TD, I remember reading a piece about Vernon Banbury in the Footscray Mail written by Hugh Buggy. He certainly would endorse your opinion of Vernon Banbury. He was the super star of his day.
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Vernon is my hero. I can remember reading an article by Alan Hopkins where he said that the local kids around Footscray would go to training just to watch him go through his paces. Now I'm prepared to believe that there wasn't a lot to do in Footscray back then but I reckon getting a bunch of kids coming along to just watch you train is pretty good.
Gordon. For reasons previously mentioned. He's a born leader and there's not too many of them around. And a leader of social issues and foundations within the club
Smorgon was also great at promoting the club.
Capes did well to put an end to the loss of star players that took place prior to 1982.
Special mention to good old David "Mitch" Mitchell who after finishing his initial tenure in 1893, came back on board in 1920. A 27 year break. Expect Smorgo to return in 2040!!
I have often wondered if that Dave Mitchell the builder was the same Dave Mitchell the builder who was Dame Nellie Melba the opera singer's father. Melba was born by the name of Helen Porter Mitchell in Melbourne in the 1870s. Melba was the one who insisted that the 1924 Championship of Victoria between Footscray and Essendon match be played to raise funds for the limbless soldiers from WWI.
Interesting. Someone will know. Back in the 80s I once hosted a trivia night and in the warm up I mentioned my favourite trivia question of all time.
"Who was the Chinese - Australian Aussie Rules player who barefooted a 74 yard torpedo at the Echuca Showgrounds in 1928?"
And a 84 year old woman by the name of Mina Pocock called out, " Oh, that'd be Kew Ming. He was a beautiful kick!"
I couldn't believe it. She'd seen him play at the QEO in Bendigo when she was a teenager.
My granddad used to talk about him but he just called him Chew. My dad could remember the Chinese opium dens in Bendigo. Heaps of Chinese people moved to Bendigo and Ballarat back in 1850s during the gold rush. They were very skilled at taking a mullock heap (the dirt and rock left over from sinking a shaft) and extracting a payload from it. They were really good at getting the last degree of gold from workings that others had given up on even though it made them incredibly unpopular amongst the other diggers who thought they were cheating or robbing them."Hello, you gave up on that mound and walked away. Its not the Chinese' fault that they had different methods for getting gold dust and small nuggets."
John Harms has written a piece about Chinese-Australian Aussie Rules players and Les Kew Ming is featured. His grandfathe came out for the gold rush and eventually started a boot making business. There is a "Kew Ming Lane" on the outskirts of Ararat. Les, I believe played for Rochester when they were in the Bendigo League. He tried out with North Melbourne and may have played for Willy.
Merantau and Twodogs our Bulldogs history buffs :D
Don't get me started Easty! And the more obscure and localised the better. Western suburbs - Sunshine/Braybrook in particular - and boxing are two interests of mine.
For anyone feeling nostalgic ...
The 'Fightback' newsletter that hit member's mailboxes thirty years ago after Oakley had administered the last rites.
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Onya Gordo.
This was happening when I was a baby.
Does anyone know if Lynne Kosky's father was Alan Kosky who had a pharmacy in Beachley St Braybrook in the 60s and 70s and maybe into the early 80s
The Belgravia in Nicholson St not far from the old Footscray Tech building used to always be called Con Curtain's.