DOCSLIB.ORG

'Our Champion and Gentleman': Dick Reynolds and the Essendon

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
'Our Champion and Gentleman': Dick Reynolds and the Essendon ‘Our Champion and Gentleman’: Dick Reynolds and the Essendon Football Club, 1933-1951 by Daniel Eddy A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS College of Sport and Exercise Science Victoria University Melbourne, Victoria March 2013 ii Abstract Dick Reynolds was one of Australian Rules football’s finest ever contributors, yet he has rarely featured in the corpus of literature on the history of the game. At the height of his fame he was compared with Australia’s finest sportsman of the era, Don Bradman, and he also drew comparisons with the celebrated racehorse, Phar Lap. However the impact of Reynolds on the Essendon Football Club, and the way he was perceived by family, teammates, Essendon supporters and journalists, has never been analysed in depth. This thesis seeks to provide an understanding of the role Reynolds played during two significant periods of stress and upheaval, namely the Great Depression and Second World War. From involvement in a struggling club during the Depression years of the 1930s, through to his own stellar performances on the field, Reynolds would lead the Essendon Football Club into one of the most dominant eras of any team in the history of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League. By means of extensive range of interviews and a comprehensive examination of newspapers from the period, this thesis will trace the various stages of Reynolds’ playing career, and explore how he, the Essendon Football Club, and Australian Rules football more generally, were regarded during testing times, and how he dealt with the leadership opportunities and expectations which confronted him during this period. By focusing on the role of an individual, and the different ways in which he was perceived, this thesis will provide insight into both the trajectory of a noteworthy Australian Rules football career, along with the district that supported it, and the opportunities, esteem, expectations and pressures placed on a champion footballer. iii Declaration I, Ian Daniel Eddy, declare that this Master of Arts thesis entitled ‘Our Champion and Gentleman’: Dick Reynolds and the Essendon Football Club, 1933-1951, is no more than 60,000 words in length including quotations and exclusive of tables, figures, appendices, bibliography, references and footnotes. This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part, for the award of any other academic degree or diploma. Except where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my own work. Signature: ___________________________ Date: 28 March 2013 iv Acknowledgments Nothing I do is possible without the support of my parents, David and Heather Eddy. Their continued belief in me has allowed me to pursue my passion for writing. I also want to acknowledge my Grandma, Dianne Appleyard, whose love for writing, and history, has clearly rubbed off on her grandson. Sadly, she passed away during the completion of this project. I also wish to acknowledge, and thank, Associate Professor Rob Hess and Dr Matthew Klugman from Victoria University for their mentorship. Improvements in my writing and writing skills have come about largely due to their influence, and this thesis is a testament to their belief in me. There are too many people to mention who assisted me, or offered support, during the course of this project. I would, however, like to make special mention of a number of people who were particularly helpful throughout this process. They were Gregor McCaskie and Carolynn Larsen at the Essendon Hall of Fame, Barry Capuano of the Essendon Past Players’ Association, as well as many former Essendon footballers who shared their stories about Dick Reynolds and the club during the 1930s through to the 1960s. I also acknowledge several contemporaries, who either played against Reynolds, or who shared a relationship with him; all of their memories have been invaluable to my research. Both Col Hutchinson at the Australian Football League, and Trevor Ruddell at the Melbourne Cricket Club Library, assisted me any time they were asked, as did the staff at the State Library of Victoria, where I spent many productive hours. Bob Chalmers at the Essendon Historical Society went above and beyond in order to help me, and I am indebted to him for this. June Senyard and Lionel Frost were others who read and re-read some of my work, and their advice was invaluable. I also want to thank Ben Collins, Glenn McFarlane, Tony De Bolfo and Doug Ackerly, whose work I admire greatly, and who all showed faith in me and were v available whenever I needed guidance. And finally, a special thank you to Meg Thompson, who was the first person who truly believed that I could complete such a project. vi Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ii Declaration.................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ iv Chapter One: Background to the Thesis .................................................................................... 