Obituaries

Con Gasparini

For fifteen seasons Con Gasparini umpired on the VFL Senior List and when added to his time on the VFL Reserve Grade both prior to and following that meant twenty-one years of service to umpiring.

Constantine Gasparini was born at Lock, Victoria on 31 October 1928. He played VFL Reserve Grade football for both North Melbourne and Melbourne Football Clubs before deciding to take up umpiring.

Joining the VFL Reserve Grade as a field umpire in 1951 he served a five-year apprenticeship before being promoted to the Senior List for the 1956 season. He had been one of a number of Reserve Grade umpires appointed to a senior list VCFL match the previous year when a spate of injuries afflicted the seniors.

It was seven years before Con umpired a final and another two before a senior final but the perseverance was rewarded with four Grand Finals from 1965-1968; two in the Omeo and District and one each in the Farrar and Tallangatta and District Leagues.

Despite not umpiring a Grand Final in his final senior season in 1970 it was perhaps his best. Twenty-one matches, a representative match in the Country Championships between the West Gippsland and Bass Valley-Wonthaggi Football Leagues and preliminary finals in the Alberton and Bass Valley-Wonthaggi Football Leagues closed out a career. That career amounted to one Reserve Grade, 262 VCFL, and twelve metropolitan matches in fifteen seasons.

In 1971 Con returned to the Reserve Grade for a final season before finally retiring from umpiring. He had been awarded Life Membership of the Association in 1966.

Con passed away on 19 April 2010.

Doug Langham

The Man in White magazine first appeared in August 1969, the brainchild of country field umpire Doug Langham. The 'pilot' edition was a two-page foolscap format, and a second issue was published a week later in the same format. The masthead was the official VFLUA logo.

From such a simple beginning Man in White grew into the official organ of the VFLUA and its descendant still enters publication triennially under the auspices of the Victorian Football Umpires Association. A great tribute to the man who began and continued a tradition and who recently passed away, aged 73.

Douglas Norman Langham was born in Moreland on 19 February 1937 and grew up there an in various Wimmera towns, many of which he would visit as an umpire years later.

Returning to Melbourne he played Colts and Under 19s football for Hawthorn and progressed to Camberwell in the VFA. After finishing playing Doug took up umpiring with the East Suburban Protestant Churches Football Association in 1962. He joined the VFL Reserve Grade Umpires in 1964 and the following season was promoted to the VFL Senior List.

Unlike many, his first appointment was in the metropolitan area, Preston Wanderers versus Nortchote Park but very soon he was on the usual circuit through the country. Over the next nine seasons Doug amassed 141 country matches including his only senior final – the Mid-Gippsland Preliminary in 1972.

While he was a country field umpire Doug was inspired to create the Man in White. He was the writer, editor, photographer and publisher of the magazine at the beginning. After the two late-1969 editions those for 1970 were enlarged to eight or twelve pages. Doug recruited anonymous scribes at each training track, who wrote their articles under noms de plume such as Jockstrap, Sherry Faulkner, Stepping Stone, C'noath and the Phantom Stirrer. Each issue featured social news, pen-pics, and plenty of high quality photographs.

Other than the contributions of the scribes, all of the work was done by Doug and his wife, Dawn. The magazine quickly took on cult status and became a most popular form of communication and entertainment. By 1973 the workload had increased to the degree that it required a sub-editor, Merv Hindson. That year Doug also served on the Executive Committee.

Doug was also very active in the social events and other activities of the Caulfield Training Track group. He was President for a number of years.

For his publishing work Langham was awarded VFLUA Honorary Life Membership in 1972 and he remained the editor until 1974. It was at this stage that he left field umpiring and returned to the VFL Reserve Grade to continue umpring, this time in the goals.

Almost immediatley successful the umpired the 1975 and 1976 Reserve Grade Grand Finals and so returned to the senior list in 1977.

On 2 April Langham was awarded Heritage No. 169 when he umpired his first VFL match at the Junction Oval. He and partner Gerald Gaffney were busy given that it was a 38-goal, 38-behinds match resulting in a win for the Lions over the Tigers.

The goal umpiring success continued with seventeen matches and the Qualifying Final that year and in 1978 another seventeen home and away and the Second Semi-Final. The Hawthorn-North Melbourne semi-final was Doug’s last, leaving his total at forty VFL matches in two seasons.

After retiring from the field Doug continued to contribute to umpiring as a Board Member of the Dandenong and District Junior Football League from 1980-1984 and Assistant Advisor at the South East Suburban Football League from 1985-1989. During this period he was also following the umpiring career of his son, Craig, who was a field with the VFL Senior List. They had umpired together on the VFL Reserve Grade in 1976 when Craig was a boundary umpire.

Doug passed away on 26 June 2010 after a battle with cancer.

Vale Doug Langham “The Man in White”.

Jack Wheeler

Jack Wheeler was one of a number of 'non-members' to be awarded Life Membership of the AFL Umpires Association.

Born John Ernest Wheeler on 23 June 1919 in Northcote Jack served in the Royal Australian Air Force from 1940-1946.

His connection with umpiring began as a VFA boundary umpire before he came to the VFL Reserve Grade as a goal umpire, a position he held for ten years.

After retiring from the field he took up training and obtained a position on the staff of the North Melbourne Football Club. This ten-year stint was followed by his return to umpiring. He bought his training skills to the VFL Umpires and for ten years plied them on VFLUA members at matches and at training. In addition he provided support that was acknowledged at the time or his retirement.

"Long time trainer Jack Wheeler retired at the end of 1989 and was deservedly was awarded Honorary Life membership of the AFLUA. Jack was a great friend of all and his presence at training and matches is certainly missed."

For many years after his retirement Jack attended Annual Dinners and other social functions indicating his connection and commitment with umpiring.

Jack passed away on 8 April 2010 after a long illness, aged 90.

Don Heywood

Induction to the AFLUA Hall of Fame meant a great deal to Don Heywood and his family. His Hall of Fame plaque and a list of fellow inductees were prominently displayed at his funeral. It was an award that celebrated eighteen seasons as a VFL country field umpire, more than 300 matches and service on the Executive Committee of the Association.

Born in Mornington on 16 August 1921, Donald George Heywood grew up in Somerville where he developed a love for nature and running. Apprenticed as a builder he moved to the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne where he played football for East Malvern Football Club and developed his running.

A longer distance specialist, Don won a number heats at Stawell, the mile at Ferntree Gully and also ran regularly in Tasmania, a favourite holiday destination. He often attributed his losses to the longer legs of his opponents.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, and as a qualified builder, Don was alotted to the Allied Works Council where he constructed barracks and other military structures. In November 1942 Don joined the RAAF and was trained as a gunner/navigator. He was posted to Britain where he served with Coastal Command in Wellington bombers in the Battle of the Atlantic. Ultimately he was promoted to Warrant Officer.

Returning to Australia, Don was demobilised in 1945. His running and love of football drew him to umpiring and he was added to the VFL Senior List in 1947 and joined the Caulfield Park training group.

The immediate post-war years were a sorting out time for umpiring. As more and more leagues required VFL umpires many were tried at all levels. In his first year Don was appointed to four second eighteen matches and finished the year with the Second-Semi Final of the Mornington Peninsula League.

Finals came every year that Heywood was on and in 1949 he was appointed to the first of eleven VCFL Grand Finals.

There is little doubt that 1954 was his most successful year. That season he officiated at six finals, three of which were Grand Finals - the Managatang League, the Metropolitan League and the North Central League Reserves.

From 1958 to 1961 Don was a member of the VFLUA Executive Committee. He had been awarded Life Membership for ten years service in 1957 but his work on the Executive Committee was further rewarded with a Lifetime Achievement (Special) Award.

Don retired at the completion of the 1963 season. He had umpired 294 VCFL, 9 Reserve Grade, 19 Metropolitan League and four Tasmanian appointments for a total of 336 matches. A remarkable fifty of these were finals.

With football at an end done enjoyed fishing and bird watching as recreations. After retiring from building he moved back to the Peninsula and it was here that he spent his remaining years.

Don passed away on 9 February 2010, aged 89, after a battle with Parkinson's disease. His illness meant that he was unable to attend his induction to the Hall of Fame but the honour he felt was reflected in the pride of place that it took for the remainder of his life; a life in which umpiring remained a treasured memory.

Harry Rowland

Boundary umpiring in the 1950s was a hard slog. The game may have been slower than today but weather and ground conditions were abysmal. Harry (or Hank) Rowland ran the boundary in 140 VFL matches between 1950 and 1959 when mud, rain and low scores were the norm.

Henry George Rowland was born in Richmond on 8 May 1924. The family moved to Footscray and Harry attended Hyde Street State School. Although not big of build, as a footballer he played for Waratah Football Club in the Footscray District Football League and was an adaptable tap ruckman, excellent for his size. It was later that he took up boundary umpiring with the VFL Second Eighteen competition.

In 1949 he umpired the Second Eighteen Grand Final with Leo Sutton and the following season both were promoted to the senior list. Leo and Harry were of similar physique and Leo recalls, "When we came onto the list Bill Blackburn would always be getting us confused and hand out the appointments to the wrong fellow!"

Henry debuted in round one 1950 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground where Melbourne beat Carlton. The appointment earned him Heritage Number 291.

The 1953 season saw Harry at some memorable matches, including Ron Barassi's debut, but none summed up the era like Footscray versus Fitzroy in round five. It had been raining for days and the Western Oval was virtually under water. In addition a drain had also broken adding more water to the deluge. The game went ahead and with only minutes remaining Fitzroy was scoreless until Alan Rutheven swung his leg and kicked their only goal. Running the boundary was a saturating experience. Indeed a year previously conditions were so wet and muddy the VFL experimented with white footballs to aid in seeing them.

Harry's only VFL final also came in 1953 - a low-scoring affair due to the gusty wind - Footscray defeating Melbourne by eight points. Later in his career Henry umpired his only senior Grand Final, the 1958 night premiership decider at the Lake Oval.

Harry was part of a VFL umpiring trial that sent senior boundary umpires to the VCFL or city competitions as field umpires. During 1955 he was appointed to Seville versus Marysville (Yarra Valley League) and to Reservoir versus East Brunswick (Metropolitan League). However his performances were viewed he did not take up the field in the future. He did make numerous country appearances as a boundary umpire in VCFL finals including Grand Finals in the Alberton (1956), South-West District (1956), Gippsland (1957) and Latrobe Valley (1959) Football Leagues. The Latrobe Valley Grand Final at Yallourn was his final VFL appointment.

At the end of the 1959 season Harry retired from the VFL having completed 140 matches, one final and a night Grand Final. He became a Life Member of the VFLUA in 1960.

Like many boundary umpires Harry also ran professionally. He was a capable middle distance runner mainly over the half-mile and mile. He had a number of heat victories at country gift meetings and several wins, including the Bendigo Mile. His athletic trainer was Norm Harrison and Harrison's brother, Stan, was Harry's umpiring trainer. Harry was also attended to by his brother, Cecil, who accompanied him to matches.

Henry Rowland passed away on 1 May 2008.

George Hamid

When umpires were considered for inclusion in the Australian Football League Umpires Association Hall of Fame a number of candidates stood out for services rendered. George Hamid was one of these umpires. A man who bore his service to umpiring both on and off the field with pride throughout his life, George passed away on 21 July 2009 and despite illness was his jovial self to the last.

Born just a hundred metres from the then Western Oval on 11 August 1916, George William Hamid had football and the Bulldogs in his heart from a young age. He played football as a youngster and later for Combine in Footscray District League for two premierships.

George started umpiring during army training in North Queensland while serving in the 22nd Battalion. Following his demobilisation he umpired with the Melbourne Boys League before moving straight onto the VFL Senior list in 1946.

In one of the more remarkable rises to the top, it was only thirty country matches and three 1946 Second Eighteen matches later before he took control of his first senior VFL match. On 16 August 1947 he umpired Melbourne versus Hawthorn thus earning Heritage Number 201. Appointed to the senior matches for the final three weeks of 1947 and the first four of 1948 a break from football in mid-season was followed by George's final senior match at a saturated Glenferrie Oval in round 11.

"It was so wet that the member of the Umpires' Board queried me why I ran around the pool of water and I said I couldn't swim" George said. "It was quicker for me to go around it than go through it."

His biggest thrill was as an 11-year-old, meeting Footscray legend Allan Hopkins. But his most memorable moment in umpiring was at a Collingwood v Geelong game.

"At half time I walked into the players' room and every Collingwood player was seated with their complete attention to Jock McHale. You could hear a pin drop" he recalled. "That was the greatest discipline I have ever seen, and the moment will live with me forever."

With the exception of a seven game run in Second Eighteens at the start of 1949, the remainder of George's career was spent in the VCFL - but what a country career it was. In all it totaled 249 Victorian country and eight Tasmanian matches to go with ten Second Eighteen matches. Twenty one of the country matches were Grand Finals.

George said he rarely had trouble dealing with players, adopting a policy of "trying to get friendly with everybody". Though he does recall one day in Lake Boga when goodwill was overtaken by fear.

"It was Swan Hill vs. Lake Boga and Lake Boga was in front at their home ground but Swan Hill kicked three goals in quick succession to win. Naturally I was on the outer with the crowd. I was going off the field and this guy came at me swearing at me so I went thump and down he went.

"I got to the gate of the dressing room and another one came at me shouting and I went thump and he hit the ground. I kept going and another fella' came at me waving his arms and shouting and I thumped him too. I wasn't going to be assaulted by them. The Umpires' Board said I was a bit hasty but what was I to do?"

At the 1949 VFLUA Annual Meeting Ron Woolley was elected Honorary Secretary and George his assistant. An injury ended Ron's umpiring career shortly after. He was replaced by Keith McLellan who also soon resigned. Shortly after Hamid became secretary of the VFLUA, a position he would hold for the next eight seasons.

