by Kevin Taylor
The articles which follow have been reproduced from the excellent Footystats website with the kind permission of site manager Kevin Taylor. You can view additional material about the history of Australian football in New South Wales together with a plethora of statistical and historical data on all aspects of our great game here.
QUICK LINKS:-
Excerpts
From The Writings Of James Phelan
On Famous Footballing Cricketers
On The Death And Re-Birth Of The Code In Sydney
[All of the images which follow are clickable.]
James Edward Phelan (pictured above) was born
at Huntly near Bendigo in 1861 (the same year as Charles
Brownlow) and following schooling in Ballarat and
his move to Melbourne he played both cricket and football with South Melbourne.
He migrated to Sydney in the 1880s playing with the West Sydney club of the
Ultimo-Pyrmont suburbs during the days of the Flanagan Cup.
Though the Australian code was only thirty years old, the game of 'little marks'
was strong in the Sydney and Newcastle regions. However, it stumbled during the
depression of the 1890s, and its demise was suffered after the end of the 1894
season when a weak administration failed to stamp out 'irregularities'.
Jim Phelan’s love for the game emerged when he was approached to help
re-establish the code’s presence in Sydney. In the company it is said of men
that included Bill Strickland, the first man to captain the Collingwood
Football Club when the Magpies were born in 1892. Strickland by 1902 was a
Sydney hotelier.
Australian Football was revived in Sydney in 1903 with strong interest shown by
the YMCA Society; indeed, newspapers report that the reformation meeting was
held at their headquarters in Sydney on February 12.
Phelan, together with Harry Hedger, Leo Alexander, and brothers Les and Oscar
Balhausen, prevailed on the new Victorian Football League (formed in 1896) to
play a Victorian competition match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in support of
the newly formed group of clubs under the title of the New South Wales
Australian Football League. Patrons of the League were the New South Wales
Premier of the day, Sir John See ,and the Governor His Excellency Sir Harry
Rawson. One vice-president was the New South Wales Minister of Lands, Mr. Edward
O’Sullivan.
There was much activity as clubs were formed and reported in 'The Sydney Morning
Herald' – Paddington (Feb 17), North
Shore (Feb 23), Sydney (Feb 25), East
Sydney (March 5), Redfern and West Sydney (March 6), Newtown
(March 20, when Phelan was elected Treasurer), Balmain
(April 3), joined by Ashfield, Alexandria and the YMCA. with the first round
played on Saturday May 9th.
The VFL teams arrived with great fanfare. Fitzroy
and Collingwood played on May 23 at the Cricket Ground to an estimated crowd of
20,000 from which the gate takings of £600 were donated to the New South Wales
governing body.
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Some 1902 Collingwood and Fitzroy Players |
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| James Sharp | Charlie Pannam | Percy Trotter | Bob Rush | Gerald Brosnan | Ted Rowell |
Phelan, a confectioner by trade, was also a respected Union official, and in
football, through a number of trustees, the national code strengthened its
presence and established its own ground with a grandstand, Football Park, at the
corner of Gardeners and Botany Roads, Alexandria.
Success enjoyed, however, was short lived as an ill-fated interstate carnival in
1914 resulted in the nation’s attention being directed to the outbreak of
World War One at the beginning of August.
Major assets of the league were lost and through five years of war the game was
only able to continue during this period during to the undying efforts and
commitment by people such a Jimmy Phelan.
In 1924, Phelan was paid the highest honour the game can bestow when he was made
a Life Member of the Australian National Football Council, sincerely earned with
energies to the interests of New South Wales.
Mr. Phelan as an alderman of the Erskineville Council provided influence which
resulted in the long tenure the Game enjoyed at Erskineville Oval. Towards his
death, Phelan watched every stage of the new oval built to the requirements of
the code, yet he died before its completion.
Melbourne’s 'Sporting Globe' writing on his passing in September 1939:
James Edward Phelan took off his
coat and delved in where there was no glamour. Fearless in his utterances, he
was always fair, and had no other object than the furtherance of the game he
played in South Melbourne.