9 1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Literature Review ............................................................................................................. 11 1.2 Biographies ........................................................................................................................ 12 1.3 Club Histories .................................................................................................................... 14 1.4 Regional Histories ............................................................................................................. 15 1.5 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 17 Chapter Two: Promise, 1915-1932 ............................................................................................ 24 2.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 24 2.1 A Gift for the Gifted ......................................................................................................... 25 2.2 The Victorian Schoolboy .................................................................................................. 35 2.3 Paddock Footballer ........................................................................................................... 46 2.4 Carlton ............................................................................................................................... 56 2.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 61 vii Chapter Three: Arrival of a Local Hero, 1933-1938 ............................................................... 63 3.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 63 3.1 In the Wilderness .............................................................................................................. 67 3.2 The Lodge .......................................................................................................................... 74 3.3 Heroes Need Apply ........................................................................................................... 81 3.4 The Bradman of Football? ............................................................................................... 84 3.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 90 Chapter Four: Essendon’s Leader, 1939-1945 ......................................................................... 91 4.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 91 4.1 The Loyal Captain-Coach ................................................................................................ 91 4.2 Public Expectations, Private Burdens ........................................................................... 105 4.3 Stop Reynolds, Stop Essendon ....................................................................................... 112 4.4 Essential Leadership on the Home Front ..................................................................... 124 4.5 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 131 Chapter Five: A King’s Legacy, 1946-1950 ............................................................................ 133 5.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 133 5.1 Critical Support .............................................................................................................. 136 5.2 ‘King Richard’ of Essendon ........................................................................................... 147 5.3 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Extract Catalogue for Auction 3
    Online Auction 3 Page:1 Lot Type Grading Description Est $A FOOTBALL - AUSTRALIAN RULES Lot 958 FOOTBALL - AUSTRALIAN RULES Lot 958 Balance of collection including 1931-71 fixtures (7); Tony Locket AFL Goalkicking Estimate A$120 Record pair of badges; football cards (20); badges (7); phonecard; fridge magnets (2); videos (2); AFL Centenary beer coasters (2); 2009 invitation to lunch of new club in Reserve A$90 Sydney, mainly Fine condition. (40+) Lot 959 FOOTBALL - AUSTRALIAN RULES Lot 959 Balance of collection including Kennington Football Club blazer 'Olympic Premiers Estimate A$100 1956'; c.1998-2007 calendars (21); 1966 St.Kilda folk-art display with football cards (7) & Reserve A$75 Allan Jeans signature; photos (2) & footy card. (26 items) Lot 960 FOOTBALL - AUSTRALIAN RULES Lot 960 Collection including 'Mobil Football Photos 1964' [40] & 'Mobil Footy Photos 1965' [38/40] Estimate A$250 in albums; VFL Park badges (15); members season tickets for VFL Park (4), AFL (4) & Reserve A$190 Melbourne (9); books/magazines (3); 'Football Record' 2013 NAB Cup. (38 items) Lot 961 FOOTBALL - AUSTRALIAN RULES Lot 961 Balance of collection including newspapers/ephemera with Grand Final Souvenirs for Estimate A$100 1974 (2), 1985 & 1989; stamp booklets & covers; Member's season tickets for VFL Park (6), AFL (2) & Melbourne (2); autographs (14) with Gary Ablett Sr, Paul Roos & Paul Kelly; Reserve A$75 1973-2012 bendigo programmes (8); Grand Final rain ponchos. (100 approx) Page:2 www.abacusauctions.com.au 20 - 23 November 2020 Lot 962 FOOTBALL - AUSTRALIAN RULES Lot 962 1921 FOURTH AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL CARNIVAL: Badge 'Australian Football Estimate A$300 Carnival/V/Perth 1921'.