During his time in office George managed such things as: membership growth from 142-192 in eight seasons; the traumatic move from honorary to years service based Life Membership; erection of a plaque in Albury to honor William Lester, a well-known local football identity and early work on the VFLUA Provident Fund. With a growing membership, a full social calendar and fortnightly meetings the work load was large yet George reveled in it. At his retirement from office, due mainly to family commitments Harry Beitzel noted, "... you have always carried your head high and have remained resolute in your fight for the good of the Association. One automatically knows, George, although you are retiring as secretary, your advice and experience will still be available in time to come."

George received his Life Membership in 1953 and, justifiably, it was Honorary. Later he was also the recipient of one of the Associations earliest Special Awards (Lifetime Achievement) for services rendered by a Life Member. Given his service, induction to the AFLUA Hall of Fame was as close to automatic as it was possible to be.

In 1958 George put away the whistle when a car in which he was a passenger was in an accident. He almost lost his life, but not his love for the game. George was appointed to the Footscray Football Club committee for five years and was also team manager of their Second Eighteen side.

Although George's official connection to the Association finished in 1959, he remained a loyal "Association Man" and maintained a keen interest in its affairs  right up until his passing. He was generous to a fault and regularly donated fine items of jewellery for the Association to raffle or auction as "revenue raisers". His contribution to the Association has been extraordinary, not only an a material way but also to its ideals, for George Hamid personified what it stands for; Integrity, Fairness, Respect and Trust.

George passed away on 21 July 2009

Acknowledgments:

Morland Leader. 23 August 2004.
Herald Sun 30 August, 2004.

Ted Saultry

Ted Saultry was a VFL field umpire in the years immediately after the Second World War an association he cherished and continued through his life.

Edmund Charles Saultry was born in Caulfield on 24 February 1926 and grew up in Albert Park and Port Melbourne. He played football for Port Melbourne Thirds in the Coburg District Football League.

After beginning umpiring with the Victorian Amateurs in 1944 he transferred to the Victorian Football Association for 1945 before applying for the VFL Senior List in 1946. He was accepted and began his career on 11 May at Ararat in the Wimmera League.

Country football was just getting back to its pre-war strength as various leagues re-started. Ted toured Victoria amassing 68 VCFL matches between 1946 and 1951. This included an eighteen-month leave of absence from June 1947 and all 1948.

Ted did not make the Second Eighteen competition but did officiate in five country finals. His last three matches were the Alberton League First-Semi, the Tyrrell League First-Semi and the Clunes League Grand Final. Ted retired at the end of the 1951 season.

In 1998 Ted became the 'Voice of Port Melbourne' when, at the behest of his brother and Port Melbourne President Peter, he took the role of ground announcer at TEAC Oval. Harking back to his umpiring days, he took special trouble to make sure umpires from each discipline were announced by name when they entered the ground at each Port Melbourne home match or VFL Grand Final at Princes Park.

Ted Saultry passed away on 24 August 2009.

Des Fitzgerald

Des Fitzgerald had a passion for running. It was a passion that propelled him to three VFL Grand Finals, numerous wins as a professional foot runner and made him the only member of both the AFL Umpires Association and Stawell Athletic Club Halls of Fame.

Desmond Nicholas Fitzgerald was born in Birregurra, near Colac, on 11 April 1931 and grew up in Strathmerton and Footscray. At 14 he left school to help support his family. He started an apprenticeship in upholstery, drove trams and worked on the wharves as a quarantine officer before joining the Department of Agriculture at fruit and vegetable markets, policing the various regulations.

At age 21 Des joined the then VFL Second Eighteens umpires as a boundary umpire and was promoted to the senior VFL list in 1955 as a result of his appointment to the 1954 VFL Second Eighteens Grand Final. 

Debuting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the Melbourne versus Geelong match in round two he gained Heritage Number 304 and began a 312 match career that spanned 19 seasons. An indication of the success to come was his appointment to the First-Semi Final in that first senior season.

Des umpired the second semi-final in 1956, the preliminary final in 1957 and in 1958 the first of three grand finals. Collingwood and Melbourne faced off in what was at times an explosive match with fights breaking out during the third quarter in particular.

Two years later the same teams confronted each other for the flag and Des was also back for the decider. Again it was wet but this time only ten goals were kicked – eight of them to the Demons.

In 1963 there were different teams, different conditions and a different score line for Des' last Grand Final. Hot October weather, a tremendously fast opening and an even faster seven-goal final quarter that saw Hawthorn run Geelong off their legs led Des to later claim that the match was the hardest and most fatiguing sporting event he ever experienced.

It was still another ten seasons before Des called it a day and the milestones and achievements continued to accumulate: The interstate match Victoria versus Western Australia in 1964; - the first final played on the wide expanses of VFL Park – a 43 goal game that indicated how much harder running the boundary had become primarily since the introduction of the out-of bounds on the full rule in 1969. In Des' first year the average number of goals per match was 20.5, in his last it was 27.2.

Waverley was also the venue for Fitzy's 300th match as a boundary. He was only the third boundary umpire to achieve the milestone and only two have achieved it since that day in 1973.

At his retirement at the close of the 1973 season Des' record was imposing: 300VFL matches, 15 finals, three Grand Finals.

Over the years following his retirement Des continued his boundary involvement on the VFL Reserve Grade Umpires Appointment Board and was VFL Reserve Grade Boundary Umpires Advisor.

Fitzy had become a Life Member in 1965 and his outstanding career was more recently recognised with a nomination for the AFLUA Team of the Century and induction to the AFLUA Hall of Fame. Many later generations of umpires got to know Des through his regular attendance at the VFL Grand Final Umpires Dinner.

While a boundary Des competed as a professional runner, winning many distance races. In 1966 he won the two-mile (3200m) Grampian Stakes at the Stawell Athletic Club's Easter meeting.

In the mid-1960s he began to coach runners, many of whom he ``discovered'' as a result of his role with the Reserve Grade umpires. Some of his tactics and initiatives were discussed among athletes for years. As a coach, he expected, and gave, dedication and loyalty, and his runners won many big races around Australia.

This involvement resulted in admission to the Stawell Athletic Club Hall of Fame.

Off the field the stories about Des were plentiful and legendary. His banning of massage for his athletes - until he became a masseuse himself – his renowned pool parties and often heated temper with his charges made him one of the characters of both his sporting endeavours.

From 2001 Des lived in Queensland where he passed away on 3 July 2009. Umpiring, athletics and the world at large were better for his life and poorer for his death.

Vale Fitzy.

Contribution from obituary published in Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)-July 28, 2009.  Ray Frost

Brian Marchant

Brian Marchant was long-serving country umpire who, like so many of his colleagues, toiled in the bush mostly for the love of football and the camaraderie of his mates.

Born in Narrandera on 18 August 1930 Brian Marchant grew up there until age six when the family moved to Kaniva. It was here that he excelled at football, winning a club best and fairest in 1948 for Kaniva Blacks and later playing in the 1953 and 1956 Kaniva teams which were premiers of the Tatiara Football League. They were also runners up in 1955.

After moving to Melbourne he was also successful at cricket, playing in the Reporter competition in various grades for many years.

The move to Melbourne also signalled his taking up of umpiring where he began with the VFL Reserve Grade in 1960. Invited to join the VFL Senior List in 1964 he began a fourteen season career as a member of the VFLUA

.While he was not appointed to a VFL Reserve Grade match during his career he did umpire a number of VCFL finals. The Preliminary Finals of the Ovens and King Football League in 1974 and the Mallee Football League in 1972 being the highlights.

Remarkably over the entire span of his 246 match total (13 finals) he never umpired either in his place of birth nor the Narrandera side and only once in eleven Tatiara Football League matches was he appointed to umpire the team in which he had played two premierships - Kaniva versus Tintinara - at virtually the end of his career.

Brian retired from umpiring at the end of the 1977 season. He had been awarded Life Membership in 1974.

Aged 78 Brian passed away on 14 May 2009.

Bob Dight

Bob Dight was a contributor to his community for all his life and from 1957 until 1981 much of that contribution was to umpiring with both the VFL and suburban leagues.

Born Robert Henry Dight on 15 July 1938 in St.Kilda, Bob grew up in Trentham, Footscray and Moorabbin. While in Moorabbin he played football for Bentleigh in the CYMS competition and later Glen Huntly in the VAFA. Success also came his way as an athlete where he held a junior 440 yard record.

Following his playing days Bob took up umpiring. Beginning with the VFL Second Eighteen competition in 1957 he was promoted to the VFL Senior list for season 1961.

Over the next six years he toiled in both the VCFL and metropolitan competitions served by the VFL. Two appointments that stand out are a solo VFL Reserve Grade match in 1962 and his only VCFL final - the 1964 Kowree-Narracoorte Football League Reserves First-Semi Final.

Retiring from the VFL at the end of 1966 Bob continued umpiring with the South East Suburban Football League until 1972. That year he was appointed Umpires Advisor for the league and continued in the role until 1980 when he moved onto the Umpires Appointment Board for two seasons. His contribution to the SESFL umpires also included a term as President of the umpires association and was rewarded with Life Membership.

In later years golf and lawn bowls took up much activity time but also community work. At the time of his passing Bob was Secretary of the Rotary Club of Yarrawonga/Mulwala having served Rotary for three years. He was recognised for his work on projects in the Solomon Islands (2006) & Tonga (2008). He was also involved with Rotary, St. Vincent de Paul, his local church, football and golf club activities.

One of Bob's protégées was Ian Bennett who recalled, "He was my first coach and always interested in my progress. I used to joke with him that I would continue to coach just so that I would beat any of his records. He was a good man."

Bob passed away on 29 April 2009 aged 71.

Jim Miller

Former VFLUA member Jim Miller passed away on 29 April 2009. His contribution to the Association as a Social, Cricket Club and Man-in-White Committee member was recognised with Honorary Life Membership in 1977, the year of his retirement after seven seasons on the VFL Senior list.

James Stanton Miller was born on 11 March 1943 in Camberwell and spent his youth in Hawthorn, Surrey Hills and Northcote. A keen footballer at school he also turned out for Hawthorn Football Club Under-17s in the Melbourne Boy's League playing in one premiership. Later he played senior football for Kew Amateurs in the VAFA and in a premiership side for Northcote Park in the Metropolitan Football League.

Beginning umpiring with the VFL Reserve Grade around 1967 he came onto the senior list in 1971. After a slow start - six games in his first season - Jim followed the usual path of country appointments with a view to making the city panel. Unfortunately no Reserve Grade matches were forthcoming and only a few VCFL finals. These included the Southern Mallee Reserves Grand Final in 1973 and the senior Second-Semi two years later.

After five matches in 1977 Jim retired from the VFLUA when he had to move to Bendigo as a result of changed employment. His career encompassed exactly 100 VCFL matches as well as eleven mid-week competition games.

From 1974 to 1976 Jim was a member of the Social Committee under Daryl Williams. Additionally, he served as Treasurer for the VFLUA Cricket Club from 1974-1977 and in the 1975 Annual Report was listed as Ground Manager. A term on the Man-in-White Committee completed service that led to Honorary Life Membership being granted to Jim immediately following his retirement.As well as cricket Jim also participated in numerous VFLUA Golf Club events an was runner-up in the February 1972 Beacon Hill event.

The move to Bendigo bought a move in umpiring and Jim was an intermittent field and goal umpire with Bendigo Umpires for a further seventeen years. For part of that time he was Goal Umpires Advisor adding further contributions to umpiring over a twenty eight year period.Bendigo organizations also benefited from Jim's presence when he became involved with the Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association as a member and judge, the Eaglehawk Cricket Club as President and Committeeman, the Marong Unit of the Victorian State Emergency Service and the Bendigo Woodturners. This latter group formed a guard of honour at Jim's funeral.

Jim was 66 years old when he passed away in Bendigo at the Golden Oaks Nursing Home.

Syd McGain

Syd McGain was a member of the VFL Umpires Association between 1947 and 1949, was one of its last members to have played VFL senior football but was probably known more for his success and longevity as a professional foot-runner.

Born Sydney John McGain on 5 February 1917 his first senior football recollection was playing on a wing for Mathoura against Deniliquin in the 1936 Echuca Football League Grand Final, “Doug Nicholls was in our team and I was lucky enough to get best on the ground.”

He had moved to NSW to work as a horse-breaker but on returning to Melbourne played a season with Pascoe Vale before being put on Essendon’s supplementary list. To his surprise he was picked on the wing in the seniors in the same team as Bomber champion small-men Dick Reynolds and Keith Forbes. Kicking a goal and being among the best players Syd recalled, “When I fronted up for my pay the official gave me 30 bob. I said, "What's the matter, I played in the firsts and I want my three quid?" He said, "Take it or leave it", and I said, "You can stick your club and your 30 bob up your arse," and I didn't bother going to training and went to Fitzroy.”

After twelve senior games at Fitzroy he transferred to North Melbourne during the 1943 season.

“I enjoyed my time at Fitzroy and would never have left only I was in the army stationed at Maribyrnong, no car and North’s captain, 'Dally’ O'Brien' said they would send a car to take me to training - which they did. I missed out on Fitzroy's premiership by going there. Such is life.”

His league career finished in 1945 after a total of twenty-five matches and the lone goal from his first game.

McGain had became involved initially with professional running and, shortly after the war, umpiring.

As an umpire Syd joined the VFL Senior list in 1947 after being on the Second Eighteen List the previous year. That first year was very successful including two finals in the Euroa Football League. The following year was even better with four finals including the Alberton Football League – Woodside versus Devon at Yarram.

While with the umpires he put his playing skills to good use as captain of the VFLUA’s team in the annual clash against the VFAUA.

Like most country umpires he had his favourite stories.

“An interesting thing happened in a match in Bairnsdale. The ball went out of bounds. Wally Stubbs was the boundary umpire but out of the corner of my eye I saw a fella throw a bottle. They were glass in those days. It hit me in the neck. I raced over and grabbed the thrower by the head and threw him over the fence. I can still hear the ruckman saying, "Good on you ump."