Often he was referred to as the grand old man of the national code in New South
Wales, but the title was not complete. He was the grand old man of all football.
Excerpts From The Writings Of James Phelan
One year before his passing in September 1939, Jim Phelan wrote a series of articles for 'The Football Record' of the day. His recollections, as written, are repeated below. Passages have been edited and, in several items, dates have been extended to reflect time for the ease of present-day readers.
On Famous Footballing Cricketers
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In the states of the Commonwealth where the
Australian code of football stands pre-eminent in public favour, notable
cricketers who have played the game without prejudice to their cricketing career
indicates that South Australia provides the finest example. George Griffen (who
kicked the first goal scored by the famous Norwood club), E.Jones, Clem and Roy
Hill, A.Gehrs, J.Reedman (pictured left), Vic Richardson, L.Chamberlain, are but few of
the many whose names will go down in history as great footballers.
In Victoria, memory fondly lingers around the football deeds of J.Worrall (shown below, right), W.W.Armstrong, R (Dickie) Houston, P.G.McShane, W.Carkeek, D.Smith, J.Rosser, J.Minchin, and others. In Tasmania, C.Eady, K.Burn, E.A.McDonald, played the game and all found places in representative Australian cricket teams. |
New South Wales can also show its quota of great cricketers who identified themselves with the game.
Arthur Gregory (of the great cricketing family of the past) convened the first meeting to establish the game in Sydney in 1880. Since then, C.W.Beal (manager of the 1882 Australian XI), Leon and W.Moore (relatives of C.G.Macartney), B.Dwyer (who died in England while fulfilling an engagement with the Sussex County team), A.Newell, D.Noonan, Tibby Cotter, W.Whitty and Victor Trumper, all played the game for varying periods.
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Victor Trumper gave early promise of becoming a champion at the game. In 1893,
while in his early teens, he played with Sydney in a match against Redfern, the
latter winning by seven goals to three. Of Sydney’s three goals, Trumper
scored two. Club bickerings, in which the Sydney and West Sydney clubs were the chief wranglers, brought about the downfall of the game in Sydney at the close of 1894. Later on, Trumper played Rugby Union for Newtown club in which he was noted for his fine kicking and handling. |
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In 1898 he made a triumphal entry into the cricket world where the memory of his great deeds still live.
On The Death And Re-Birth Of The Code In Sydney
Had there existed in 1894, or the year
immediately prior thereto, a body similar to the present Australian National
Football Council, it is certain the game would have gone on to pre-eminence in
New South Wales, as at that period the game vied with Rugby Union for first
place in public patronage (rugby league being then unknown). The years between
then and the revival of the game, by the formation of the present League in
1903, found many of the leading players transferring to Rugby Union, in which
code they have left imperishable records.
“Pity, ‘tis, ‘tis true,” but with the decease of the game in Sydney the
magnificent edifice which had been built up in the Newcastle district where the
game was almost supreme, also crumbled.
The lesson from the foregoing is that firm administration, to the utter
exclusion of anything approaching rabid clubism, is the only road to progress.
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Fate and faulty administration during crucial periods, has played a big part in connection with the Australian game in Sydney. To old-time followers who can recall the period between 1881 and 1893 it seems almost incredible that no master-mind came to light to save the game from the destroying forces of club rancour and bitterness exhibited in the latter year by the then Sydney and West Sydney clubs, and which unfortunately brought the game to an untimely end — players and public being heartily sick of the win, tie or wrangle methods. How effective the methods of the clubs named can be was instanced by the fact that the late Dan Hutchinson (Carlton player and captain) came to Sydney early in 1894 and made an attempt to revive the game by advertising that a scratch match would be played at Moore Park. The effort failed lamentably. |
Present-day followers of the game will, probably, be surprised to read that in
the period between 1884 and 1889, teams from Newcastle and St Ignatius and St
Joseph’s Colleges were regular participants in games at Moore Park and
alternately, at the College grounds. The playing standard of the senior clubs
was excellent, and when Victorian clubs visited Sydney (which they did more
frequently then than now) they invariably made offers to some leading players.