    [Show full text]
  • VFL Record Rnd 6.Indd
    VFL ROUND 6 MAY 18-19, 2013 $3.00 ZZebrasebras fi nndd wwinninginning fformorm WWAFLAFL 117.16.1187.16.118 d VVFLFL 115.11.1015.11.101 Give exit fees the boot. And lock-in contracts the hip and shoulder. AlintaAlinta EnerEnergy’sgy’s Fair GGoo 1155 • NoNo lock-inlock-in contractscontracts • No exitexit fees • 15%15% off your electricity usageusage* forfor as lonlongg as you continue to be on this planplan 18001800 46 2525 4646 alintaenergy.com.aualintaenergy.com.au *15% off your electricity usage based on Alinta Energy’s published Standing Tariffs for Victoria. Terms and conditionsconditions apply.apply. NNotot avaavailableilable wwithith sosolar.lar. EDITORIAL State football CONGRATULATIONS to the West Australian Football League for its victory against the Peter Jackson VFL last Saturday at Northam. The host State emerged from a typically hard fought State player, as well as to Wayde match with a 17-point win after grabbing the lead midway Twomey, who won the WAFL’s through the last quarter. Simpson Medal. Full credit to both teams for the manner in which they What was particularly pleasing played; the game showcased the high standard and quality was the opportunity afforded to so many players to play football that exists in the respective State Leagues. State representative football for the fi rst time. There were One would suspect that a number of players from the game just four players returning to the Peter Jackson VFL team will come under the scrutiny of AFL recruiters come the end that defeated Tasmania last year. of the year. Last year’s Peter Jackson VFL team contained And, the average age of the Peter Jackson VFL team of 24 six players who are now on an AFL list.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Sanfl Annual Report
    SANFL RND 2. 140 YEARS LOGO LOCK UPS_PAGE 1 2017 SANFL ANNUAL REPORT L NF SA B LU C L L A B T O O F E D I A L E D C A T R O P M S AGPIE 1 2017: A YEAR IN REVIEW 2017 marked a major milestone for SANFL, We collaborated with the State Library of South with the League cementing its position as the Australia to showcase 140 years of SANFL history oldest surviving football league of any code in with two hugely successful exhibitions; Straight Australia by celebrating its 140th anniversary in through the middle: Football in South Australia style. and In a league of its own: Celebrating 140 years of SANFL. Importantly, we continued to blend tradition with This celebration was a critically important innovation, promoting and growing the game of milestone for our organisation; a chance to reflect football across all levels throughout the State. on our achievements while also reinforcing our place in the fabric of South Australian community Key highlights of the year included: – throughout the past, in the present and towards the future. • Participation increased to more than 174,000, an overall increase of more than 15% on the previous year; FINANCIAL • The number of females playing the game PERFORMANCE at club level increased by 53% with a 22% increase in girls involved in Auskick; SANFL recorded a statutory net profit of $3.87 • Norwood won the inaugural SANFL million in 2017. Women’s Premiership, with two new clubs – Sturt and South Adelaide – added As the statutory profit of SANFL includes stadium to the competition for 2018 with increased depreciation and impairment of Football Park prizemoney on offer; and assets and the revaluation of a number of balance sheet assets which are measured at fair value, • Sturt claimed back-to-back League SANFL measures its financial performance based Premierships with a pulsating one-point on the net cash flow generated from its operating win against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Time on Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society