Injury and work commitments bought a promising career to an end during 1949 but did little to hold back his running which, remarkably, continued until last race at age 57 when he won a heat of the Seymour Gift over 130 yards. During his time running he won 37 finals over various distances capped by the 1947 Maryborough Gift. He competed at Stawell every year from 1938 to 1975 but, unfortunately, never won a title. He had his first start in the 1938 Stawell Gift and it wasn't until he was 29 that Syd won a heat. It was the first heat in the 1948 Gift off 7¾ yds in 12 6/16 seconds. He was beaten in the semi final by Bill Ross who went on to run fourth in the final.

In addition to umpiring and running Syd started the Strathmore Football Club which became a power in the Essendon District Football League. In his honour the Essendon Council renamed Lebanon Park 'The Syd McGain Oval' in 1997. He also formed what was called the Strathmore Midgets, a club for youngsters aged seven through eleven deemed too small to play. They played on small grounds and a number became Essendon stalwarts including Geoff Gosper and Daryl Gerlach.

Syd passed away on 23 November aged 91.

Ian Cleland

Ian Cleland took up umpiring while in the army and only three and a half years later was making his debut as a senior VFL field umpire. Four years further on his services were dispensed with by the league but he went on to an extensive career in the sporting media and on the bowling green.

Born on 6 October 1919 in Inverleigh, Ian George Cleland grew up there and in Kooweerup before moving to Melbourne. He played football with Preston Seconds in 1938 and 1939 before moving to Fitzroy where he played in the seconds but was hampered by injury.

Joining the army in 1940 he began umpiring football in 1943. Immediately upon his discharge in 1944 he applied for a position with the VFL and was placed on the senior list.

In 1945 the senior list was umpiring only VFL, VFL Second Eighteen, Federal and Yarra Valley competitions during the home and away season and Cleland had the opportunity of four Second Eighteen matches in August. The following year nine more led to his first senior VFL appointment. Ian earned Heritage number 199 when he umpired North Melbourne versus South Melbourne at Arden Street in round eighteen. The following week he was in charge when Footscray visited Kardinia Park and completed the season with finals at Watchem and Warburton and a representative match between North Central and Ouyen football leagues.

1947 provided an unusual experience for Cleland when he had to stop play while Essendon and St.Kilda players chased a dog that had invaded the ground. The game continued once the dog had been caught. Only two VFL matches in the next two seasons and plenty of time in the country was a prelude to a tumultuous final season.

Although he umpired every round in 1950 it was the 15 July North Melbourne v. Carlton fixture that led to the end of his career. While leaving the ground at the end of the match Cleland had reported Carlton Secretary Harry Bell for assault and threatening language. Bell was a senior public servant at the time and there were serious implications for him if the civil assault charges went ahead. Mysteriously, the charges were dropped and Bell was given a slap on the wrist by the VFL.

Cleland was not invited by the VFL to umpire in 1951, to all intents and purposes his services were terminated. When he asked why he was not reappointed, he was charged with gambling during the Second Eighteens finals series the season before.

Cleland went public, accusing the VFL off drumming up a charge to justify terminating his services.  He referred back to the Harry Bell affair and said that the VFL had influenced him to tone down the charges.  “You scratch our back, we will scratch yours”  he claimed was put to him by Like McBrien, then Secretary of the VFL.

Both Cleland and the VFL had a lot to say in the media about the Bell affair and the gambling allegations, but it quickly died down and Cleland was finished as an umpire after 33 VFL matches. In addition during 1949 and 1950 Cleland had served on the Executive Committee of the VFL Umpires’ Association
Clelo’s contribution to umpiring did not stop in 1950. From 1951-55 he was Umpires Advisor at the Eastern Suburban FL and VAFA Umpires Advisor between 1957-61.

Also following umpiring Cleland had an extensive career in the sporting media for which he was inducted into the MCG Media Hall of Fame in 2003. Even here sensation followed. In 1962 Cleland turned up to ferry new Brownlow medalist Alistair Lord down to Eastern Beach to meet a camera crew, and almost lost him, in a very near thing, in a level-crossing rail smash on the way.

Cleland’s long and outstanding service to Ivanhoe Bowling Club and lawn bowls generally was recognized by the naming of a club green in his honour.

Ian Cleland passed away on 18 March 2009 aged 89

Ken Jackson

The highpoint of Ken Jackson's umpiring career came in May 1958. For three weeks he was a VFL Senior umpire and compiled three-quarters of his eventual senior total. Four matches in a total of 182 on the Senior List but they were as high as it was possible to go and highlighted a nine year career.

Born Kenneth Martin Jackson on 21 April 1923 Ken was known throughout his umpiring life as 'Action'. He joined the VFL Second Eighteen umpires in 1951 and was promoted to the Senior List in 1953. Promisingly he was appointed to three Second Eighteen matches and a country a final in his first season, an indicator of promise and of good things to come.  Injury affected his 1954 season and it took until 1956 before he was back in the Seconds again but by 1957 he was a regular and was also appointed to his first senior VCFL Grand Final - the Omeo and District.

On 17 May 1958 Ken took control of his first VFL senior match, North Melbourne versus Essendon, earning Heritage Number 229

It was a terribly windy day and both sides struggled to score against the wind. the Kangaroos held on to win in a tight last quarter against the breeze. Writing in The Sun-News-Pictorial Rex Pullen noted "Umpire Ken Jackson in his first game gave a fairly competent display. He always had control and gave the man with the ball every chance. He did not deserve to be slow-hand clapped, hooted and counted-out by supporters of both teams."

A trip to Geelong the following week for their game against St.Kilda caused upset for the Saints who complained about the 45-21 free-kick count against them and a 15 yard penalty  against skipper Neil Roberts that 'was a good 30 yards!'. The Age noted he would not tolerate St.Kilda's 'spoiling or mauling tactics'. The following week he had control of Carlton and Hawthorn and it was a year after that match that he had his fourth.

Bought in to replace Bill Barbour who was umpiring the inter-state match in Adelaide Ken had the North-Footscray clash in round 9. It was a tight match The Sun reporting, "...frustration bred spite. Punches were thrown, back-handers were dispensed liberally behind the play and every pack became a scragging spree." Barbour returned the following week but it was Ken's final VFL senior match.

In his final seasons Ken umpired numerous Grand Finals. In September 1959 he officiated in three in four weeks - Alberton, Canberra and Mildura -separated by the La Trobe Valley Preliminary Final. The following year he went one better doing four Grand Fianls in five weeks - South Gippsland, North Central, Western District and Edward River -separated by the South West District Preliminary Final. Even his last year showed three more.

Following retirement in 1961 Ken moved on to the East Suburban Churches Football League umpires before giving away the whistle altogether. His time at the VFL totaled four senior, 27 Second Eighteen and 151 VCFL matches.

As well as umpiring Ken had previous involvement in football through two years with St.Kilda Seconds and six seasons with Kew in the VAFA. The latter garnered the 1950 C Grade premiership.

After 45 years away from the Association Ken took the opportunity to become an Associate Member in 2007 thus completing ten years service and making him eligible for Life Membership which was conferred after a successful vote.

'Action' Jackson passed away on 2 January 2009.

Peter McLinden

Peter McLinden passed away on 5 January 2009. His contribution to football encompassed roles as player, umpire, coach and administrator over four decades.

Peter John McLinden was born in Inglewood on 10 October 1927. He played football with Minimay Football Club in the Goroke and District Football League winning a premiership in 1950. Following his playing days Peter began umpiring with the Wangaratta and District Umpires Association in 1952. Moving to Melbourne in 1955 he joined Essendon District umpires and the following year umpired in the VFL Second Eighteens Umpires Association. It was a good time to perform well as the VFL Senior List took thirty-two new field umpires in 1957 and Peter was one of them.

Over the next ten seasons Peter umpired 171 VCFL Senior matches including six senior finals. His solitary Grand Final was the 1964 Tyrrell League Reserves between Manangatang and Sea Lake at Sea Lake.

Retiring at the end of 1966 Peter received his VFLUA Life Membership for ten-years service at the 1967 AGM. One of the true characters of his era Peter was known as 'The Bard' for his efforts as a raconteur generally and his poetry in particular. His Life Membership acceptance speech was presented in verse and had the entire AGM in fits of laughter. The same was true of passengers on the train to Perth for the VFLUA trip in 1969  when the following members performed a play written by Peter.
 
Judge: Peter McLinden; Prosecutor: Peter Matheson;  Girl: Frank Gagliardi; Man: Ron Warwick; Queer: Jeff Crouch.

Ray Sleeth remembers, "The rendition of the poem ‘Mulga Bill’ was always a crowd pleaser over a beer or two. He loved a bet on the horses and was successful too. And his cheeky smile along with the question, "Do you think we should have a cold one?"

'The Bards' commitment to football continued as an umpire at  Doncaster and District Junior Football League, Juniors Coach at Vermont Football Club, Under 19s coach for Beverly Hills Football Club in the VAFA and President of Vermont in 1981-82.

Well respected by his contemporaries Peter will be remembered as a solid umpire, good friend and football contributor.
 

Max Lingwood-Smith

Max Lingwood Smith was born in Adelaide on 7 December 1926 and grew up there until he moved to Melbourne as a teenager.

After playing with Brighton Tech Old Boys he was recruited to Sandringham Football Club in 1946 where he played five games in the reserves booting eight goals. The Sandringham Player Encyclopedia notes his father, Hec, was secretary of the club at the time. Also a keen cricketer Max was a successful bowler for East Brighton Cricket Club over a twelve year career that realised one premiership and a hat-trick. Throughout his life Max would turn his hand to many other sports with varying degrees of success.

Max joined the VFL Goal Umpires Senior List in 1961 and made his debut in round at Brunswick Street where Melbourne beat Fitzroy. He became the 142nd goal umpire in VFL history. One of the more interesting occurrences of the year was on August 12 when Richmond was held goalless by St.Kilda. Max and partner Jim Barwick had a very quiet couple of quarters each with the Tigers amassing a miserly eight points.

At the other end of the decade scoring rates began to increase dramatically as a golden era of full-forwards blossomed. Doug Wade, Peter McKenna and Peter Hudson kept goal umpires busy. Max was well involved. It is not known whether he or Alf White signaled Hudson's 100th goal in 1968 which broke a 16 year century goal-kicker drought but he and Jim Mahoney were appointed to the much hyped Wade -Hudson shootout of 23 August 1969 - Both players already had 100 for the season and Wade took the honours eight goals to six on the day.

Max figured in post-season action mainly in the night competition where he umpired a semi-final in 1964 and the Grand Final in 1962. His lone VFL final was the Second Semi in 1968. A see-sawing encounter in the first half saw Carlton pull away in the second. A tall, well-built man Max later joked he did not get more VFL finals because of his stature which made him stand out amongst his contemporaries. Like most city goal umpires he particularly enjoyed his trips to the country for VCFL finals and he officiated in six Grand Finals during his career. When he retired in 1970 Max had umpired a total of 137 matches. His VFLUA Life Membership was presented that same year.

Following umpiring Max was still heavily involved in football as Secretary of both the Federal and South East Suburban Football Leagues. His VFL connection was maintained when he became Secretary of the South Melbourne Football Club in 1975. Co-incidentally his father had held the same office from 1946-48.

Max passed away on 15 December 2008 after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.

Mal Henderson

Mal Henderson began his senior VFL career as a boundary umpire when he was elevated from the Second Eighteen competition as a one-week replacement for round three 1947. It earned him Heritage Number 285 and, while his second match was not until the following season, by the end of his career there was nothing he had not achieved in the VFL arena.

Born 16 November 1928 Malcolm Rennie Henderson grew up in East Coburg and Camberwell. He joined the VFL Second Eighteen umpires in 1946. Following his single-game debut in 1947 he returned to the seconds until the mid-season 1948. The retirement of Archie Campbell created an opportunity on the Senior Boundary List and Mal was promoted to fill it.

Beginning in 1951 Mal had a four-year run of finals series appearances that culminated in the 1954 Grand Final. The 1952 Second Semi was probably the most exciting match of his finals. A heavily favoured Carlton kicked poorly early on but nevertheless drew level with Fitzroy with only a minute remaining. In the dying seconds Mal blew the ball out deep in the Fitzroy forward line and from his ensuing throw-in Alan Rutheven broke away to snap the match-winning behind.

The Grand Final year of 1954 was followed by a year in which Mal's umpiring experience was more varied than usual. The Umpires Appointment Board selected a number of senior boundary umpires to officiate as field umpires in the VCFL. Mal went to the Yarra Valley Football League in April and the Mornington Peninsula League in July. He did not do a VFL final that year but did go to the Alberton League to boundary umpire the Grand Final at Yarram. His only interstate match came that year when Victoria defeated Western Australia. The following season he was back on track with his last final – the Preliminary – and the 1956 Night Grand Final.

In his final season Mal officiated in the ANFC Centenary of Football Carnival and was also awarded Life Membership of the VFLUA. Over his career Henderson umpired 160 VFL matches including five finals.

Mal passed away on 2 November 2008.

Don Jolley

While he will always be remembered for his part in the 1970 VFL Grand Final, Donald Graham Jolley's life will be celebrated for his involvement in football, umpiring and community.

In the 1960's, when the one field umpire system made any new addition to the weekly VFL Senior Panel newsworthy, Don's elevation made back page news in the Sun News Pictorial. Ray Sleeth was promoted that same week but it was Don's photo that graced the story.

Born on 22 July 1934, Don grew up in Coburg and Brunswick and played football for Lincoln Stars U17s, North Brunswick YCW, Coburg YCW (of which he became a Life Member) and Carlton in the Sunday Football League.