Among several who went to Victoria was E.Reynolds ,who shone as one of Fitzroy’s
best half-backs, and gained inter-colonial honours in games against South
Australia.
The most memorable inter-colonial game that took place in Sydney during the
period 1886 to 1891 was that between Carlton and Tasmania in 1890 at the Sydney
Cricket Ground. It was a pleasurable sight to find an attendance of 15,000, each
of whom thoroughly enjoyed the fine play. The game was graphically described in
'The Sunday Times' the following day. In that game Bob Dawes was one of the
youngest players in the Tasmania side. He later took up residence in Sydney, and
was an employee of 'The Referee' newspaper for many years. He has rendered
wonderful service to the game by his writings, apart from the period he played
the game in Sydney with the old Waratah club. Incidentally, he acted as field
umpire in that bitter game, between Sydney and West Sydney which marked the
demise of the game in 1893. It is worthy of note that after many disagreements
between the clubs as to the choice of umpire, both agreed on the choice of Bob
Dawes.
On the following Saturday (after the Carlton vs. Tasmania match), South
Melbourne, who had gone to Brisbane to meet a Queensland team led by Jack Gibson
(ex-South Melbourne), were to meet Carlton at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and the
most pleasurable anticipation reigned in my mind during that week of the coming
clash between those great rivals. And, for many reasons. Not yet thoroughly
weaned from the glamour and excitement of the stirring games I had witnessed in
Melbourne in the early 1880s, I was all agog to see my early Ballarat pals, Peter
Burns (shown above, left) and Harry Purdy, in action again, as I had oft seen them both in
Ballarat and Melbourne. Again, had not Peter Burns brought discomfiture to
Carlton in 1889, when he kicked that wonderful goal on the Melbourne Cricket
Ground? Would we in Sydney have the pleasure of seeing him repeat it?
On the Friday night, while the Carlton and South Melbourne teams were being
entertained, rain commenced to fall, and continued throughout the night and all
day on the Saturday, with the result that the match had to be abandoned.
On the following morning, as the sun shone brightly, it was a disconsolate party
composed almost wholly of South Melbourneites, which sat in Hyde Park lamenting
with Peter Burns, Harry Purdy, ‘Dabber’ Decis and others of the vagaries of
fate, and the ‘might have beens’ of life.
Fate and faulty administration had much, if not all, to do with the loss of the
Australian Football Ground, situated on the boundaries of Alexandria, Mascot and
Waterloo municipalities.
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It was a glorious conception on the part of those responsible for the early
moves in connection with the acquirement of the ground, but unfortunately, later
movements nullified the early work. The Australian Football Ground – a title and location probably unknown to the present generation of followers of the game – a dream of football Empire unfulfilled. With the limited space, it is difficult to set out in proper detail the complete history of the venture. Suffice therefore, in 1910 the New South Wales League after being duly appraised of a scheme to purchase the old Rosebery Racecourse vested full control of its finances and other incidental auxiliary powers in the hands of a selected body of men whose work and love for the game was beyond question and reproach. Styled the League Trustees the body consisted of H.R (now Sir) Hugh Denison, H.C.Harte, A.E.Nash, J.J.O’Meara, L.A. and Otto Balhausen and J.J.Jagelman, all prominent men in the business and commercial world of Sydney. |
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Then, as now, the carping critic, both inside and outside the league was to be
found attributing unworthy motives such as business considerations to one, or
other, of that fine body of men who vision, enterprise and courage stands forth
as the finest example in connection with the game in this, or any other State of
the Commonwealth. So as to give full effect to my opinion, which time has
strengthened rather than lessened, I shall have to introduce a personal touch
that I was, at that period, and for many subsequent years, the writer for the
game to 'The Referee' and 'Sunday Times' newspapers, and though I voiced
opinions both through the papers mentioned and at league meetings, disagreeing
with the early lavish expenditure on the ground by the Trustees, the cardinal
fact remained that each respected the other’s views as in the interests of the
game, and we became, if anything, firmer friends.
The purchase of the ground consisting upon 12 acres was effected at a cost of
roughly £180/-/- per acre ($360.00). Within a very brief space of time its
valuation had risen to over £400/-/- ($800.00) per acre.
