Some old Tasmanian footballers
Mr. R. Dawes, an old Hobart footballer, writes a chatty and interesting letter from Sydney as follows:
Dear "Forward," - In a recent issue of "The Tasmanian Mail" an old-timer wrote you about some of the battles that were fought in the brave days of old. He also referred to the visit of the Fitzroy team to Hobart in 1890. As you know, Fitzroy came to Sydney this season [1910], and with the maroons were Con Hickey, Teddy Melling, Billy Cleary, Tom Banks, and Joe Kerrigan, who all played in those memorable matches on the Risdon ground in 1890. It goes to show how fond old warriors are of the game. And what do you think? Joe Kerrigan played in the Sydney matches.
All the old-timers mentioned are as lively as proverbial kittens. Chatting with them, I could not help thinking what a splendid game football is for developing a man and keeping him from getting "rocky on his pins." You remember I played against them at Hobart, and they were all delighted to renew the acquaintance. We had a delightful chat.
Con Hickey told me that he was talking to George Vautin a few days before leaving Melbourne. He said George was thinner than he used to be. "My word, what a clinking player he was," said Con. I agreed with him. I have always regarded George as the most attractive footballer I have ever seen.
Residing in Sydney for over nineteen years, I have had opportunities of seeing footballers of all kinds—Rugby Union, Rugby League, and many of the finest exponents of our own magnificent game from Melbourne and Adelaide. Yet I give George the palm for brilliancy. I do not go so far as to say he was the "best" footballer that ever graced a field, but he was the prettiest to watch.
I remember a remarkable feat of his when the Tasmanian team visited New South Wales in 1890. We were playing at West Maitland, and were desirous of showing the spectators something uncommon, and decided to let George get the ball from back and do a run, five or six of us shepherding him. Well, he wriggled in and out of his opponents like a veritable eel, and ended up with a kick at goal, which just missed. Tommy Ryan probably remembers the incident.
Mick Grace (who coached the N.S.W. League players this season, and who was for years one of Melbourne's top-notchers), in chatting to me of George's brilliancy, said: "We (Fitzroy) were playing against Essendon, and one of our fellows went to shoulder Vautin, who had the ball. He put the weight in, too. But when he reached the spot where he thought George was, the electric one had vanished, and our man ploughed up the ground, which was soft, owing to rain, for yards with his shoulder. My word, George was brilliant!"
Coming in on a tram from Erskinville Oval (where the Sydney matches are played) after the North Adelaide v. Combined Sydney contest, I found myself among a number of enthusiasts, whom I did not know, as they were evidently from other States, and they began talking about old Tasmanian champions.
"The islanders can't play like they used to." said No. 1.
"No," replied No. 2, ''they had some clinkers one time."
"Why, chipped in No. 3, who was sitting near me, "the best player I ever saw in my life was a Hobart fellow."
"Ah!" said No. 1 with a knowing smile, "I know who you mean, Fred McGinis."
"No, I don't mean Fred McGinis, though he was a champion! I mean Charlie Eady. Look here, chaps, I have seen football played in all the States, and I flatter myself I am something of a judge. I only saw Eady once, but that was enough for me. Bloomee, mark! Why, he could hand you a star, that fellow! He could kick some, too. And, mind yer, he always got his kick. Never caught with the ball; know too much for that."
"You're not a bad judge," I said.
"Did you know him, matey?" he said, turning to me.
"Yes, I knew him pretty well."
"Well, what I've been tellin' these blokes is right, ain't it?"
"It is," I replied. "Eady was the greatest player I have ever seen; though, in justice to Fred McGinis, I must say I never saw him in action after he left school."
My remark, pleased the football Solon, who chatted glibly about celebrated players till I reached my destination, and was loth to leave him.
High-marking is a very attractive feature, and "aeroplanes" always come in for a great deal of notice. Now, I am not going to say that Ampy Edwards could fly as high as some we knew—Charlie Eady, for instance—but he certainly had the surest pair of hands and the best judgment of them all. It did not matter where Ampy went, Tommy Ryan, City's astute skipper, always instructed his men to kick to him. Ampy would take a run of about ten yards, fly into the air at the psychological moment, and bring down the mark. If he managed to get his hands on the ball, "it was his." And what strong fingers he possessed! He was magnificently built; arms like a Sandow, and legs that an artist would like to put on canvas, they tapered so gracefully.
I have a keen recollection of one magnificent mark he made when playing for Combined Southern Tasmania against the redoubtable South Melbourne team. One of our fellows had a mark between the centre and half-forward. All the players lined up in the mouth of the goal awaiting the ball. It came there sure enough, and Edwards went up in the air like a rocket, and fairly marked from Peter Burns and his comrades, finishing the fine achievement by punting an easy goal. The South Melbourne supporters—aye, and players, too!—could scarcely credit their eyesight.
Edwards was, in my opinion, the most effective footballer the City club ever possessed, and that is saying a great deal, as they had many clinkers.
You probably remember Joe Jagelman, as he wrote verse for the "Tasmanian Mail" years ago under the nom-de-plume of "Alastor." He left Hobart for Sydney in 1891, studied law, and is now practising on his own account, and doing well. He played for the Commercial, a Wednesday afternoon team.
Joe Jagelman ia a vice-president of the N.S.W. League, and during the past two years has worked hard and successfully to send the game ahead here. He is a very able speaker, and his knowledge of requirements is second to none. We often have a chat over the old Tasmanian players.
Footnotes
Title: The old-timers. Interesting notes about some of them. George Vautin, Charlie Eady, and Ampy Edwards.
Author: Mercury Staff Writer
Publisher: The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860-1954)
Date: Saturday 24 September 1910 p 9 Article
Web: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10076821
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