His rise to umpiring senior football began when he joined the VFL Reserve Grade for the 1959 season after a work colleague recommended it as a great way to meet people. He was promoted to the Senior List in 1962 and until early 1966 umpired the usual apprenticeship in the country.  In 1994 he recalled many of the country towns consisted of "a wheat silo, a footy ground, a pub and that's it - it really taught you to stick up for yourself." At the beginning of 1966 he was promoted to the VFL Reserve Grade for round three and only three weeks later moved into the 'big six'. His first VFL senior match was St.Kilda versus Fitzroy at Moorabbin and earned him Heritage Number 247. That week he and Ray Sleeth replaced Peter Sheales and Jim Brewer and joined Don Blew, Stan Fisher, Barry Gaudion and Jeff Crouch.

That first season realised eight senior matches (including a first round night series match), nine Reserve Grade matches and two country Grand Finals.

From that point his experience grew and bigger, better appointments came his way. The night series Semi-Final and Grand Final in 1968 and VFL Preliminary Final and Reserve Grade Grand Final in 1969 set up the land mark season of 1970. 1969 also saw the game Don recalls as his favourite. The home and away clash between Carlton and Richmond in round 19 was vital in the race for the finals.

"The game went to and fro all day. It was just goal for goal; an amazing game of footy. It was also a very hard game to umpire - Richmond needed to win to make the finals and you had to be on the ball from go to whoa."

Jolley's big year was 1970. He was again appointed to the VFL Preliminary Final and on Grand Final day walked with Jeff Crouch to front the Umpires Appointment Board to see who would officiate and who would be emergency umpire. Don got the nod and his part in the Grand Final of the Century was sealed forever. Jolley always said that after a dose of early tension the match was relatively easy to umpire. And he was always grateful to Jeff Crouch for the support he showed on that day.

Despite a successful 1971 he felt football was getting too fast for him and decided to retire having completed 90 VFL matches. His final three matches were all finals: the La Trobe Valley and Hampden Grand Finals and a VFL night series semi-final.

If his on-field career in umpiring had ended then his contribution in other areas was about to begin. He became Umpires Advisor for the VFL Reserve Grade 1972-75 and he was the first administrator for the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Sports Association from 1972-77. For the work in this latter role he was awarded Life Membership of the Association.

Disaster struck on 31 October 1978 when Don was seriously injured in a car accident. Immediate operations to correct a damaged aorta and multiple stitches to forehead lacerations were compounded when it was discovered that damage to his spine meant Don would be a paraplegic.

Undaunted by this he realised it was just another challenge to overcome and in the ensuing years he became a passionate advocate in all manner of disability issues. As a lawn bowler for the Carlton, Ringwood and Heathmont Bowling Clubs he became the first to receive approval to play in a wheelchair and tasted premiership success with Ringwood in 1991. For his services to disabled sport Don received the Order of Australia in 1988. He was particularly involved at the Austin Hospital as both a fundraiser and counsellor.

Nor was Don lost to umpiring. It was through his work that the VFL Grand Final Umpires Club came into existence and he was Umpires Advisor at the South-East Suburban Football League for two seasons in 1984-85. This followed two years as Umpires Advisor for the Southern Umpires Association on the Mornington Peninsula.

Prior to 1970, the VFL did little to recognize its Grand Final umpires. Other than receiving a match appointment form, and the match payment, umpires received no form of recognition from the VFL for their achievement. In 1971, Don established the Grand Final Field Umpires Club. He designed a logo and produced a tie featuring it. He made contact with all of the living Grand Final field umpires and arranged a dinner for them on Preliminary Final Eve, which then became an annual event.
 
Initially they paid their own way, including the cost of the tie, but eventually some effective lobbying by Don resulted in the VFL picking up the cost of the dinner each year. Today the AFL hosts an AFL Grand Final Umpires Function each year during the Finals Series. Don's original idea of a tie presentation is still the way induction into the club is marked.

More recently Don became an Associate Member of the AFLUA and as such qualified for Life membership which was duly presented in 2005.

Don passed away on 5 December 2008 aged 64. No better words to sum up the life he lived are those of his friend an colleague the late Jeff Crouch who wrote in 1978, "His fighting spirit is incredible. Jol' was a top umpire largely because he had the respect of the players and the administrators. He treated umpiring seriously but was never short of the right phrase to break up scenes that could have become ugly. He certainly has a stack of friends from all walks of life."

Vale Don Jolley. A great umpire and much, much more.

Kevin Doolan

He came to the VFL Senior List with the nickname 'Spider', one apparently bestowed upon him by his team mates from Mansfield Football Club, and for eleven seasons umpired country football for the VFL.

Kevin Joseph Doolan was born on 4 April 1929 and began umpiring in 1956. He joined the VFL Senior list from the VFL Second Eighteens in 1958.

His career began in the Bass Valley where his first match was Inverloch-Kongwak hosting Glen Alvie. The competition for finals on a list as large as the VFL in those days was intense and it was 1962 before Spider handled his first - the Omeo and District Second Semi at Swifts Creek.

Later finals appearances culminated with a series of Grand Finals towards the end of his career. These included his most memorable match; the 1967 drawn Grand Final between Mangoplah-Cookardinia United and Collingulie in the Farrar League. As he remembered later, "A most unusual event between two great sounding teams." The previous week he had umpired the Upper Murray Football League Grand final and before that the Southern Mallee Second-Semi making it his most successful season. That year he was also a member of the Social Committee.

One of the Association's great characters Spider was a regular player with the VFLUA footy side and starred in several matches against the Pentridge Gaol All Stars.  A fearsome sight coming off the half-back line, he was voted BOG on several occasions.

Kevin was awarded Life Membership in 1968 and retired at the end of that season.

In later life he moved to Queensland where recently he was a regular attendee at the Queensland Annual Dinner.

Kevin, aged 79, passed away on 8 November 2008.




Albert Borlase

Made a Life member of the VFL Umpires Association in 1955, Albert Borlase was one of the first to be so admitted under the new condition of ten years service and at the time of his recent passing was third most senior of the Association's Life Members.

Albert John Borlase was born on 17 April 1926 in Seddon and grew up in Brunswick and Kensington. A keen sportsman he played football for North Melbourne Under Eighteens and Kensington YCW in addition to cricket in the summer months.

During 1945 the Second World War was still going on and limited competitions in the metropolitan region meant Albert's first year onthe VFL Senior List consisted of eight matches in the Federal Football League.

With the end of the war and the return of VFL umpires to country competitions the variety of appointments grew and so did Albert'sexperience. His first final was in 1947 in the Wimmera League and the Grand Finals he umpired also came in these early years from Culcairn to Warrnambool to Launceston.

For five consecutive weeks in 1950 Albert umpired in the VFLSecond Eighteen competition but despite regular big country league appointments he did not make it back to the city.

Albert had begun his working life as a bricklaying apprentice but his father, who worked for the Melbourne City Council, wanted him to work there as well. It didn't matter what as, he wanted Albert to work there. Albert eventually did go to the council and worked in a variety of roles including Parking Officer. His work commitments with the Council on Saturday mornings were the reason he requested, and was granted, a leave of absence during the 1954 season.

He advanced to the position of Supervisor of the Fish Market in Footscray Road andretired in 1989 after 39 years service but never returned to the VFL. His total of matches remained at 170 country and metropolitan matches over ten seasons.

Some years later he did take up a position on the Sunday Football League Umpires Appointment Board.

Albert Borlase passed away on 3 July 2008.

Geoff Polites

In all the tributes and obituaries that appeared on the passing of Geoff Polites it is remarkable that only one even alluded to or mentioned in passing his career at the highest level Australian football - including the Sydney Swans of which he was a Life Member. It was a career that included umpiring thirty-nine VFL senior matches between 1976 and 1979.

Geoffrey Paul Polities was born in Melbourne on 5 November 1947 and was brought up in Cheltenham where he played junior football and cricket in the bayside area before deciding to take up umpiring. He joined the VFL Reserve Grade umpires in 1967 and in 1970 was promoted to the senior list. He had had an early taste in July 1968 when appointed to a Mornington Peninsula FL to fill a spot during a shortage.

His first year on the list was interrupted after only four matches when he joined Ford Australia as a Product Planner and completed training in both the United States and Europe. A full season in 1971 was followed by another year off in 1972 but from 1973 onwards he was a constant in both country and city matches.A first country final in the North Central FL began a climb through the major country leagues until his VFL Reserve Grade debut in May 1974 at VFL Park.

For much of that year (ten matches) he stayed in the Reserve Grade and finished with finals in the Murray and Goulburn Valley Football Leagues and the Mid-Murray Grand Final.

A consolidation year in 1975 was followed by a sensational 1976. The introduction of the two-umpire system bought big opportunities and Polites grabbed his. He earned Heritage Number 276 when he debuted at Victoria Park in August. His partner was Harvey Lyons and they teamed up the following week at VFL Park. Twenty matches in 1977 and another ten the next year were highlighted by a night series quarter-final between Richmond and Carlton. During the second half of 1978 he was dropped to the Reserves and was unable to break back into senior football before seasons end.

After beginning the 1979 season with six consecutive senior matches Polites burgeoning career with Ford meant a move toSydney and he had to retire with thirty nine VFL, 36 Reserve Grade and 81country matches to his credit

Later he found his way back to football. Following subsequent Ford positions as Southern Region Country Sales Manager, Merchandising Manager and Eastern Regional Manager, he returned to Melbourne in 1985 as General Sales Manager, Ford Australia and held this position until July 1988 when he resigned from Ford to become Dealer Principal of the City Ford Dealership in central Sydney.

Swans coach Colin Kinnear arrived in 1988 and on a friend's recommendation went to see Polites.

"I said would you like to be involved in some way?" Kinnear said. "Andhe asked in what capacity? I said I am looking for a match-day team manager and a runner and as soon as I said runner he said: 'Oh, I would love to do that.'

"There he was running the biggest car dealership in Australia and he became my runner and he went on to be the No. 1 bloke at Ford and have a long career at the Swans." At various times Polites was also interchange official, selector and assistant coach at the Swans, passing on his knowledge in the coach's box on match days to both Rodney Eade and Paul Roos.

Polites was sitting in the coaches' box on grand final day 2005.

At the time of his passing, aged 60, Polites was CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover, a position he had held since 2005 and which followed his Chairmanship of Ford world-wide. He had been battling cancer for sometime and finally succumbed on 20 April 2008 while on a visit to Melbourne from his home in the UK.

Geoff was recognized by his umpiring peers as being totally professional. He approached his umpiring as he did his business career. What may he have achieved in his umpiring career had he not chosen to pursue the course he did? If his success in the corporate world is any guide, he would have made the top in umpiring.

Major obituaries:

TheAge - Obituary: Geoff Polites, ex-Ford boss by Joshua Dowling.

TheAge (realFooty)- The drive to succeed, the life of Geoff Polites by Michael Gleeson

New York Times - Geoffrey Polites, Australian Ford Official, Is Dead at 60

Len Gray

Len Gray came to umpiring eighteen months after his service as a sapper in the 21 Field Company RAE and was a member of the VFL Umpires Association from 1950-1960. Umpiring 193 matches in country and metropolitan regions he became a VFLUA Life member in the year he retired.

Born in Melbourne on 4 November 1920, Leonard Fyfe Gray grew up in Ascot Vale. From early on he was involved in football, cricket and basketball. He was most successful at cricket where he took hatricks and won averages for both bowling and batting in the Mercantile Cricket Association. He played football in Essendon District Football League Juniors and won an under-18 basketball premiership.

Len joined the VFL Second Eighteen umpires in 1948 and was promoted to the VFL Senior List in 1950. His first match was at Edenhope and he umpired seventeen matches that year. The following year he umpired two VCFL finals - at Casterton and Corowa. He would umpire finals each season for all but one of his years on the senior list. While he did not umpire at VFL Second Eighteen level he was appointed to two VCFL Reserves Grand Finals; 1954 Alberton Football League at Yarram and 1956 Tyrrell Football League at Sea Lake.

After retiring from the field Len returned to the Second Eighteens as a goal umpire for a number of years. It is during this time that he was involved in one of the more amusing on field incidents seen at the M.C.G.

As his brother Jack tells it, "During a Second Eighteen Final curtain-raiser final, Len was in the goals and Stan Fisher was the field umpire. A blue broke out near the centre of the ground and, as you did in those days, Len charged out to assist in regaining control. Unfortunately as he approached the stoush Fisher decided to bounce the ball and get play going. Of course, the ball and the play headed towards the goals that Len had just vacated. He was not a large man and the sight of his little legs pumping as he raced the ball was a sight to see. He arrived just in time to turn and signal the goal."

After his goal umpiring days Len travelled overseas and throughout Australia. In the 1970s he went on a light plane trip across central Australia and two years ago he and his son Ian went on the Ghan from Darwin to Alice Springs.

Remaining a very keen sportsman all his life, after many years as a reasonable golfer Len took up bowls, won many trophies and was a character on the greens. His mates at Chelsea Bowls Club will always remember how he could never be rushed - especially finishing that last bowl - or beer. He umpired like that too. The game moved at his pace, not that of towering ruckmen who tried to niggle him.

Len passed away on 27 February 2008. Well liked by everyone who knew him and throughout his life he was always meeting someone from umpiring days. In 2007 Len stayed for a few months in Brisbane where he joined sons Ian and Neil at several Lions games. It is a fine testimony that they recall that they never heard him abuse an umpire in his life.

HRV ''Steve'' Stevens

There are few more enduring - and amusing -images from Grand Final history than the goal umpire pole axed in the 1966 St.Kilda v. Collingwood Grand Final. Steve Stevens was umpiring his final VFL match when he staggered into the goal square and back past the goal line before recovering his senses and signaling a goal to the Saints. Stevens' recent passing was a loss not only to umpiring but, as a result of his extensive work in local government, to the community.

Born on 13 August 1915 at Hay, NSW Harold Roy Vincent 'Steve' Stevens had turned fifty in1965 and under VFL regulations was to be automatically retired. Having umpired 106 VFL matches since his debut in 1960 Steve wanted to go out with a bang and when a player ran through him he could not let the opportunity go by.