Meanwhile the Trustees had opened negotiations for the purchase of the land from
the football area covering the whole frontage to Botany Road, with the idea of
building shops and dwelling houses thereon. Unfortunately, a settlement as to
terms was not reached. What a glorious vista had the scheme reached fruition.
Let any reader of this brief article visualise the position today of the
ownership of a beautiful ground within easy access to any of the present league
clubs, North Shore excepted. So I turn, with a sigh from vision to reality.
On April 29th 1911, the official opening of the Australian Football Ground
(situated on Botany Road Mascot) took place with ceremony due for the occasion.
Mrs. J.J.Jagelman after unfurling the Australian Flag declared the ground open.
Speakers following were, Mr. Albert E.Nash (President of the New South Wales
League), Mr. R.Toucher MLA (Victoria), Mr. O.M.Williams (delegate of the VFL
Melbourne University club) who said that Melbourne had many fine grounds, but it
had none better than this future home of Australian football. Its future
however, was short lived.
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Today (in 1938) after a lapse of 27 years, I gather no personal consolation to
be content with the purchase of the ground and to withhold lavish expenditure
been followed, the League might still be in ownership of the ground proper. However, on that beautiful autumnal day the playing ground, and its appointments (second to none in Sydney at the time), was a revelation to those present who had not watched its progress under the supervision of Mr. Tom Sheely, who in his early days had played the game in the Newcastle District where it was then all popular. As a result of his fine work in the planning and building of the ground he was, later on, engaged by Stanton and Sons to lay out and build the now beautiful and populous suburb of Rosebery. The match between Sydney and East Sydney clubs, set down for the occasion, was disappointing from a playing view point. |
In commenting on the opening function I wrote the following for 'The Referee':
followers of the game in Sydney
are wondering why the Victorian League, or clubs, after a splendid continuity of
effort to popularise the game in New South Wales, failed to rise to the occasion
in connection with the opening of the new ground on Saturday last. A golden
opportunity has been missed, and, as a prominent interstate League official at
Saturday’s gathering remarked, ‘it passeth understanding’.
During the day it was announced that the membership of the ground, at a fee of one
guinea ($2.10), had reached the 200 mark, also that the Redfern Cricket Club,
had arranged for a lease of the ground for cricket games.
The dimensions of the playing area — 194 yards in length and 156 in width - were
not conducive to interesting club games, on the whole, but the contests were not
altogether shorn of interest and some wonderful games were witnessed between
leading league clubs in the final rounds in 1911 and 1912.
In 1912, East Fremantle played a combined New South Wales
team on the ground to the intense delight of a satisfactory attendance, although
transport to and from the ground was far behind that of today.
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Having no data at hand I cannot give the playing personnel of the teams or the
actual result of the game (East Fremantle 7.12-54 d Sydney 7.7-49 -KT)
but after a lapse of a quarter of a century I can recall the brilliant play of
C.Riley in the half-back division for East, also that the once brilliant
Victorian, Percy
Trotter, was in the team and greatest pleasure of all to me, 'Dolly'
Christy, whom I had not seen since he and I were schoolboy opponents at
football and cricket in Ballarat in the 1880’s. In the same year Geelong played a New South Wales side on the ground, and a splendid match resulted in a bare win for Geelong (the scores are unknown). A fine attendance roared its approval of a thrilling game. Bill Eason captained Geelong while his brother Alec, whose name will receive mention when the best rover the game has seen is being discussed, was also with the team. At my request I was appointed timekeeper to act with Peter Burns who was Geelong’s official timekeeper. In spare moments we lived over again our days in Ballarat. |
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In 1912, a team of second grade players from South Australia also visited Sydney
under the managerial reins of Mr. Fred Adams, a well-known football identity of
those days. The local Junior Association was a virile and powerful body, its
President being Mr. E.W.Quinn, who for the past 20 years, or more, has been
located in Victoria, where he is a leading light in the Timber Employers’
Association. Mr. A.D.S.Provan was Hon.Secretary of the local body. There was keen
rivalry between the opposing teams and a stirring contest resulted in a narrow
victory for the local team.
