Htoon and Harry Saing won the Venables Bowl for Coxless Pairs at the 1958 ARAE Regatta in Calcutta
• Tin Htoon, Harry Saing, Victor Htun Shein, Sunny Teng and Sein Htoon won the Willingdon Trophy for Coxed Fours at the 1960 ARAE Regatta in Colombo.
• I served as Contributing Editor for the 90th Anniversary of RUBC.

Related Posts

• I wrote articles and broadcast videos on various sports
  (e.g. Badminton, Hockey, Table Tennis, Tennis)
• Memories of RUBC
• RU Athletes for 2nd SEAP Games in Rangoon in 1961

Video Broadcast

Several factors (e.g. Terman, Shockley) led to the birth of Silicon Valley.

Terman

Professor [later Dean] Frederick Terman joined Stanford University instead of the more established ones in the East (e.g. MIT) because of his health.

He is known for

• encouraging his students such as Hewlett, Packard and the Varian brothers to become entrepreneurs
• leasing land owned by the University to the fledgling companies
• making agreements with the companies to hire his students and/or send employees to attend courses at the University.

The entrepreneurship (initiated by Professor Terman) lives on.

HP, Yahoo, Google and several other companies were founded by Stanford alumni.

Shockley

William Shockley (Nobel Prize winner for co-inventing the transistor) moved to California and and set up “Shockley Labs”.

He was brilliant but eccentric. He was not so good at nurturing his employees.

The “Traitorous Eight (including Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore)” left the company to join Fairchild semiconductors.

Noyce and Moore later co-founded Intel (Integrated Electronics) with Andy Grove. 

Some Thoughts

• In the early days of computing, manufacturers of magnetic devices (core memory, tapes, disks and drums) than silicon [dioxide based] devices.
• Some said that “Magnetic Valley” might be a more appropriated name than “Silicon Valley”.

• Harvard, MIT, and Cornell produced early computers (e.g. Mark I) and disciplines (e.g. Time sharing system, AI Lab, Computer Graphics, Machine Vision).
• Their alumni also founded computer companies along Boston Route 66.
• Could the East Coast have its Silicon Valley?
• DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) hosted the Boston Computer Museum.

• Over the years, several cities and counties claim to be part of the Silicon Valley.

• What defines the Culture of Silicon Valley?
  Start up / innovation?
  Moving around companies?

Video Broadcast

Male Swimmers

• Tin Maung Ni
• Mya Thee
• Maung Kyi
• Aung Than
• Nyunt Soe
• Chit Soe
• Oscar Thwin
• Derek Lynsdale
• Aye Kyaw
• Willie Huie
• Richard Yu Khin
• Htay Aung
• Nanda Kyaw Zwar

Female Swimmers

• Sally Soe
• Mary Soe
• Elizabeth Smythe
• Marlar Swe
• Polly Ba San (Polly Win)
• Sylvia Thwin

Divers

• Thet Win
• Philip Smythe
• William Smythe

Dr. Richard Yu Khin wrote :

Swimmers trained by Mr. Matsuda in 1959 include Derek Lynsdale (backstroke), Aye Kyaw (Hla Yee Yee’s cousin) and Willie Huie (breast-stroke). A few years ago saw photo of Thet Win at Kokine Swimming Club, and Aung Than who is working as swim coach in Bangkok. Derek Lynsdale’s mother was a Lecturer at Rangoon University who moved to a university in East Africa subsequent to military coup in 1962. Aye Kyaw was Tin Maung Ni’s deputy in the Burma Navy.

Video Broadcast on October 4, 2020

Rowing in Myanmar

• Laung (7 paddlers of more)
• Leg rowers (of Inlay)

Rowing Clubs

• Cambridge University
  Home club of Sir Arthur Eggar
• RBC (Rangoon Boat Club)
  Exclusive for Europeans and Anglo-Burmese
• RUBC (Rangoon University Boat Club)
  Founded in 1923 by Sir Arthur Eggar (Law Professor, RU)
  Sir Arthur pledged one-third of his salary for the Clubs operation
  Sir Arthur donated a Challenge Cup (Pewter and brooches) for the Senior Novices
  U Nyo’ s donation to RU Estate helped build the RUBC Club House
  U Nyo donated a Challenge Cup (for the Inter-Club Eights)

• Defense Services Rowing Club
  Initially from Burma Navy
• Marine Youth (Ye Gyaung Lu Nge)

Regattas

• Rag Regatta
  One day event
  Finalists for the Novices race are seeded for Monsoon Regatta
• Monsoon Regatta
• Annual Regatta
• Inter-Varsity
  e.g. CURC
• ARAE
  e.g. Calcutta, Colombo
• FEARA
  e.g. Hong Kong, Singapore

Challenge Cups

• President’s Challenge Cup
  For Inter-Club Coxed Eights
• Prime Minister’s Challenge Cup
  For Inter-Club Coxed Fours

Commemorative Publications

• 40th Anniversary Issue (in 1963)
  Sithu U Tin
  U Po Zon
  U Tin Htoon
• 90th Anniversary Issue (in 2013)
  U Tin Htoon (Chair)
  U Myo Myint (Vice Chair)
  U Htaik San (Henry Kao, Secretary)
  U Hla Min (Contributing Editor)
  …
• Sir Arthur Eggar’s Autobiography
  Reprint funded by selected Old Members

Old Members

Old members of RUBC (Rangoon University Boat Club) are fondly known as Old Crocs (or Crocodiles).