Steve had served in the Royal Australian Navy and it was here that he was first turned onto umpiring.

"I used to play rugby and Australian football for the Navy. Sometimes, just for a change, I'd umpire inter-ship and inter-service games. In this way I can honestly say I have officiated in games all over the world.

"As soon as we sailed into a port where there were Aussies, a challenge would be issued for a game of football.One day in 1946 a young rating told me he was a League Seconds umpire. He gaveme a rule book and suggested I might make a career with the whistle." Thatyoung sailor was future VFL Grand Final umpire, Harry Beitzel.

Football, rugby and umpiring were not the sports Steve first excelled in. That honour goes to wrestling. Between 1937 and1943, whilst in the Navy, he had an impressive record of 14 wins, 6 draws and 3losses. Such was his prowess that he earned the nickname 'Rough-house'.

An extract from a Cairns newspaper late in his career gives a good indication of the type of action he faced inthe ring and his sporting versatility.

Steve Stevens, the Australian Navy athlete has filled many roles this season, from star defender at rugby to goal-kickerat Australian Rules and he has made a success of them all. Add to the list villain in a wrestling match for he played that part against Namey, American grappler, in an all-in encounter...the crowd was with him as he vigourously forearm-jolted his protesting opponent across the mat...sitting on the ropes, jostling the referee and jumping from the ring to avoid danger were some of Steven's third round antics, but it was in the last round that he wrestled best to gain the Indian death lock position and equal the match with one fall apiece...even if they didn't swallow it all, the crowd loved it, especially the climax when Stevens chopped Namey's wrist when the latter was about to shake hands...an American sailor jumped intothe ring to remonstrate, and in a second the hempen square was filled for 'theAussies and the Yanks were there'...the diversion was in the best tradition of West Melbourne...

In 1946, prior to leaving the Navy, Steve took Harry's advice and approached the League to become an umpire. Unusually, he by-passed the Reserves and was immediately placed on the Senior List but a transfer soon after saw him spend the remaining season in Sydney where he handled games for the Sydney league and was good enough to be appointed to the Grand Final.

The following year he returned to Melbourne and the VFL Senior List where he spent nine seasons as a field umpire covering all areas of Victoria and southern New South Wales. While on thelist during this period he served on the VFLUA Executive Committee as Social Secretary in 1954 and was manager of several end of season trips.

On the field he was appointed to 118 VCFL matches eight of which were Grand Finals. He was a favourite in the Central Wimmera Football League where he umpired the premiership match in four consecutive seasons, 1950-1953. The 1951 Hampden Football League Grand Final was perhaps his most prestigious match but he did umpire two VFL Second Eighteen matches in 1950 and one in 1953. He retired from the field in 1954 but two years later rejoined the VFL Second Eighteens as a goal umpire.

His success in the goals was swift. In 1958 he umpired the Reserve Grade Grand Final but Bill Caddy was chosen to fill the single vacancy on the Goal Umpires Senior List. He repeated the effort the following year and this time both he and Grand Final partner Tom Rossiter were promoted.

North Melbourne versus Footscray at Arden Street was Steve's first VFL match in round 2, 1960 and over the next three seasons he compiled a total of 46 matches before his first VFL final - the 1962 First Semi. It was a cracking game with Melbourne leading Carlton for three quarters before the Blues fought back in a stunning final term scoring 2.5 to 0.2 to take victory by two points.

The following year Steve was appointed to his first VFL Grand Final and the next year he umpired his second in a row, this time with fellow 1960 debutant, Tom Rossiter.

While 1963 was a one-sided victory for the Cats, 1964 was a sensational match. It was tight all day and only won in the dying moments with a goal to Melbourne back-pocket Neil Crompton.

1966 would always be Steve's last year with the VFL and he made the most of it. Elected mayor of the City of Moorabbin that year he was also involved in the Grand Final that finally broke St.Kilda's premiership drought. These appointments led to his 2005 induction as an AFLUA Grand Final Legend.

Immediately after his league retirement Stevens took on the role of Umpires' Advisor at the South East Suburban Football League. At that time an Umpires' Association was non-existent and the relationship between the umpires and the league was poor. However, Steve declared that "there will be an Association and you leave the league andthe board to me......you will get co-operation and your Association will prosper.....now go and get it fixed up!" This was the beginning of theSouth East Suburban Football League Umpires Association its first President wasBob Dight who had also just retired as a VFL field umpire. Steve was Umpires Advisor for the 1967-68 seasons.

It was not his first role in sports administration. He had also been Umpires Advisor for the Melbourne Boys League before turning to the goals. Then the year when he joined the Seconds he took on the dual role of Secretary and Umpires' Advisor of the Sunday Suburban Leagueand later was secretary of the Camberwell Football Club. All this in addition to his service to the City of Moorabbin where he was twice elected mayor. For his work in the community hewas awarded an Order of Australia.

Always a keen golfer and a long standing member of Commonwealth Golf Club Steve had several hole-in-ones to his credit.

Married firstly to Bette McIvor they had two sons, Kenneth and Brent, then to Mary Dumas of California following Bette's passing, Steve travelled regularly between the United States and Australia for two decades. Steve returned to Melbourne permanently after Mary's death.

Steve Stevens passed away on 25 February 2008 after a short illness, an icon of umpiring.

You can see Steve's work in the 1966 Grand Final by clicking here. Steve is at the City end in the first half.

Jim Rowe

Umpiring has lost one of its most genial colleagues with the passing of Jim Rowe. Jim lost his battle with cancer on 11 January 2008.

Born James Charles Rowe on 6 July 1935 he grew up in Footscray and Maidstone with an enthusiasm for sport that saw him involved in both cricket and football at various levels.Jim played football with Footscray Under-17s and Brunswick Amateur Football Club in the VAFA. He was perhaps more successful at cricket. As a batsmen he won the averages at Footscray and Yarraville Social and Surrey Hills Cricket Clubs, and as a team member won premierships with Newport Cricket Club in the Victorian Junior Cricket Association. He was also a quality medium pace bowler.

In 1957 Jim began umpiring when he joined the VFL Reserve Grade as a field umpire. After four seasons he was promoted to the VFL Senior list where he would stay for seventeen years umpiring in every competition to which the VFL provided umpires. His most successful period came between 1969 and 1973 when he umpired multiple VCFL finals each year. It included his only Grand Final, the 1970 Kyabram and District between Nagambie and Undera at Murchison. In front of a record crowd Nagambie completed an undefeated season despite Undera sticking just within striking distance but never able to take the lead.

While the Grand Final was momentous Jim claimed his most memorable was Maryborough v. East Ballarat in July 1972. The match ended in the only draw of the season but controversy erupted when Maryborough claimed a behind scored in the second quarter was never registered.As field umpire Jim was required to attend the protest hearing the following Friday night in Ballarat. This was not normally a problem but after the hearing he had to catch 'The Overland' at 10.58 for Horsham and Kowree-Narracoorte League on the Saturday to umpire the Kingston-Padthaway match.

The 'missed' behind was the product of confusion. Jim's evidence at the hearing was straight to the point."The ball was kicked goalwards by Maryborough captain, Geoff Scott, and an East opponent attempting to stop the kick touched the ball. Another East player caught the ball about two feet in front of the goal line then crossed the scoring line. "I had called 'touched, play on' after the ball was touched up field. When I saw the player cross the scoring line I called out 'touched, all clear', then ran in and told the East player why the mark was disallowed. He threw the ball to another East player, I ran back upfield and the players took up their positions for the kick-in. The ball was kicked in and I allowed play to go on."Unfortunately the goal umpire was not aware of what had happened and never registered the behind. It was only at half time, when queried by a Mary borough official, that he was aware something may have been awry.

Jim admitted he assumed the flag had been waved and it was his error that had caused the mix up - a generous declaration in the circumstances. Nevertheless the appeal was dismissed and Jim caught his train west.

It was not the only time Jim was called on to give evidence in unusual circumstances. During 1961, his first year on the senior list, he was the central figure in one of the VFL's most controversial episodes – the Boyd-Nicholls incident.

Appointed as emergency umpire to the Carlton v. South Melbourne match in August, Jim witnessed Ken Boyd of South Melbourne strike John Nicholls of Carlton. No reports were laid on the day (emergency umpires did not have that power) but a special VFL investigation committee met in camera and decided that a full investigation hearing was warranted. Eleven witnesses were called from umpires to television broadcasters but only Jim Rowe had seen the incident. Based on this evidence Boyd was charged with assault and instructed that he must face the Investigation Committee for a full hearing. South Melbourne attempted to claim the hearing was outside the VFL's own rules and went as far as the Supreme Court for an injunction. It was denied and the hearing went ahead.

Jim's evidence was unequivocal and no doubt delivered in his trademark laconic style, "I was sitting with the umpires trainers just inside the fence on the half-forward flank. Earlier a South Melbourne player had been in the hands of the trainers. I saw the player leave the trainers hands and come up behind a Carlton player. He appeared to half turn him and then struck him in the face. The Carlton player went to the ground, the crowd roared and players converged from everywhere. I could see number 32 [Boyd] but at the time I could not see the player he struck."

Under examination Jim stated he was 70-80 yards from the incident but had a clear view and was later able to identify Nicholls as the victim.

On the Wednesday following the incident Boyd had admitted in the press that not only had he struck Nicholls but that he was not ashamed as he was retaliating for an incident in an earlier ruck dual. Despite this public admission, Boyd pleaded not guilty and refused to provide a statement or answer questions. Based solely on Jim's evidence Boyd was suspended for twelve weeks. A lot of pressure in your first year on the senior list.

Jim began the 1977 season but after only five matches retired from the field. Returning to the Reserve Grade in 1978 Jim took up the goals until 1981 when he retired from umpiring.

Although he did not hold elected office with the Association Jim was a worker for his colleagues. He was co-organiser of the early Under Pants Derbies and organiser of a number of presentation nights. Jim was awarded VFLUA Life Membership in 1971.

Following his umpiring Jim continued his sporting life with a long involvement with both golf and lawn bowls. He was member of the Eastern Golf Club for twenty-five years having picked up the enjoyment of the game as member of the VFLUA Golf Club with who he played regularly during the season and played in many of the club's three-day tournaments at season's end. As a bowler Jim played at Doncaster Bowling Club. In all of his chosen sports Jim was acknowledged as a guru when it came to the rules.

Jim Rowe was a respected friend and colleague to many. Frank Gagliardi commented "Jim never bagged anyone and was always ready to give advice when it was requested." His integrity and honest caring will be missed by all whose lives it touched.

Vale Jim.

Bill Dundas

Stanley John Dundas was born 3 August 1930. Known to all as 'Bill', he joined the VFL Reserve Grade umpires in the early 1950s and was promoted to the Senior List in 1955.

Umpiring almost exclusively in the country competitions he became a well respected umpire throughout Victoria.

Bill's only senior Grand Final was in the Northern Riverina Football League at Tullibigeal in 1958. In the same year he was also appointed to the Northern Districts Football League Reserves Grand Final. This match was a Grand Final replay but started at the regular reserves time thus necessitating a very early morning departure from Melbourne.

Most of his finals were in the 'outside' competitions to which VFL umpires were appointed only for the finals series. He umpired senior finals on and north of the Murray in the Edwards River, Northern Riverina, Barellen and Murray leagues as well as two in the Omeo and District Football League. In addition there were a number of VCFL Reserves finals.

In 1957 Bill officiated in his only VFL Reserve Grade match, Hawthorn versus Footscray, at the end of the season.There were two representative matches as well as those for premiership points. Coincidentally both were curtain raisers, both were at Bordertown and both were on Mondays after umpiring the regular Saturday Tatiara or Kowree-Naracoorte fixtures - a pleasant long weekend .

Over eleven seasons with the VFL Bill umpired in excess of 190 matches and was awarded Life Membership of the VFLUA in 1965.

Years later he returned to the VFL as an interchange steward and filled that role for a number of seasons.

Bill passed away on 21 June 2007, aged 76, at Betheden Nursing Home.

Alby Hamid

Albert George Hamid was born on 19 April 1928 and spent his early years in Footscray where he played football for Victor Social. He took up umpiring aged 22 when he joined the VFL Reserve Grade as a field umpire in 1950.

He spent five seasons on the Reserve Grade list before being promoted to the seniors in 1955.

During his ten years as a VFL umpire he traveled all across Victoria and Southern NSW with his contemporaries. While he never made it to the VFL Reserve Grade competition he regularly umpired country finals every year from 1956 until his retirement in 1964. His most successful season was 1957 when he umpired finals in the Barellan, Alberton and Glenelg District leagues and finished the season with Grand Finals in the South Gippsland and North Central Football Leagues at Leongatha and Charlton respectively.

After completing ten seasons in 1964 Alby was rewarded with Life Membership of the Association at the 1965 Annual General Meeting. He retired from umpiring at the same time but for nine years drove umpires to Northern District Football League.

Alby passed away on 5 October 2007.

Geoff Morrow

Geoff Morrow reached the pinnacle of umpiring in Australia's two national sports through an extensive knowledge of the laws and an innate ability to respect and communicate with players, officials and supporters of both Australian football and cricket. This friendly outlook combined with a dry wit and excitement about everything served him well in his day-to-day life as well and garnered him hundreds of friends who delighted in his company.

Geoffrey Thomas Daniel Morrow was born in Geelong on 30 January 1952. His father, Tom, was the number one ruckman in the 1951 Geelong premiership side and as a local boy this sealed his lifelong devotion to the Cats.

A versatile and enthusiastic sportsman from an early age he played full-back for the Geelong College first-eighteen, cricket for the first eleven and dabbled in baseball and athletics. Later he enjoyed success with table tennis including premierships in the local Geelong competition.

It was at school that he first began umpiring when he controlled 'House matches'. In year twelve he decided to umpire school matches and after leaving Geelong College Geoff joined the Geelong Football Umpires League in 1971.