    Time on Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society 2019 Time on: Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society. 2019. Croydon Park NSW, 2019 ISSN 2202-5049 Time on is published annually by the New South Wales Australian Football Society for members of the Society. It is distributed to all current members free of charge. It is based on football stories originally published on the Society’s website during the current year. Contributions from members for future editions are welcome and should be discussed in the first instance with the president, Ian Granland on 0412 798 521 who will arrange with you for your tale to be submitted. Published by: The New South Wales Australian Football History Society Inc. ABN 48 204 892 073 40 Hampden Street, Croydon Park, NSW, 2133 P O Box 98, Croydon Park NSW 2133 Contents Editorial ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 2019: Announcement of the “Greatest Ever Players from NSW” ..................................................................... 3 Best NSW Team Ever Announced in May 2019 ......................................................................................... 4 The Make-Up of the NSW’s Greatest Team Ever ...................................................................................... 6 Famous footballing families of NSW ...............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Xref Aust Catalogue for Auction
    Page:1 Oct 20, 2019 Lot Type Grading Description Est $A CRICKET - AUSTRALIA - 19th Century Lot 44 44 1880 Australian Team original photograph 'The Australian Eleven, 1880', size 17x11cm, with players names on mount. Superb condition. 300 Lot 45 45 1893 Australian Team Carte-de-visite photograph 'Eighth Australian Cricketing Team, 1893', with players names on mount, published by London Stereoscopic Photographic Co. 500 Page:2 www.abacusauctions.com.au Oct 20, 2019 Lot Type Grading Description Est $A CRICKET - AUSTRALIA - 1901 to 1927 Ex Lot 46 46 Postcards 'V.Trumper (NSW)' fine used in UK 1905; 'The Australian Cricketers in England, 1912' fine mint; 'Australian Cricket Team 1921' fine mint. (3) 150 Page:3 Oct 20, 2019 CRICKET - AUSTRALIA - 1901 to 1927 (continued) Lot Type Grading Description Est $A Ex Lot 47 47 1901-02 Australian Team original photograph of team for the First Test at the SCG, most players wearing their Australian caps and blazers, size 26x18cm; also photograph of the giant scoreboard erected on the 'Evening News' building; and a third photograph of the crowd watching the scoreboard. Fine condition. (3) 700 Page:4 www.abacusauctions.com.au Oct 20, 2019 CRICKET - AUSTRALIA - 1901 to 1927 (continued) Lot Type Grading Description Est $A Lot 48 48 COLLINGWOOD CRICKET CLUB: Team photograph '1906-7' with players & committee names on mount, noted TW Sherrin, EW Copeland (after whom the Collingwood FC best & fairest is named) & a very young Jack Ryder (who was Bradman's captain in his first Test 22 years later), framed (no glass), overall 92x77cm, some faults at top right.
    [Show full text]
  • Encyclopedia of Australian Football Clubs
    Full Points Footy ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL CLUBS Volume One by John Devaney Published in Great Britain by Full Points Publications © John Devaney and Full Points Publications 2008 This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission. Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is free from error or omissions. However, the Publisher and Author, or their respective employees or agents, shall not accept responsibility for injury, loss or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of material in this book whether or not such injury, loss or damage is in any way due to any negligent act or omission, breach of duty or default on the part of the Publisher, Author or their respective employees or agents. Cataloguing-in-Publication data: The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia Of Australian Football Clubs Volume One ISBN 978-0-9556897-0-3 1. Australian football—Encyclopedias. 2. Australian football—Clubs. 3. Sports—Australian football—History. I. Devaney, John. Full Points Footy http://www.fullpointsfooty.net Introduction For most football devotees, clubs are the lenses through which they view the game, colouring and shaping their perception of it more than all other factors combined. To use another overblown metaphor, clubs are also the essential fabric out of which the rich, variegated tapestry of the game’s history has been woven.