And so high hopes was centered on the 1914 season. The Australian Football
Ground had received its playing baptism. It was acclaimed by all who played on
it as the best football ground in Australia. Enthusiasts were agog. Would the carnival
games be played on the ground? Cold reasoning however, pointed to the then poor
facilities for transport of anticipated crowds that would flock to see the game.
Eventually it was decided to hold the carnival games on the Sydney Cricket
Ground.
The carnival was due to open on August 6th. On August 4th when all the state
teams were assembled at the Australian Football Ground for the purpose of
selecting competitors for the goal and distance contests at the carnival games,
the news was flashed by cable that England had declared war against Germany.
Fate had stepped in and dealt the game in Sydney a cruel blow. Had England’s
declaration of war been made a few weeks earlier or later all might have been
well as regards the continuity of ownership of the Australian Football Ground by
the New South Wales Football League.
Sensing that a greater game had to be played, the players of the various State
teams in the 1914 carnival played brilliantly throughout the full series. Medals
donated by 'The Referee' newspaper were awarded the following as being the best
players for their respective States:—
G.Heinz,
Victoria (pictured above, right)
J.Pennicott, Tasmania
A.Tapping, West Australia
J.W.Robertson, South Australia
R.Robertson, New South Wales
(first image on the left, above, wearing military uniform)
P.W.Jones, Queensland
The financial loss from the carnival was irreparable, and in due course the
League Trustees tendered their resignations. That step resulted in the
Australian Football Ground passing into the hands of Sir Hugh Denison who had
generously relieved his co-trustees of their financial obligations in connection
with the ground.
With the advent of the 1915 season, a small body of enthusiasts met in the
Sports Club, Sydney. Mr H.C.Harte, one of the original Trustees attended the
meeting which eventually decided to carry on. The principal executive officers
appointed were Messrs E.W.Butler (since deceased) President, Mr H.Chesney Harte
(Treasurer), Mr. J.E.Phelan (Secretary).
With the flower of our football talent overseas, and Death’s cloud resting
heavy and black over the homes and hearts of the people the outlook was a dark
one, but due to splendid co-operation on the part of everybody concerned the
League successfully weathered the storm and at the end of the war period, as the
Australian Football Council was not functioning and the propaganda amount
received from that source to but £40/-/- ($80.00) from 1915 to 1919.
During a part of the war period the Botany Road ground was tenanted by a gun
club for pigeon shooting purposes and the once beautiful grand-stand became
almost a wreck.
In 1922 Mr. Con Hickey who was a great admirer of the ground as a playing area,
and who also visualised its future possibilities, had an earnest talk with
myself over the position. After a lengthy debate at the Australian Football
Council held in 1922, a motion – “that all profits made at Carnival games be
held in trust by the Council to finance carnivals in which losses may occur, and
to acquire ownership of playing grounds,” was carried on the casting vote of
the Chairman Mr. Charles Brownlow. That was encouraging to Mr. Hickey and
myself.
On my return to Sydney I secured an interview with Sir Hugh Denison and
subsequently on March 19th 1923, he wrote to me that he was agreeable to the
offer I had submitted him for the use of the ground for that season, with the
option of purchase later on.
On March 23rd, the New South Wales League in its collective wisdom gave the
proposition short shrift. Looking back over the years I cannot recall any
decision of the New South Wales League that hurt me so much. I felt that the
labour of years on behalf of the game in Sydney had been in vain; that vision
had departed to be replaced by petty present-day considerations.
In 1925 or 1926 the ground passed into the ownership of the YMCA Society at a
figure which was well within the powers of the New South Wales League on the
proposals submitted to me by Mr. Hickey in 1922.
In 1927 or 1928 the YMCA Society sold the ground to a Dog Racing Company at a
reported figure of £23,000 ($46,000). It is now (1938) known as Shepherd’s
Bush.
One may well quote Shakespeare and say, “none so poor as to do honour” to
the sincere old time enthusiasts who put the Australian game before petty and
personal considerations.
Where now?
or