When RUBC was destroyed due to the ravages of war, the Old Crocs rebuilt the Club and provided physical, financial and spiritual support to the members to compete against the best from neighboring countries.

During our younger days, there is an “Old Members Race” at the Monsoon and Annual Regattas. The contestants range from young Old Members to the iconic Past Champions.

The Old Crocs have their mini-reunions where ever possible. They also share memories of the precious photos (e.g. of U Chan Tha, Jimmy Saw Lwin, …)

U San Maung (GBNF)

U San Maung (Gerald Sein, GBNF) is a Past Secretary and RUBC Gold. He is the elder brother of U Yan Shin (Hardy). He would find time from his work as Production Manager of “Amotha Yoke Shin”, and come down to RUBC to mentor the members (especially the aspiring Golds). He would mandate “fixed tub” practice for the members.

Dr. Htut Saing (Harry, GBNF)

Dr. Htut Saing (Harry Saing, GBNF) is Past Captain and Gold of RUBC.
He was ARAE Champion twice :

• the Venables Bowl for Coxless Pairs at the 1958 ARAE Regatta in Calcutta with U Tin Htoon (A60)
• the Willingdon Trophy for Coxed Fours in the 1960 ARAE Regatta in Colombo with U Tin Htoon (A60), Sunny Teng (relocated to Canada), Victor Htun Shein (GBNF) and U Sein Htoon (M63, Cox)

He usually rowed as Box on the RUBC crews. As an exception, he served as Timing Stroke and Coach for the RUBC Eights in 1962. U Win Kyi (RUBC Gold, son of Miss Hong Kong (Ms. Amelia Kyi) rowed as No. (7). There were seven new Golds in that crew : Myo Tin (William Hone), Htain Linn and Mehm Myo Thaung (Maurice) for the Stroke side, Myo Myint (EC67), Oung Kyaing and Thein Aung (Micky Tan) for the Bow side and Tin Aung (Victor Wu, Cox).

Dr. Pe Nyun (Dick, Past Captain and Gold of RUBC) and Dr. Htut Saing (Harry) are Pediatric surgeons at the Rangoon Children Hospital. They are known for operating on Ma Nan Soe and Ma Nan San.

Dr. Htut Saing continued working and teaching in Hong Kong. He became Patron of the Hong Kong Rowing and Sailing Club. He would fully support the RUBC crews competing in the FEARA Regatta in Hong Kong.

Reunion

U Tin U, U Maung Maung Than Tun, Saya U Tin Htut, Saya Dr. Than Nyunt (George), U Tin Htoon, Dr. Donald Chan, U Tun Shein (Willie), U Tun Aung (George), U Sein Htoon, Dr. Tin Wa, U Myo Myint, U Thura Thant Zin, U Htaik San (Henry), and several Old Crocs attended Regattas (especially the 90th Anniversary of the founding of RUBC).

Most of them contributed articles, photos and financial support for printing the commemorative issue, and for reprinting Sir Aurthur Eggar’s biography.

Sad to note that there was some disjoint between the really young members (who are busy with the competitions) and the really Old Members (especially who travel from abroad to attend the events).

My Journey

• Senior Novices Runner-up (in 1963)
  Myint Soe (Willie Soe Maung, Stroke, GBNF)
  Kyaw Wynn (3)
  Hla Min (2)
  Maung Maung Kyi (Bow)
  Myint Thein (Cox)
• Honorary Treasurer (1964 – 65)
• Vice Captain (1965 – 66)
• Contributing Editor for 90th Anniversary Issue (in 2013)
  Prelude for each section
  Three articles
• Donated for reprint of Sir Arthur’s Autobiography
• Memories of RUBC
  Series in YUBC Old Members Facebook Group

Video Broadcast

Game

• Refinement of early games (e.g. Shuttlecock)
• Started in India
• Made popular by the British
• Named after a place called Badminton, where the game flourished

Players

• Rudy Hartono (Indonesia)
• Competitive players from Malaysia (especially Doubles)
• Saya U Yu Khin (Dean, Chair, RU Sports Council)
• Saya U Thein Lwin (EE, President, RIT Badminton)
• Maung Hla (RU, 2nd SEAP Games)
• Sagaing Kyi Nyunt (Burma, SEAP, Bronze in Asian Games)
• Sai Kham Pan (2nd in Singles, 1st in Doubles, Burma Selected)
  Star of RIT team that won Inter-Institute Trophy
• U Myint Kyi (RIT)
• Bishnu Shahi (RIT)

U Aye (M62) wrote :

Myint Tun from Prome Hall ( 1958-59) was a third year B. Arch student. He was runners up in the National Championship, was a Burma selected player in Badminton. He later joined GE. He was one of my senior colleagues at Prome Hall. He was in room 94, while I was in room 108.