# Ken Ruby

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New Zealand wrestler

Ken Ruby QSM Personal information Born Kenneth Darrol James Ruby (1921-08-14)14 August 1921 Wellington, New Zealand Died 10 September 2011(2011-09-10) (aged 90) Tauranga, New Zealand Sport Country New Zealand Sport Wrestling Club Kilbirne Gym Achievements and titles National finals Featherweight champion (1948)

**Kenneth Darrol James Ruby** [QSM](/source/Queen's_Service_Medal) (14 August 1921 – 10 September 2011) was a New Zealand [wrestler](/source/Wrestling) who represented his country at the [1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games](/source/New_Zealand_at_the_1954_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games). He was later a wrestling referee and judge.

## Early life

Ruby was born on 14 August 1921, and grew up in [Wellington](/source/Wellington).[1] He was educated at [Rongotai College](/source/Rongotai_College), and went on to work at the Wellington Paper Company.[1] During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), Ruby served with the [2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force](/source/2nd_New_Zealand_Expeditionary_Force) and saw active service in the Pacific.[1][2]

## Wrestling

A member of the Kilbirnie Gym, Ruby won the New Zealand national amateur wrestling championship in the featherweight division in 1948.[1][3]

At the [1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games](/source/Wrestling_at_the_1954_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games) in [Vancouver](/source/Vancouver), Ruby competed in the bantamweight division.[4] He lost his opening two bouts, against [Ian Epton](/source/Ian_Epton) representing [Northern Rhodesia](/source/Northern_Rhodesia)[5] and [Muhammad Amin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Muhammad_Amin_(wrestler)&action=edit&redlink=1) from Pakistan,[6] and was eliminated to place fifth overall.[7]

At the [1978 Commonwealth Games](/source/1978_Commonwealth_Games) in [Edmonton](/source/Edmonton), Ruby was a referee and judge, and in 1980 he was awarded life membership of the New Zealand Olympic Wrestling Association.[1]

## Later life and death

Ruby moved to [Wanganui](/source/Wanganui) in 1954, and worked for Weeks Printing Company and then [New Zealand Railways](/source/New_Zealand_Railways_Department).[1] He established a wrestling gym in Wanganui, and worked with local police to set up a club to increase children's participation in sports.[1] He retired to [Tauranga](/source/Tauranga) in 1983.[1] In the [1998 Queen's Birthday Honours](/source/1998_Birthday_Honours_(New_Zealand)), Ruby was awarded the [Queen's Service Medal](/source/Queen's_Service_Medal) for community service.[8]

Ruby died in Tauranga on 10 September 2011.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-BOPT_obituary_1-8) Hammond, Roly (22 October 2011). ["Wrestler who achieved high honours"](https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/bay-of-plenty-times/20111022/283115655724995). *Bay of Plenty Times*. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Kenneth Darrol James Ruby"](https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C140227). *Online Cenotaph*. Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Canterbury wins four titles in amateur wrestling contests"](https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19481009.2.8). *Gisborne Herald*. 9 October 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Kenneth Ruby"](https://olympic.org.nz/athletes/kenneth-ruby). New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Empire Games in detail"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/248917463). *Daily Telegraph*. 2 August 1953. p. 21. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Empire Games results"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205696718). *The Age*. 2 August 1954. p. 15. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Wrestling freestyle 57kg – men Vancouver 1954"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190702121026/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3033/event/1489). Commonwealth Games Federation. 2018. Archived from [the original](https://thecgf.com/results/games/3033/event/1489) on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Queen's Birthday honours list 1998"](https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-1998). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 1998. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

v t e 1954 New Zealand British Empire and Commonwealth Games team Athletics Bill Baillie June Blackburn Max Carr Jim Daly Dave Fleming Murray Halberg Ernie Haskell Murray Jeffries Don Jowett Lawrence King Merv Richards Noelene Swinton Peter Wells Yvette Williams Boxing Mike Hannah Alan Scaife Eddie Stockley Maurice Tuck Cycling John Baird Colin Dickinson Les Lock Lance Payne Neil Ritchie Diving Jeanette Laws Jack Stewart Fencing Joyce Francis Austen Gittos Brian Hampton Walter Stafford Lawn bowls Arthur Connew William Freeth James Pirret Eliphalet Ravenwood Pete Skoglund Andrew Snaddon Arthur Webster Rowing Kerry Ashby Murray Ashby Stanley Callagher Bruce Culpan Reg Douglas Bob Parker Don Rowlands Bill Tinnock Swimming Jack Doms Winifred Griffin Lincoln Hurring Buddy Lucas Marrion Roe Jean Stewart Weightlifting Trevor Clark Harold Cleghorn Tony George Wrestling John Armitt Ken Ruby Team manager: Alex Ross

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ken Ruby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Ruby) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Ruby?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.