    [Show full text]
  • Time on Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society
    Time on Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society 2014 Time on: Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society. 2012. Croydon Park NSW, 2014 ISSN 2202-5049 Time on is published annually by the New South Wales Australian Football Society for members of the Society. It is distributed to all current members free of charge. It is based on football stories originally published on the Society’s website during the previous year. Contributions from members for future editions are welcome and should be discussed in the first instance with the president, Ian Granland on 0412 798 521 who will arrange with you for your tale to be submitted. Published by: The New South Wales Australian Football Society Inc. 40 Hampden Street, Croydon Park, NSW, 2133 P O Box 98, Croydon Park NSW 2133 Contents Editorial ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 People ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 John Hardy................................................................................................................................................. 3 Dally Messenger ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Reg Garvin ................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Xref Football Catalogue for Auction
    Auction 241 Page:1 Lot Type Grading Description Est $A SPORTING MEMORABILIA - General & Miscellaneous Lots 1 Balance of collection including 'The First Over' silk cricket picture; Wayne Carey mini football locker; 1973 Caulfield Cup glass; 'Dawn Fraser' swimming goggles; 'Greg Norman' golf glove; VHS video cases signed by Lionel Rose, Jeff Fenech, Dennis Lillee, Kevin Sheedy, Robert Harvey, Peter Hudson, Dennis Pagan & Wayne Carey. (12 items) 100 3 Balance of collection including 'Summit' football signed John Eales; soccer shirts for Australia & Arsenal; Fitzroy football jumper with number '5' (Bernie Quinlan); sports books (10), mainly Fine condition. (14) 80 5 Ephemera 'Order of Service' books for the funerals of Ron Clarke (4), Arthur Morris, Harold Larwood, David Hookes, Graeme Langlands, Roy Higgins, Dick Reynolds, Bob Rose (2), Merv Lincoln (2), Bob Reed & Paul Rak; Menus (10) including with signatures of Ricky Ponting (2), Mike Hussey, Meg Lanning, Henry Blofeld, Graham Yallop, Jeff Moss, Mick Taylor, Ray Bright, Francis Bourke. 150 6 Figurines collection of cold cast bronze & poly-resin figurines including shot putter, female tennis player, male tennis player, sprinter on blocks, runner breasting tape, relay runner; also 'Wally Lewis - The King of Lang Park'; 'Joffa' bobblehead & ProStar headliner of Gary Ablett Snr. (9) 150 7 Newspapers interesting collection featuring sports-related front page images and feature stories relating to football, cricket, boxing, horse racing & Olympics, mainly 2010-2019, also a few other topics including
    [Show full text]
  • As a Player, Umpire, Coach and Spectator – Led Her to Research the History of Women’S Australian Rules Football
    Brunette Lenkić is a teacher and freelance journalist whose lifelong interest in sport – as a player, umpire, coach and spectator – led her to research the history of women’s Australian Rules football. She was the driving force behind the ‘Bounce Down!’ exhibition, held at the State Library of Western Australia in 2015, which celebrated 100 years of the women’s game. Brunette lives in Perth, where her daughters play for the Coastal Titans Women’s Football Club. Associate Professor Rob Hess is a sport historian with the College of Sport and Exercise Science, and the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living at Victoria University. He is the former president of the Australian Society for Sports History and the current managing editor of the discipline’s foremost journal, the International Journal of the History of Sport. Rob has a longstanding interest in the history of Australian Rules football, especially the development of the women’s code. Echo Publishing A division of Bonnier Publishing Australia 534 Church Street, Richmond Victoria Australia 3121 www.echopublishing.com.au Copyright © Brunette Lenkić and Rob Hess, 2016 Foreword © Susan Alberti All rights reserved. Echo Publishing thank you for buying an authorised edition of this book. In doing so, you are supporting writers and enabling Echo Publishing to publish more books and foster new talent. Thank you for complying with copyright laws by not using any part of this book without our prior written permission, including reproducing, storing in a retrieval system, transmitting in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or distributing.
