GENTLEMAN JIM
Jim Gallagher captained a great Assumption First XVIII in 1948, from College he went to Footscray where he played 151 games. Now 95, he is the last surviving member of the Bulldogs 1954 premiership team with the passing last week of Don Ross aged 92. Jim is a wonderful person widely admired. A son, Ross, played 1st XVIII for ACK in the 1980’s. Jim spent some years in New Guinea working in the public service. He last visited Assumption for the opening of the Neale Daniher Pavilion. Recently he sent me a poem about the school he loved written by a student a century ago.
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“In this nation of the sun
In this first land of the earth
All our voices rise as one
To proclaim its golden worth;
For there is no other land Like the Country of our birth.
REFRAIN:
Light Blue and Dark Blue
The Colours of our School;
Hand true and hear true
We’ll make those colours rule;
Try boys – we’ll try boys
To keep them pure and proud;
High boys – on high boys,
We’ll lift their praises loud.
Neath our master’s loving care,
And with wisdom for our guide,
We shall learn to do and dare,
And to face the battle wide.
Fighting ever, brave and fair,
And as brothers, side by side.
Our School is great of name
And its record serves to thrill;
It will be our dearest aim
To make it greater still;
And to fling afar its fame
We shall work with heart and will.
Yes, the future years are ours,
And the making of our land;
We shall wreath her brow with flowers
We shall throne her great and grand.
And in dark and evil hours
As her heroes we shall stand.”
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PJ’S RETURN
Former ACK deputy principal continues to organise great reunions. His mid-year one saw 33 past staff assemble at Kilmore’s Goal Café a week ago. The gathering embraced classroom teachers, office staff and maintenance workers, all of whom over many years have made splendid contributions to the life and times of Assumption. Among those present were Judy Sultana, Anne Lindsey, Enzo Rovetto, Maureen Kurzman, Ken Tonkin, Natalie Still and Mick Whitty. Peter himself was a great deputy across a couple of decades – a fine teacher, events organiser and a great support with staff, students and families. He like a number of others was undermined by the principal of the time.
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THE GREATEST
The cricket world has mourned the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers, recently regarded as the greatest all-rounder in the games history. The legendary West Indian was really three cricketers in one – a magnificent bat, fine pace bowler and also spinner, and a brilliant fielder. Born in the Caribbean Island of Barbados, Sobers dazzled crowds around the world. I was lucky enough to witness two of his final innings. On leave in London in 1970 I saw his 184 against England. On a sunlit afternoon at the games spiritual home he had the capacity crowd spellbound by the power and majesty of his stroke play. Then at the MCG a year later his 254 on the Saturday of the Test against Australia for the Rest of the World XI had the 75,000-crowd in a frenzy. By any reckoning he heads the all-time list of greatest all-rounders- ahead of Keith Miller, Ian Botham, Jacques Kellis, Kapil Dev and Imran Khan.
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FIGHTING BOWEN
From the verdant farm fields near Armidale (NSW) the young lady pictured is among the many fighting against energy minister Chris Bowen and his unsightly “windmills” which are defiling landscapes across Australia. Bowen’s “green obsession” has already cost the nations taxpayers more than $100 billion dollars for precious little benefit. As many have pointed out – how many schools, hospitals, care homes, road constructions could that massive amount have built?
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THE KIWIS ARE COMING
Thousands of Kiwis will flock here this coming summer for the Australia-New Zealand tests. They believe their team can beat the Aussies, having recently come off winning a series in England, something Australia has not been able to do for the past quarter of a century. They have a pretty good side. Their first seven in the batting order have made test centuries – they have a formidable pace attack, a world class spinner and wicket keeper. New Zealand, with just a population less than that of Melbourne really does punch above its weight in rugby, cricket, athletics etc. their cricketers are paid a pittance compared to Australia’s millionaires, but they play with enormous pride and spirit.
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England will be at the MCG in early March to play Australia in the 150 years celebration test. This will be a great occasion as was the centenary test in 1977 which saw a fantastic clash with overall attendance of nearly 300,000.
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A.C.K MISS FINAL
Assumption First XVIII met Trinity under lights at Bulleen on Friday night for a place in the final to play Marcellin. After a tight first half Trinity broke away to win by 5 goals. The Dark and Light Blues have made the four in four of the past five seasons but have missed out on the big one. Hopefully their fortunes will soon change.
