The death of 'Markwell' (John Healy)
The sudden death or Mr John Healy, secretary of the Victorian Cricket Association, on Wednesday last, was a painful shock to Sydney men who have had reason to appreciate the fine courtesy and character of one who was a man, a gentleman, and a cricketer and a lover of cricket.
John Healy was a very good player though he represented Victoria against New South Wales only once. In 1881 on the Sydney Ground, he scored 12 and 4 in the match which the visitors won by 30 runs. Nearly all the members of the Victorian eleven of that day have passed away, among them the two who played most prominent parts with the bat viz., P. G. McShane, the left-hander, who scored 61 and 12, and. T. J. D. Kelly, the wonderful point; who made 12 and 50. On the other hand only one or two of the Sydney men are not still living.
Mr Healy's son, Gerald, has played with some distinction in interstate cricket, for it was he who topped 200 for Victoria against Tasmania.
I can safely speak for New South Wales cricketers in extending to the relatives and the V.C.A their sincere sympathy in the loss they have so suddenly sustained by the death of Mr John Healy. He succeeded Mr E. D. Heather as secretary of the Association a few years ago, and at once placed cricketers everywhere under an obligation by extending and perfecting the annual report, which now ranks with the most interesting and useful books produced anywhere in connection with the game.
The following reference to Mr Healy's career from the Argus [written by John Worrall] does justice to the man:
The news of the death of Mr John Healy, secretary of the Victorian Cricket Association, which occurred with startling suddenness shortly after noon on Wednesday, will be received with great regret, not only among cricketers, but by his comrades in the Education Department, from which he retired nearly five years ago. Mr Healy was writing letters in his office on Wednesday after having had a long conversation with the hon. treasurer of the Association (Mr H. R. Rush), when he succumbed to heart failure. Mr Healy had not been in good health for some time. He was 65 years of age.
In his day he was a first class cricketer and footballer. He was one of the founders of the Hotham Cricket and Football Clubs, now known as North Melbourne. He subsequently played with the East Melbourne Cricket Club, and was regarded as a sound batsman and a brilliant outfield. He was for some time the wicketkeeper of the team. He was a committee-man of the East Melbourne Club for many years, and was a strong advocate of the establishment of the Board of Control.
As a writer on football in the columns of the Australasian from 1888 to 1911 under the name of 'Markwell' Mr Healy was known throughout Australia. He had a pleasing style, sound judgment, and a knowledge of the game which made his articles almost as noted in the football world as the articles of his lifelong friend, the late Thomas Horan ('Felix') were among cricketers.
Mr Healy leaves a widow and a grown-up family. His eldest son, Mr Gerald Healy, was a member of the last Victorian Eleven which won the Sheffield Shield, and a younger son is Corporal Vincent Healy, a member of the Australian Expeditionary Forces.
By ‘Onlooker’ (The Referee)
By the death of Mr John Healy, at the age of 65 years, the cricket world lost a whole hearted enthusiast, and the Victorian Cricket Association a valued official. He passed away with shocking suddenness in his chair at the Association rooms while at work about mid-day on May 8. Mr Healy all his life took an active part in Victorian sport, particularly cricket and football, and his death has caused widespread regret.
In his early manhood Mr Healy was associated with North Melbourne, but later joined East Melbourne, and from 1873 to the day of his death manifested keen interest in the club's doings. For a number of years past he had been a leading member of the Executive.
When in his prime he was a batsman of the sound order, and his contemporaries were Horan, Boyle, Midwinter, McShane, Allee, Hastings, Groube, Percy Lewis and H. J. H. Scott. His photograph appears in the group of famous East Melbourne cricketers who won the McLean Challenge Cup in 1882-3-4 without a defeat. Healy's is a fine, strong face, full of grit and manly determination. But it was as a fieldsman that he shone. He had few equals in the groundwork, and rarely missed a catch. He achieved interstate honors, being included in the Victorian Eleven that defeated New South Wales by 30 runs, at Sydney, in 1881.
By profession Mr Healy was a teacher, and when he retired after an honorable career in the public service, he accepted the position of secretary to the Victorian Cricket Association, just previously vacated by Mr E. D. Heather. At that time he was more than 60 years old, but though he entered a whirlpool of troublous cricket politics with the Board of Control fight in its closing stages, he faced the situation with courage and ability. Any disadvantage of his advanced age was counterbalanced by his enthusiasm and wide experience. As a cricket statistician his work was very valuable.
For 23 years he wrote the football notes in the Australasian, and his article under the nom-de-plume of 'Markwell' were characterised by extreme fairness, sound judgment and literary finish. He was a life-long friend of the late Tom Horan. As youths they were chums, and the comradeship lasted to the end. Their lives were closely linked in many ways, and between their deaths there was but a brief span. I reproduce a reference penned by the gifted 'Felix' only a few years back. To me there is a tinge of pathos in the lines as though the writer had already sensed the gathering of the shadows:-
“A veteran who practised as diligently and as long as anyone is J. Healy. Many an evening, in summers long bygone, we have together heard the music of bat and ball. In recent years we have been trying hard to bowl each other out at the nets, but the sad admission has to be made that there is no ‘devil' in our deliveries now. So I cannot break through his defence, and he cannot break through mine. Thus honors are easy aren't they? Twenty-five years ago, and more, he, Boyle, T. Launder and myself have walked away from the ground just on dusk, evening after evening."
Less than a month since one stood at the other's graveside. And now both are gone!
[Editor’s note: Tom Horan had died four weeks earlier on 16 April 1916]
Footnotes
Title: THE LATE MR. JOHN HEALY
Author: Referee Staff Writer
Publisher: The Referee (NSW: 1886 - 1939)
Date: Wednesday, 24 May 1916, p.13
Link: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121170617
Title: DEATH OF MR. JOHN HEALY, V.C.A. SECRETARY
Author: ONLOOKER
Publisher; Referee (Sydney, NSW: 1886 - 1939)
Date: Wednesday 24 May 1916
Comments
This article does not contain any comments.
Login to leave a comment.