    [Show full text]
  • Time on Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society
    Time On Annual Journal of the New South Wales Australian Football History Society 2013 Time on: Annual Journal of the NSW Australian Football History Society. 2012. Croydon Park NSW, 2013 ISSN 2202-5049 Time On is published annually by the NSW Australian Football History Society Inc for members of the Society. It is distributed to all current members free of charge. It is based on football stories originally published on the Society’s website during 2012. Contributions from members for future editions are welcome and should be discussed in the first instance with the president, Ian Granland OAM, on 0412 798 521, who will arrange with you for your tale to be submitted. Published by: The NSW Australian Football History Society Inc. 40 Hampton Street, Croydon Park, NSW, 2133 P O Box 98, Croydon Park NSW 2133 ABN 48 204 892 073 Contents Editorial ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 The start of football in Sydney ......................................................................................................................... 3 The first rules ............................................................................................................................................ 4 The first game in Sydney – in 1866? .......................................................................................................... 6 1881: The Dees just roll Easts, then Sydney .............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Unforgettable Characters in Football a Series of Articles Written by H.A.De Lacy During the 1941 VFL Football Season and Published in the Sporting Globe
    Unforgettable Characters in Football A series of articles written by H.A.de Lacy during the 1941 VFL football season and published in The Sporting Globe. Peter Burns Henry “Tracker” Young Albert Thurgood Henry “Ivo” Crapp Dick Lee Syd and Gordon Coventry Roy Park Jack Worrall Ivor Warne-Smith Hughie James Percy Parratt & Jimmy Freake Horrie Clover Roy Cazaly Alan and Vic Belcher Vic Cumberland Tom Fitzmaurice Rod McGregor Dave McNamara Albert Chadwick PETER BURNS Greatest Player Game Has Produced May 3, 1941 – https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/180297522 When I walked into the South Melbourne training room on Thursday night and asked a group of old timers, "Did any of YOU fellows play with Peter Burns when he was here?'' work stopped. Billy Windley left off lacing a football. "Joker" Hall allowed the compress on Eric Huxtables ankle to go cold, and Jim O'Meara walked across the room with a pencil sticking out of the side of his mouth, while one of the present-day Southern stalwarts stood half naked Waiting for the guernsey that Jim carried away in his hand. I had struck a magic chord collectively and individually all three said play with Peter — he was the greatest player the game has produced and a gentleman in all things." Well it was certainly nice to have them unanimous about It. and so definite too. I wanted Information and I got it in one hot blast of enthusiasm. Peter Burns — what a man; what a footballer, they all agreed. Today in the South Melbourne room working side by side at the moulding of a younger side.
    [Show full text]
  • Page:1 Nov 25, 2018
    Page:1 Nov 25, 2018 Lot Type Grading Description Est $A CRICKET - AUSTRALIA Ex Lot 2044 2044 Victoria team photographs for 1946-47 in Hobart (Neil Harvey's first game), 1947 (Neil Harvey with his brothers Merv & Ray), 1959-60, 1960-61 & 1979-80 (with 7 signatures including Graham Yallop, Jeff Moss & Ray Bright). (5) 250 2046 Cricket Club Badges for St.Kilda Cricket Club 1955; plus Melbourne Cricket Club badges (13) 1970-71 to 1973-74 and 1976-77 to 1984-85. (14) 100 2048 Melbourne Cricket Club membership badges (23) incomplete run from 1962-63 to 1990-91, later tickets for Voting Member (4); Lady's Tickets (24); also VFL Park badges for 1977 & 1978. (53) 100 Page:2 www.abacusauctions.com.au Nov 25, 2018 Lot Type Grading Description Est $A CRICKET - AUSTRALIA - 19th Century 2056 1864 'The All-England Eleven Versus the Victorian Twenty-Two, Melbourne Cricket Ground, January 1st, 1864', Australian Cricket Print 1982, window mounted, framed & glazed, overall 79x59cm. Ex Bruce Ruxton collection. 100 Lot 2057 2057 1874-75 East Melbourne Cricket Club Member's Season Ticket issued to WJ Daly Esq, signed by Treasurer JC Russell. 2,000 Lot 2058 2058 1881-82 East Melbourne Cricket Club Member's Season Ticket number 94 issued to J Cavanagh Esq, signed by Treasurer Henry M Gooch. 2,000 2060 1892 Berwick Cricket Club 1d Postal Card with anouncement of a Grand Concert in aid of Club Funds at the Berwick Grammar School printed on reverse, fine used with 'UP TRAIN/MG9/VICTORIA' cds addressed to the Postmaster, Clyde.
    [Show full text]