A move to Melbourne and a job at the Bank of NSW saw him join the VFL Reserve Grade for two seasons after which he gained promotion to the VFL senior list in 1975. It was in these early VFL days that he was given the nickname 'Harry' after the character from the popular Australian series 'The Sullivans'.

After country football for three full seasons he was appointed to his first country finals at the end of 1977 in the Northern District and then Ovens and King leagues. In late August 1978 he took the field with Ken Norris at Victoria Park for his first of 113 VFL Reserve Grade matches. They umpired together the following week at Arden Street and then Geoff finished the season with two VCFL finals.

The two umpire system gave double the opportunity for senior list umpires to impress and improve and Geoff took full advantage. His form allowed him to umpire almost all his football in the Reserves for the next three seasons but his first Grand Final was one umpire at Bordertown for the Tatiara League in 1981.

Round 1 1982 was big for Essendon - they crushed Footscray 191-81 at Windy HIll - but it was bigger for 'Harry' as he earned Heritage Number 289 by umpiring the match with Tony Bryant.

Twelve VFL matches that season, plus the Goulburn Valley Grand Final, was an outstanding first year. Geoff backed it up in 1983 with 13 matches - he always remembered the 10-point thriller at VFL Park between Collingwood and Carlton as a favourite - and his two best years 1984 and 1985 when he umpired thirty-nine out of a possible forty four rounds in the VFL and the 1984 Reserve Grade Grand Final.

At the end of the 1986 season Geoff left the VFL and joined the VFA umpires at Royal Park. He was an instant success umpiring the 1987 VFA Grand Final. As well as umpiring excellently himself, his experience at VFL level assisted a number of umpires who would later go on to senior VFL matches.

Geoff rejoined the VFL Umpires Association as the result of the VFL taking over the responsibility for umpiring the VFA. Until 1993 he added 69 VFA matches to his tally and along the way umpired the 1991 VFA Grand Final. By dint of his VFLUA Life Membership which he received in 1985 Geoff was also a Foundation Life Member of the Victorian State Football League Umpires Association when it was formed in 1992.

Retiring from running at the end of 1993 Harry was an Observer for the VSFL from 1994-96. Renowned for not missing a thing that went on on the field he let umpires know both their strengths and weaknesses in no uncertain terms. From 2000 until his battle with cancer overtook him Geoff was also Umpires Advisor with the APS/AGSV.

If football consumed him during the winter months cricket did the same during the summer. As an umpire with the Victorian Cricket Association he shot up through the ranks. From district to first class to international cricket he umpired more than 200 Premier matches, Pura Cup and was third umpire in one day internationals and the 2002 Boxing day Test Match against England.

Umpiring provided many challenges but none greater than the one Geoff faced since being diagnosed with cancer. He fought the disease without losing any of the personality that endeared him to those who met him. This now included fellow patients undergoing treatment for whom he organised a funny hat party. Despite being ill he still managed to get to both cricket and football matches and renew acquaintances with players and officials alike. His friends rallied around him organising two big benefit events that assisted with his treatment.

Geoff Morrow passed away on 27 September 2007 aged 56 leaving umpiring in both cricket and football the poorer and family and many friends with a myriad of great memories of a life well lived.

Jack Geggie

Jack Geggie was a successful VFL boundary umpire in an era when conditions ranged from mid-winter morasses to finals matches where spectators ringed the ground - -inside the fence. He carved a 234 match career of the highest quality.

Born on 13 February 1931, John William 'Jack' Geggie grew up in Murrumbeena.
A keen footballer, he played for Murrumbeena under-eighteens and then Melbourne Football Club thirds before returning to district senior football at Carnegie in the Caulfield-Oakleigh Football League.He also enjoyed athletics and won a number of mile-races. This involvement with running led to him begin boundary umpiring with the VFL Reserve Grade in 1952.

Having been promoted from the Reserve Grade list after umpiring the 1953 Reserves Grand Final, Jack began his senior career at the Western Oval in round one 1954 when Footscray suffered defeat at the hands of St.Kilda. The appointment earned him Heritage Number 301.
John was so impressive in that first season that he was appointed to his first finals series in his first year. His introduction to the finals was torrid. Punches were thrown just after the opening bounce and both sides engaged in fighting throughout the day. In the final quarter Geggie reported Laurie Icke for striking Ron Barassi resulting in a four week suspension for the ruthless Kangaroo half-back.

The following year Geggie went straight to the Grand Final after having umpired the almost regulation 13 out of 18 home and away rounds.

The 1955 Grand Final was played in wet conditions and, as a result, was low scoring. The sensation of the final series occurred close to Geggie when Des Healy and Frank 'Bluey' Adams collided, resulting in both being stretchered from the field unconscious, and leaving field umpire Harry Beitzel, Geggie and his partner Bill Treloar to sort out the ugly melee that resulted.

Jack's success continued as the years rolled on. He participated in every finals series from 1954 to 1964 and, in that time, added three more Grand Finals to his tally: 1957 Melbourne v. Essendon, 1960 Melbourne v Collingwood and 1962 Essendon v. Carlton.Perhaps 1960 provided the least effort returning the ball to the middle with only eight goals scored for the match (Collingwood managed two in total). But, it was tough slogging through the mire that was the MCG after two days of torrential rain.

Geggie retired at the close of the home and away matches of the 1968 season with 234 VFL matches to his credit. This included 16 night series matches, two of which were Night Grand Finals. He also umpired four interstate matches including being appointed to the 1958 Centenary of Football Carnival. Life Membership of the VFL Umpires Association was awarded in 1964.

Jack Geggie passed away on 11 April in Southport, Queensland after a short illness, aged 76.

Les Goding

Arthur Leslie "Les" Goding was promoted to the VFL senior list of umpires in 1959 and for the next seven seasons umpired all over country Victoria.

When he retired he had officiated in 124 matches in most of the regular competitions serviced by the VFL.

His showed his best form in 1962 and his final year, 1965, by umpiring two country finals each year.

In 1962 hewent to Kiewa in the Tallangatta and District Football League for the Second Semi-Final and then to Edenhope where Apsley and Lucindale Reserves clashed in the First Semi.

Les' last two games as a VFL field umpire were both finals. Again he went out to the Kowree-Naracoorte Football League, this time for the senior First Semi-Final at Frances and the following week to Mornington for the Chelsea and Sorrento First-Semi.

Also heavily involved in athletics, he coached many athletes at Williamstown Athletic Club and was a well known in the Williamstown sporting community generally.

Les Goding passed away on 1 April 2007, aged 79.

Ron Allinson

One of the Association's greatest contributors passed away recently. As an umpire and long time Executive member Ron Allinson gave much to umpiring by working tirelessly for his colleagues.

"Bristles" began umpiring with the VFL Reserve Grade in 1953 after a successful swimming career, including playing water polo, for the Footscray Swimming Club. He gained promotion to the senior list in 1955.

While he never umpired at VFL Reserve Grade level, in his 19 years on the senior list he visited almost every league to which umpires were sent and umpired 310 VCFL matches in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Included in these were four Grand Finals - Reserve Grade South West District (1963) and North-Central (1964) and senior Grand Finals in the Kowree-Naracoorte (1965) and Omeo and District 1967. This last Grand Final would have been most appreciated given Ron's claim that the best hospitality in Victoria was in the Omeo league.

In an early edition of the 'Man in White' Ron named the only representative game he did as his most memorable match but giving no further details other than he travelled with Ted Pound. The match was the Reserves of the Kowree-Naracoorte League versus the Tatiara League Reserves in 1955 and Ted did the senior match that followed. A check of the newspaper reports reveals nothing spectacular about either match with regard to events or margins so we must assume that the memorable features of the weekend were in the travel or the post-match festivities.

A shortish but sturdily built fellow, Ron was always battling with his weight but trained conscientiously to be in top physical condition during his umpiring career. This sometimes involved unique techniques such as training during the pre-season sheathed in plastic and undertaking an 'eggs only' diet for a week.

1966 was a milestone year in many ways. Ron married Eunice, set up a new home and began a new job at Berger Paints. On top of that it was also his year as President of the Association. Having been first elected to the Executive Committee in 1960, he stayed on until 1964 when he became Junior Vice-President and eventually progressing to the Presidency. Even after his year as Immediate Past president Ron carried on with the Executive for three further seasons. In all, eleven consecutive years in office serving the Association.

Secretary for much of this time, Mark Turner, recalls," Ron was a valued and forceful committee member, prepared to stand up for his point of view and certainly nobody's 'Yes' man." In the 1966 Annual report he notes that as President "he spoke confidently and fearlessly at many meetings at all times for the good of the Association."

Bill Yendle also noted Ron's value to the association. "He always struck me as a willing worker on committees. If something needed organising he was always willing to pitch in to assist his colleagues."

Listed as VFLUA cricket section Vice-President 1965-67, Ron was not a cricket player but helped out by umpiring a number of fixtures. It was a job he took seriously as evidenced by his no-balling of his good mate J.R. Gray for 'chucking'. It didn't affect their friendship as Jack still recalls him as "an all-round good bloke. We shared many good times travelling around the country during the summer, particularly to Queenscliff and Myrtleford."

Having lived and worked in the western suburbs since his birth on 14 July 1931, Ron had a lifelong passion for the Footscray Football Club maintaining his membership until his death, watching them regularly at the MCG where he was an MCC member and even travelling interstate to lend them his support.

Ron received his well deserved Life Membership of the Association in 1965 and was further recognised with a Lifetime Achievement (Special) Award.

In the latter years of his life, Ron encountered some significant health problems, suffering a stroke in the 1990’s.and ongoing complications thereafter. A staunch Association man through all this, Ron endeavoured to attend our events despite deteriorating health. His final appearance was at the Past President’s Dinner at the Imperial Hotel in 2005.

Eunice cared for Ron at home until he was admitted to Manningham Aged Care Facility in late 2006. It was around this time that the AFLUA X Umpires’ Support Program was launched and Program Officer Ron Bailey spent many hours with Ron reminiscing about that wonderful period of Ron’s as an AFLUA member.

Both Eunice and Ron were most appreciative of the support provided by Ron Bailey in the final months of Ron’s life.

Ron Allinson passed away on 6 February 2007, aged 75. His strong personality and generous nature will live on with all who knew him.

Ron Woolley

VFL umpiring lost is last connection with the early years of the Second World War following the passing of Ron Woolley on 15 February 2007. In his ten seasons as a member of the VFLUA Ron was Honorary Secretary for three years in addition to umpiring during the height of the war when country appointments were suspended and then returning to country football in the immediate post-war era.

Ronald William Woolley was born at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, on 12 August 1914. Ron's family lived in Ascot Vale until 1917 when his father, William, was appointed signalman for Puffing Billy and they relocated to Ferntree Gully.

Seven years later they returned to Ascot Vale, Ron completed his education at Footscray Technical School and took his first job as a mail boy at Shell. He would eventually be promoted to Manager, Import Licensing.

A keen sportsman from a young age, Ron played pennant tennis, District cricket with Essendon and Footscray and football with Brunswick Amateurs. Things may have turned out much differently if his invitation to train with Essendon Football Club in 1933 had resulted in a place in the team. Instead the mate he talked into coming with him for a bit of support did make the team. Dick Reynolds went on to three Brownlow Medals and become a Legend of Australian Football - Ron became an umpire.

Beginning in 1938 in the Junior Football League in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, Ron joined the VFL List of umpires in 1940. It was the first VFL season to be affected by the war and over the next several years, as the conflict and its attendant shortages reduced football competitions, opportunities to umpire became fewer and fewer. By 1942 the VFL was supplying umpires for only their own Senior and Reserve Grade competitions, the Sub-District Football League and a War Services Competition. Ron was good enough to maintain his spot on the reduced list but was still building the experience for a senior appointment.

He umpired his first Reserve Grade match in July 1943 at Toorak Park followed by matches at The Ryder Ground, Old Scotch Oval and the Richmond City Oval, all grounds used by the VFL as its regular grounds were requisitioned by the military forces. The story behind this first Reserves match is remarkable and resulted from an 'assault’ the previous Sunday.

The War Services Competition provided a challenge to all umpires. Played between various military units there was regular changing of players making up the teams and little discipline. Ron was appointed to Workshops versus Land Signals HQ at Brunswick Street. He recalled, "The game at Fitzroy had cruised along normally. It was similar to an earlier Army game at Carlton until, unexpectedly, this Workshops player went berserk as I walked in for a centre bounce after a goal. He rushed at me swinging his fists.”

“I dropped the ball to fend him off by pushing him on the chest. I mistimed one push and got a glancing blow on the face. Some of his team mates dragged him away. A HQ Signals player, who I assumed to be the Captain, said ‘We want nothing to do with this type of football’ and took his team of the arena. The Workshops team followed.

This left me alone because the boundary and goal umpires were supplied by the clubs and went off with them. I had nobody to report to and no other umpires to report on the incident. I decided to go to the VFL Secretary next morning for advice."

“When I reported it to [Like] McBrien on the Monday morning after the Sunday match, he told me not to worry about it because he would fix it. He said that the VFL would show its confidence in me by giving me a senior match next Saturday but realised I did not have the experience to handle it. Instead I was given the main Reserves game."

McBrien did indeed 'fix it'. He fabricated an all-in brawl, serious assault, facial injury, a sending off and verbal abuse and released the story to the papers, most likely to exert his control over the competition. When Ron found out about the newspaper story sixty years later he was aghast. As an ABC journalist for much of his working life, truth in the media was important to him.

The years after the war were ones of rapid growth for the VFLUA as more and more competitions resumed. Ron was a regular Reserve Grade and country umpire but unfortunately never achieved a senior VFL match.

There were a number of country Grand Finals - 1945 Sunraysia League, the 1947 Yarra Valley when Woori Yallock defeated Healesville to win their first premiership in 57 years and the 1946 Ovens and Murray Grand Final. This was the great Laurie Nash's last match and was decided on a shot after the siren which hit the post. The closeness of that match was a portent for the following year when Ron had three draws in the Reserves in a single season!

