Vin Baston

Cmdt. Vincent "Vin" Baston (1919–1963) was an Irish hurler who played as a centre-back with the Waterford senior team.

Baston made his first appearance for the team during the 1939-40 National League and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement after the 1950 championship. During that time he won one All-Ireland medal and one Munster medal.^[1]

At club level Baston played with Passage.

Playing career

Club

Baston enjoyed a lengthy club hurling with Passage, however, he never won a championship medal.

Inter-county

Baston first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Waterford junior hurling team in 1937.

Two years later in 1939 Baston joined the Waterford senior hurler, however, the team had to yield to Cork who dominated the provincial championship between 1939 and 1947.

Having been defeated by the Rebels in the provincial decider of 1943, both sides qualified for the Munster showpiece once again in 1948. While Cork were the favourites a close game developed. Just a single point separated the sides at the full-time whistle as Waterford won by 4-7 to 3-9. It was Baston's first Munster medal.^[2] A subsequent defeat of Galway at the penultimate stage set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Dublin. The Metropolitans got off to a slow start and only recorded their first score, a point, after twenty-two minutes. Waterford powered ahead and had a nine-point interval lead. Dublin fought back in the second-half, however, Waterford took control towards the end. A 6-7 to 4-2 score line gave Baston a coveted All-Ireland medal. It was also Waterford's maiden championship title.

Waterford failed to land any further provincial or All-Ireland titles in the following few seasons. Baston retired from inter-county hurling in 1950.

Inter-provincial

Baston also had the honour of lining out with Munster and Connacht in the inter-provincial series of games.

In 1947 he joined the Munster team, however, the year ultimately ended in defeat. It was the first of five successive years with the provincial hurling team.

Munster bounced back in 1948 to record a 3-5 to 2-5 defeat of Leinster in the decider. It was Baston's first Railway Cup medal. It was the first of four-in-a-row for Baston, as further defeats of Connacht and Leinster (twice), gave him further inter-provincil mementos in 1949, 1950 and 1951.

References