Toast 150 Years of Essendon

[Shane Heard]

Don McKenzie

 

[Shane Heard]

Hugh Mitchell

 

[Shane Heard]

John Birt

 

[mcgarnacle]

Back when footy clubs were aligned with religion, Essendon were supposedly as proddie as you could get. The McCracken family were staunch, and for many decades after foundation, the club favoured protestant players over Catholic ones of equal ability. That began to change midway into the 20th century, and then significantly when southern european migration took off in the 50s and 60s with many Italians and Maltese in particular settling in the surrounding districts and becoming supporters. Of course, Sheedy was baptised a Catholic too.

Melbourne and Hawthorn were also protestant clubs from memory. Collingwood, Richmond, North Melbourne were catholic for obvious reasons - inner city with high proportion of residents of Irish background.

 

[Shane Heard]

Barry Davis as coach during a practice match at Warracknabeal FC 1980

With Phil Carman, Merv Neagle, Ron Andrews and Garry Foulds that I recognise.

 

[Shane Heard]

Dick Reynolds and Jack Jones ( grandfather of fox footy’s Sarah Jones )

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Good effort but my recollections from about 69 onwards have Gerlach in 17 and the Payne brothers, Ian and big Charlie in 3 and 7 respectively.

It turned out a good effort

Getting John Birt at no 11 ( admittedly i had 2 picks ) is what you call a good get

I nearly got Jack Clarke right - i knew he was 1 - i mentioned 1 - but i went for 2 - because Charlie Payne threw me out - maybe that Ess kid in the dufflecoat had the 7 - but the top part of the 7 had fallen off or worn off - and i only saw the 1 - hah

And even Hughie Mitchell - i said 3 - and he was 31 - i knew he had a 3 in his number

 

[Shane Heard]

Jack Jones near the boundary line in the 1950 GF Ess vs North …it was EFC’s 6th straight GF appearance (including the 1948 replay vs MFC)
EFC also played the following year in 1951 in a defeat by GFC

 

[Shane Heard]

The 16 EFC Premiership sides

 

[Shane Heard]

The great Dick Reynolds

 

[Shane Heard]

Essendon captain Bill Hutchison and MFC capt John Beckwith lead the teams out onto the MCG in the 1957 GF

 

[Shane Heard]

Rockstar John Coleman surrounded by kids and signing autographs.

 

[Shane Heard]

Windy Hill, 1954 - John Coleman

 

[Shane Heard]

15 year old James Hird’s coaches report by Sheedy

 

[Shane Heard]

EFC sends first year player Alec Epis an offer to join the club in 1955

 

[Shane Heard]

The MCG packed to the rafters in the 1965 GF vs Saints (104,846 attendance)

 

[Shane Heard]

EFC immortals Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison with sons.

 

[faible]

EFC sends first year player Alec Epis an offer to join the club in 1955
View attachment 1240955

Also makes a pretty good Pinot.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Hugh Mitchell
View attachment 1240874

Just on Hughie Mitchell - and great picture by the way

This is just purely from memory again - amazing how you can remember stuff 50-60 years ago - but you cant remember stuff a month ago - ha ha ha

He was a topline player for many years - played state football etc - but his finishing up at Ess was swift and brutal

I can remember it was all over the papers when it occurred - and im 100% certain Mitchell was one of them ( like he would have been in his 30s at the time )

What happened - one week - Mitchell and there was one other Ess player - might have been 3 of them all up - but they sacked all 3 in the one week - finito - alah dropped them to the 2nds and that was it

 

[Shane Heard]

Just on Hughie Mitchell - and great picture by the way

This is just purely from memory again - amazing how you can remember stuff 50-60 years ago - but you cant remember stuff a month ago - ha ha ha

He was a topline player for many years - played state football etc - but his finishing up at Ess was swift and brutal

I can remember it was all over the papers when it occurred - and im 100% certain Mitchell was one of them ( like he would have been in his 30s at the time )

What happened - one week - Mitchell and there was one other Ess player - might have been 3 of them all up - but they sacked all 3 in the one week - finito - alah dropped them to the 2nds and that was it

yeah I remember my old man always talking about his favourite Bomber player Hugh Mitchell.
Dad grew up in Tatura, country Victoria, left school at 15 and was working driving trucks at 18 and didn’t get to Melbourne to see games until his mid 20s. By the time I was 7 (1977) we were going to every Windy Hill home game and all games at MCG or VFL Park. He would never attend an away game at other grounds so all my childhood memories are from those 3 grounds.

 

[Shane Heard]

1897 Grand Final EFC vs MFC

 

[Shane Heard]

1912 Premiership back to back EFC

 

[Bombfire]

Barry Davis as coach during a practice match at Warracknabeal FC 1980

With Phil Carman, Merv Neagle, Ron Andrews and Garry Foulds that I recognise.
View attachment 1240883

I reckon that might be Neil Besanko second from the left of Foulds.

 

[Shane Heard]

The MCG in 1919. Don’t leave your spot to get a pie…

 

[Shane Heard]

1942 EFC Premiership