Ron was elected Honorary Secretary of the VFL Umpires Association in 1947 after serving on the Executive Committee the previous year. He held the office for the next two years in a period where the major concern for the Association was protection of it country umpires. At one stage there was an unfortunate incident in the Yarra Valley League. An umpire was assaulted. Ron drove him to meet the local League representatives and tribunal hearing in Healesville. Ron’s edict was no protection, no umpires. The player received life. Ron and the offended against umpire received a 15 minute head start at the end of the tribunal!

In December 1948 Ron broke his leg playing tennis in Daylesford and as a result his umpiring career came to an end. He had been elected Secretary again in 1949 but had to resign the post when he realised he would not be umpiring. Ron was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Association by his peers in 1948.

Married to May in 1937 and, after her passing in 1972, married to Olive, Ron had many interests but family was always number one and he cherished all of them and the time spent together. In his twilight years he discovered the joys of Foxtel and hand held games, in particular Yahtzee, solitaire and Tetris. Always the journalist, he maintained an active interest in current affairs.

Ron Woolley passed away at Ringwood Private Hospital aged 92. A fine umpire, excellent association man and thorough gentleman he has left his mark on football and football was much the better for it.

Bill Pantland

Bill Pantland umpired 250 country and ten VFL Reserve Grade matches in a career that spanned fifteen seasons on the senior list of umpires.

William Albert Pantland was born in Hobart, Tasmania on 3 November 1917 and grew up there until his family moved to Footscray when he was 10 years old. He played football for Victor Socials in Footscray District League B-Grade and their 1938 premiership was a highlight of his playing days. Table tennis was another interest and, later in life he proved adept at lawn bowls, becoming Club Champion in singles of West Coburg Bowls Club for 1986.

Beginning umpiring in 1946 with the VFL Reserve Grade, Bill showed immediate promise and after only one year was promoted to the senior list. He was one of thirty-two who came on that year as the VFL was taking on more and more country leagues after the Second World War. Of those who came up in 1947 only four remained after Bill retired at the end of the 1961 season, testimony to his umpiring ability and enjoyment of football. He became a Life Member of the VFLUA in 1957.

His best year was probably 1954. Six of his ten Reserve Grade matches came in that year, including Melbourne versus South Melbourne on the M.C.G. In addition, he finished the year with the Mornington Peninsula Football League Preliminary Final, the Benalla League First-Semi Final and the Sunraysia Football League Grand Final between Irymple and Mildura.

Retirement from the VFL did not mean the end of his connection with the whistle - or the flags. Bill umpired with Northern District Football League as a field umpire and Metropolitan Football League as a goal umpire. He was Chairman of NDFL Umpires Association and President of MFL Umpires Association.

A quiet, self effacing man, Bill was so private that few people were unaware he became an amputee in 1998. He will be remembered for his friendliness and generosity.

Bill passed away on 7 June 2006.

Fred Brown

Fred Brown, a field umpire with the VFL Umpires Association for seven seasons between 1961 and 1967 passed away recently.

Born in Melbourne on 13 August 1936, Frederick Graham Brown grew up in Footscray and Western Suburbs. He played football in the local church competition. A keen tennis player, he was part of many premierships in Footscray and District and, later, Ocean Grove and Bellarine competitions.

Beginning umpiring in 1957 with the VFL Reserve Grade, he spent four seasons on that list before promotion to the senior list. Brown showed early promise with a Gippsland Football League final in his second season. In 1963 and 1964 he umpired eight VFL Reserve Grade matches and completed a successful 1964 with the Metropolitan Football League Grand Final.

The Horsham and District Grand Final in 1965 was Fred's last before leaving the VFL after the end of 1967 having umpired 127 VCFL matches and two representative matches. He stood for and was elected to the VFLUA Social Committee in 1966.

Brown moved immediately to the Victorian Football Association for two years and then to Geelong Umpires from 1970-1973. The final two seasons at Geelong Fred undertook the role of Umpires’ Advisor.

After retirement from umpiring Fred's sporting interests moved toward golf (he scored two holes in one), and lawn bowls.

Fred passed away on 23 January 2007 aged 69.

Bernie Hogan

Bernie Hogan contributed an enormous amount to football as an umpire, an administrator and an author. His recent passing ended a long relationship with the game he loved and made more accessible to those who could not face reading the Laws from front to back.

Bernard Mannix Hogan was born on 5 March 1918 to Mick and Johanna, the second eldest of seven children. He left the farm at Donald, in the Mallee, aged of 16 and moved to Melbourne where he completed his secondary studies at nights employed at the Commonwealth Railways. Bernie moved steadily through the organisation ultimately attaining the top job as Executive Director.

During the Second World War Bernie put his administrative skills to work on transport in the Darwin area. Major milestones followed the war, firstly marriage to Sheila in 1947 and, secondly, his promotion to the VFL senior list the following year.

Country records for this period are scarce but Bernie moved very quickly through the ranks. So fast that by the middle of his first year he was umpiring VFL Second Eighteen football and during his second season he was appointed to his first VFL senior match, South Melbourne versus Hawthorn at the Lake Oval, and again the following week at Punt Road. The latter match was most notable as Richmond legend Jack Dyer's final VFL match.

It was only a brief taste of life at the top and it was back to the reserves and the bush until round seven 1950 when he returned to the city for three matches. Brunswick Street and Glenferrie Oval were mud-heaps that Melbourne winter and all three of the three matches were dour struggles. They also did not give much opportunity for Bernie to display his excellent running form which was honed as a competitive athlete with numerous successes around Victoria's professional circuit.

In the Hawthorn-Richmond clash Bernie and both boundary umpires reported Hawthorn captain, Kevin Curran, for rough play after a late and violent bump. Curran has just returned from four weeks suspension and received another month on the sidelines when the tribunal found him guilty. South Melbourne versus Melbourne was to be Bernie's last senior match. His remaining years saw him unable to break back into the 'big six'.

Nevertheless, consistent umpiring and a wealth of experience saw him appointed to the Second Eighteens, Grand Finals in Hume Football League, and the North-West Football Union (Tas.) - amongst others - and various Country League representative matches. Bernie retired from the VFLUA at the completion of the 1953 season after six years service and attaining Heritage Number 209.

Almost immediately he took up the role of Secretary of the VFL Reserve Grade Umpires Appointment Board and held it for seven years. During this period the Board was responsible for organising 350 umpires each week to officiate in minor metropolitan and country leagues. Moving from the Reserve Grade to the VFL Umpires Appointment Board, Bernie spent fifteen seasons as both member and, ultimately, Chairman observing, reporting on and appointing Senior List umpires.

Peter Sheales, who knew Bernie in both these later roles, recalls "He was a man who had huge respect amongst umpires. Very positive with his advice and his encouragement and guidance made many of us, better umpires, myself included. He was a perfect gentleman in every way, and it was a privilege to know him."

 It was during his time on the VFL UAB that Bernie decided to produce an easy to read guide to the laws of Australian football. His objective was to:

Explain in detail the rules of the game including what is specifically provided for , allowed and disallowed by the laws and the interpretations of the laws which are given from time to time by the National Football League of Australia

The new book was titled Follow the game and the first edition was published in 1968. It incorporated clear explanations and examples and used simple 'stick figures' as illustrations. It was so successful that it went through six editions (the final being 1983) and the explanations and interpretations were included by the NFL in their Umpire's Manual which, at the time, was the umpiring text book.

Bernie's final involvement with the laws was as a member of the VFL Laws of the Game Review Board in the early 1980s.

Bernie Hogan passed away on Australia Day 2007. Football and its followers were much the better through Bernie Hogan's involvement and he will be sadly missed by his umpiring contemporaries, family and all who knew him.

Darrell Cranch

Born in Cairns, Queensland on 23 October 1915, Darrell Oswald Hamilton Cranch contributed to Australian football over six decades as a player, coach, recruiter, designer and interchange steward.

Growing up in Queensland Darrell recalled mostly his holidays spent  on St. Helena Island and memories of the sharks that surrounded the island's prison. Darrell's grandfather, William, was prison superintendent from 1926-1929,  "It would be nothing for us to see 60 dorsal fins following the boat." Darrell spent many happy weekends and school holidays on St Helena Island as a boy, sailing toy boats made by prisoners and helping warders feed food scraps to sharks to deter escapes.

After moving to Melbourne in his teenage years Darrell played a lot of football and was training and playing practice matches with the Richmond Football Club. During one match one of the main blood vessels in his right leg was severed near the calf by the nails of what had been a leather stop. In that era football boots were studded with leather stops which had three nails through the top layer. Often the leather would break away leaving the nails exposed and causing bad lacerations to various parts of the body.

The injury was a bitter blow. Medical opinion was that if the vessel was severed again he could lose his leg below the knee. A football playing career was out of the question. Years later though it was a catalyst to an innovation that changed both footwear and a VFL rule.

In the meantime, unable to play football, Darrell turned to professional athletics to both maintain his fitness and bring in some extra income during the Great Depression. He was quite successful winning races from 75 yards to 1 mile. He also played district cricket for Richmond.

The leg injury also precluded Darrell from enlisting in either the AIF or CMF during the Second World War but he was able to join the Volunteer Defence Corps - Australia's Home Guard of sorts - and he served with the Fifth Battalion from January1942 to October 1945.

At Victoria Park in round two 1944 Darrel became the 276th boundary umpire in VFL history when Fitzroy upset the Magpies. The Gorillas would go on to win the flag that year and Darrell had the first twelve matches in a career that would last until 1960 as both a boundary and goal umpire.

Darrell was a consistent performer on the boundary being appointed to the Second-Semi Finals in 1949 (Carlton v. North Melbourne), 1950 (Essendon v North Melbourne) and 1951 (Geelong v. Collingwood). The Essendon North Melbourne match was a close game with Darrell involved in a crucial moment.  North trailed by eight points at three-quarter time but hit the front by five points with ten minutes to go in heavy rain. The Bombers got back within three points with thirty seconds remaining. The ball was rolling towards Darrell's boundary line and just before it crossed, North full-back Jock McCorkell punched it back into play instead of letting it go out. John Coleman swooped onto the ball and passed to McEwin in the goal square. He goaled and Essendon went through to the Grand Final.

One unusual appointment was part of the VFL National Round on 14 June 1952. Matches for premiership points were played all around country Victoria and interstate. Darrell traveled to Albury for the North Melbourne v. South Melbourne clash. The VFL were too frugal to send two boundary umpires and an emergency umpire so they economised by sending field umpire Jack Wallmeyer to partner Darrell and replace field umpire Bill Barbour if necessary.

In 1951 Darrell was working for Kenworth Rubber Company when he harked back to his leg injury. Football boots and stops were still the same and he realized that there would be a market for a safer football boot. He began developing what would become known as the 'All rubber safety sole'. It was the first moulded sole and was made from the same material as United States Army jungle boots. The rubber would not crumble or crack and was flexible enough to allow for movement under match conditions.

At the time the VFL did not allow for anything other than leather stops. Once they had viewed the prototype and had it successfully tested by such players as Jack Hamilton and Ted Whitten the rule was changed to allow for 'approved rubber safety soles'.

Unfortunately Darrell was unable to patent the sole because of its similarity to a previously patented hiking boot sole. He was able to register the location of the stops which prevented others from producing the optimum design but not the soles themselves. Later, after Darrell had left their employ, Kenworth attempted to claim the sole as their own, but, VFL Secretary, Eric McCutcheon, threatened to change the rule back unless Darrell was compensated. As the sole was becoming more and more popular this would have meant a big loss for the company and as a result Darrell received both money for development and a commission on all sales for three years. The advent of nylon soles saw the end of Darrell's design but he was still a pioneer in the football footwear industry.

The year after the design hit the market and having completed 131 matches Darrell transferred from the boundary to the goals. He debuted on 18 April 1953 at the Junction Oval thereby gaining goal umpire Heritage Number 122.

As a goal umpire Darrell was very successful. His 117 matches included three further finals, two of which were the 1955 and 1959 Grand Finals. Both were easy Melbourne victories but in 1959, with only one goal separating them from Essendon at three-quarter time, Melbourne kicked 6.3 to 1.2 in the final quarter at Darrell's end to run away with the premiership. He was also one of the umpires present at one of the more remarkable stoppages in VFL history. On 27 April 1957 Melbourne played Collingwood in the season's first match at the MCG. Lloyd Williams broke his leg and there was a twelve minute delay while a search was conducted for the stretcher which had been locked away after Olympics. Unable to be located Williams was eventually carried off on a table top!

While he was still a goal umpire, in 1958, Darrell had taken on the role of summer training and in-season fitness coach for Richmond. Prior to the 1961 season the VFL changed its attitude to the arrangement. They told him to choose between the two and he decided to keep training Richmond. His umpiring career was complete after 248 matches, two Grand Finals and Life membership of the VFLUA, awarded in 1954.

Finishing umpiring simply changed Darrell's football focus. He maintained his links with Richmond and, after coaching three premierships in the South-East Suburban Football League and VAFA over nineteen years, he returned to the club as Recruiting Officer from 1981-1995 and then took the same role at Melbourne from 1996-1999. Aged 80, he also rejoined the AFL as an Interchange Steward from 1995-1998.

Darrell passed away on his 91st birthday after a life dominated by football. His contribution will be long remembered.

Leo Wright

A quiet fellow and not one of the great mixers, Leo Wright nevertheless had a interesting career with the VFL and was interested enough in the AFLUA to take up Associate Membership in 2005 after a 52 year break.

Leo Clarence Wright was born on 25 July 1924 in Shepparton. He served in the RAAF from age 19 until his discharge in May 1946.

That same year he was selected on the list of VFL Senior field umpires and his first match was in the Upper Goulburn League - Alexandra versus Mansfield in July. In following seasons his career followed the usual path with country finals, Second Eighteen promotion and VFL emergency appointments until Queen's Birthday 1952.

On that day Leo became the 217th VFL field umpire when he took charge of the Essendon-Richmond match at Windy Hill. In the following weeks he umpired some of the great stars of the era, Coleman, Whitten and Barassi amongst them.

The round ten Melbourne-Richmond clash saw Leo incur the wrath of the Demons, and in particular their Secretary, Jim Cardwell, who railed against the free-kick count. Despite a forty point victory, the frees were 42-16 against Melbourne. As usual, the post match bluster of complaints to the VFL Board amounted to nothing. There was more media coverage from the same match concerning Leo's report of Melbourne star Geoff Collins for disputing his decisions in the second and fourth quarters. Collins, a trainee Air Force pilot, was unable to attend the scheduled tribunal hearing because of an RAAF test, but when the charge was eventually heard he admitted guilt and apologised for constantly arguing and demanding explanations of decisions. He received a severe reprimand.

The following week Leo was appointed to North Melbourne versus South Melbourne. It would be his fourth and final VFL senior match. The first half appeared to go well but at half time Leo collapsed and the second half of the match was umpired by Cliff Dunn. No explanation for the collapse was ever publicised but it was six weeks before he was back umpiring. Leo completed the season with three Reserve Grade matches.

The start of 1953 saw Leo elected to the position of Assistant Secretary of the VFLUA but it also saw a muscle strain injury that, by June, forced him to retire from both his Association role and umpiring.

Leo maintained somewhat of a link with umpiring soon after his retirement when he took on a role with radio station 3KZ's Thursday night VFL teams program. He shared the microphone with presenter Phil Gibbs and Jack Dyer. His job was to field questions about the laws of football from callers and to provide explanations of the previous weekends umpiring incidents.

Away from football Leo was a member of the Essendon RSL, the Western Suburbs TPI Social Club and was also an active committee member and Secretary of the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Association. His service with the TPIA was acknowledged with Life Membership in 2004.

After 52 years away from the VFLUA Leo took up Associate membership and attended both last year’s Annual Dinner and Appreciation Nights.

Leo passed away peacefully at St. Vincent's Hospital on 12 March 2006.

Norm Price

Football has lost one of its greatest servants in September with the passing of 'The Baron', Norm Price.

His honest, no-nonsense approach to matters as an umpire, umpires' coach and tribunal member are best summed up by a story he related from his umpiring career:

While going up on the Spirit of Progress to do the Grand Final of the Hume League –Jindera v. Brocklesby at Howlong – he heard a rumour that a Jindera player was going to knock out half the Brocklesby team.  Five minutes into the match, it was apparent who the fellow was because he had king hit the Brocklesby captain-coach resulting in a report.  The player's response was "that doesn't matter, I'm gunna knock 'em all out".  Three 15-yard penalties later he was still carrying on and the captain intervened complaining that Norm couldn't keep doing that.  Norm's reply was to tell him that every time the mugger went near the ball, he would be penalised - and he carried out the threat.  Brocklesby were leading by five goals at half time and the thug did not come back on after the break.

Brocklesby went on to win and, after the match, it was revealed that the violent player had been the light-heavyweight champion of the Royal Australian Navy, and the locals were worried for Norm's safety.  Norm's concern was getting the job done in the best interests of football.  The player was ultimately suspended for a year and Norm had another Grand Final squared away.

Norman Ernest Price was born in Richmond on 22 November 1926, the middle child of Fred and Nellie Price, themselves long-time Richmond folk.  The whole family followed the Tigers except Norm who shocked them by following South Melbourne - Bob Pratt was an idol.  Later, when umpiring, a group would train at Glenferrie Oval  where they were looked after so well by the Hawthorn trainers that he changed his allegiance to the Hawks.

Growing up in the Depression, life was not easy.  With his father on an invalid pension and his mother working as a cleaner, Norm supplemented the family income by working on the right side of the law as a paper boy and grocer's delivery boy, but also as a bet collector and 'cocky' for the local SP bookie.

Somehow he also fitted in boys' scouts with the First Burnley troop and, later, cycling, when he joined the Richmond Amateur Cycling Club.  There were many races on a Sunday afternoon in summer.  On the football field, he played for Hawthorn Methodists in the East Suburban Churches League and they won the B Grade premiership in 1940.

Educated at North Richmond State School and Richmond Technical College, Norm became apprentice fitter and turner at Bryant and May and later moved to Brownbuilt as a salesman where he later became sales manager.  He had married Thelma when he was twenty-one and they were separated only with her passing earlier in 2006.  They lived in Moorabbin for 48 years.

While working at Bryant and May, Allan Nash encouraged Norm to take on football umpiring.  He joined the VFL Reserve Grade list in 1948 and his first match on the Reserve Grade list came almost by accident.  Having completed the summer classes, the first night of appointments arrived but one umpire did not.  As a result, his Federal League appointment went to Norm - Chelsea versus Mentone at Chelsea.

After promotion to the senior list in 1950, his career followed the path of so many of his contemporaries -- lower grade country matches leading to higher country games, country finals and Grand Finals and the VFL Reserve Grade.  Norm was unable to break into senior VFL football but was a successful country umpire for 13 years.

He recalled recently that, "It was not so much the game that concerned you in the country.  You couldn't get The Age quick enough on the Thursday morning because you were more interested to see who you were going away with than your actual appointment.  There was such good fellowship and we all made such good friends."

Allan Nash was a huge influence on Norm's umpiring but, more than that, they were the best of friends away from umpiring having known each other since age 17.  Norm, Allan, Jack Kiernan and their respective families were very close friends spending much time away from umpiring together both during and after their on-field careers.  Allan also recommended to Jack Hamilton that Norm take his place on the tribunal when he moved to Queensland. Norm hung up the whistle after the Horsham and District Grand Final, which completed his 1962 season.  Immediately, he took the opportunity to join the VFL Reserve Grade Umpires' Appointment Board and was initially responsible for training the umpires on that list. Training was at Albert Park Oval twice a week during the season and he also organised a pre-season training camp for twenty or so umpires at Percy Cerutty's facility at Portsea for a number of years in the mid-sixties.

As a member of the Board Norm influenced and directed the careers of hundreds of young umpires.

One particularly significant time was appointing the replacement umpires from the VFL Reserve Grade panel when the senior umpires resigned in 1981.  It involved recasting many appointments and contacting many umpires to give them late notice of a change of game.  Norm, Frank Leverett and Doug Lamb only received notice that their umpires would be required on the Friday night, but their experience saw the job done and they had the satisfaction of watching their umpires perform creditably the following day.

That same year, the three men also received a Gold Medallion for service to the VFL an award that grants almost the same privileges as Life Membership.  The medallions were always honoured and Norm was an exceptionally proud recipient.  It complemented his Life Memberships of the VFL Reserve Grade, the VFL Reserve Grade Umpires' Association,  and the VFLUA.

The Reserve Grade Appointment Board was wound up in 1982, thus ending twenty years of service for Norm.  But, straight away, another door opened and, following Allan Nash's recommendation, he moved onto the VFL, and later AFL, Independent Tribunal for 13 years.

Thelma had always been supportive of his football endeavours, but in his first case, heard with Jack Gaffney and Don Hammond, Richmond player Graeme Landy was suspended for two weeks.  Thelma had heard the result on the radio and, when Norm got home, his electric blanket had been turned off and he got the cold shoulder.  He also got the message - "Go easy on Richmond players".

One incident which has affected modern football occurred during Norm's time at the tribunal --he sat on the first trial by video charge. It was held at the Channel Seven boardroom.  Jack Hamilton laid four charges for eye gouging in a pack.  Once the QCs and Tribunal Members had confirmed that the VFL Constitution allowed the Chairman of the VFL the power to lay charges, two were suspended, one reprimanded, one found not guilty and the era of the video tribunal had begun. 

Norm retired from the tribunal after thirteen years of hearing cases and listening to testimony both serious and comical from tribunal regulars David Rhys-Jones and  Tony Lockett amongst others.

Involvement with football in different capacities made for many lessons in life.  Norm always felt that umpiring was a major factor in giving him the confidence to take on the many and varied roles he has filled over the years: in his business life as a sales manager, speaking at Probus Clubs, on the AFL Tribunal, as an area co-ordinator of Neighbourhood Watch, being involved with Heatbeat Cabrini as Vice-President and as their delegate to Heartbeat Victoria.

While umpiring, Norm was also involved with VFLUA affairs.  As Social Secretary from 1955 to 1957, he and his committee faced a large task, with events in a single year including dinner on Grand Final eve, a Grand Final Dinner Dance the following night, a mid-season ball, picnic at Christmas, end of season visits from the SANFLUA, smoke nights and other smaller functions.  He also served on the Executive Committee in 1958 and 1959.

Generations of umpires came under the eye and auspices of 'the Baron'.  He was hard but fair – a straight up and down the line man who didn't play favourites.  Nor did he suffer fools lightly.  But, because of this approach, those umpires who came under his influence respected him highly – and genuinely liked him.  And those who promoted  onto the VFL Senior List knew that they were of the highest calibre because they had been judged by one who did not give that reward lightly or undeservedly. 

Football has lost a great servant, coach and mentor who will be very sadly  missed.

Norm Price passed away suddenly on 22 September 2006.

Charles Hawkins

Charles Hawkins came to umpiring at a time when the VFL list was expanding rapidly to fill the demand from country leagues for competent and independent umpires. His career path was like so many others yet he still found a way to stand out and remain in the memories of his contemporaries some four decades later.

Born in Melbourne in 1926, Charles Wilson Hawkins grew up in the Caulfield area and served in the merchant navy during the Second World War aged 18. On discharge from the service he took up umpiring, beginning in the Caulfield-Oakleigh competition and then, in the footsteps of his Caulfield neighbour, Jim Barwick, to the VFL Reserve Grade. Charles was appointed to the VFL senior list of umpires in 1951.

Like everyone at the time, and for many years to come, he began the circuit of country football matches gradually gaining experience. His first country final was the Sale District League Second-Semi in 1954.

Small of stature, Charles had a big heart and a number of umpires commented that it was a pleasure to travel with him on trips to the country by either taxi or train. The other memory that stayed with them was his assistance at tax time.

As an employee of the Australian Taxation Office he was able to advise umpires on legitimate claims to include on tax returns. Items such as shorts, shirts, socks, white and black boots. He would also hand deliver returns for his colleagues direct to the then Lonsdale Street office.

Charles's final season with the VFL mirrored most of the others, covering Victoria and finishing with a final. His last match was at Yarram - the Alberton Reserves First Semi. At that years Annual General Meeting he had been presented with Life Membership of the VFLUA.

Hawkins continued umpiring in other competitions until 1964 when a recurring injury from his service days ended his umpiring career completely.

During and after his VFL days he was also President of the Taxation Sub-Branch RSL and for his services was awarded Life Membership of that organisation.

Charles Hawkins was a 10-year country field umpire who served football and his fellow umpires with distinction. He passed away on 5 August 2006, aged 80, and will be missed by his large and loving family and those who knew him. Vale Charlie.

Phil Lane

LANE, PHIL (FITZ.) 1 game, 0 goals

The sixth edition of The encyclopedia of AFL footballers is perfunctory in its summing up of the VFL career of Phil Lane. While accurate, it is does not detail the greater contribution he made to the competition as a VFL umpire, nor the other facets of his long and worthy life.

Philip Henry Lane was born in West Melbourne on 12 March 1911. He played football for a number of local teams until he was asked to join Fitzroy Football Club in the early 1930s. He was on Fitzroy's list for three years and played one senior game in 1932.

During the Second World War Phil joined the Royal Australian Air Force, serving from October 1944 until November the following year. This stint in the forces only partially interrupted a VFL umpiring career that had begun in 1943.

Records for this era are slim, but it is most likely that Lane was VFL Reserve Grade umpire prior to his promotion to the senior list of field umpires. Due to the war, this list was perhaps the most exclusive in VFL history given that no umpires supplied to country competitions and only the VFL Second Eighteens, Sub-District League and War Service competitions received VFL umpires.

Phil's first matches were in the Second Eighteens at some unfamiliar venues. South Melbourne played at the Albert Ground, Richmond at Old Scotch and Carlton intermittently at McCallister Oval.

He must have impressed in his first season because in round 14 he earned Field Heritage Number 192 when he stepped onto Princes Park to umpire South Melbourne and Collingwood on 14 August 1943. The match was a pacy, rugged affair with South Melbourne triumphant. That game was his only senior appointment for the year but he continued in the seconds and his appointment to the Sub-District League Second-Semi and Preliminary Finals capped off a successful debut season.

The following year he started in the seniors and umpired the first eleven rounds before dropping back to the seconds and again finishing the year with Second-Semi and Preliminary Finals, this time in the Reserves competition.

His second game that year was perhaps the most interesting, not for what transpired on the field, but for the lead up to match. The lifting of war-time travel restrictions saw Geelong re-enter the VFL competition in 1944 and South Melbourne were their first visitors. However, the late arrival of South Melbourne's train delayed the start of the match for more than an hour. The train did not arrive until 2.25pm and Lane's opening bounce finally hit the deck at 3.32 pm. Phil was at the ground on time, perhaps being aware of potential problems because he had umpired two practice matches at Kardinia Park already that year. According to the Geelong Advertiser, "in the last few minutes of the match it was difficult to distinguish the players in the semi-darkness".

Being stationed at Point Cook meant that Lane was still close to the VFL competition in 1945 and he continued umpiring that year, again starting in the seniors but later fluctuating between the VFL and Second Eighteen Competitions before dropping out in mid-July, possibly due to RAAF commitments. He did not grace the seniors for about twelve months, but after leaving the forces he rejoined the VFL and by the end of 1946 he had accumulated 26 VFL senior matches. His last senior game featured Fitzroy, who whipped the Bloods at the Lake Oval.

Despite not umpiring senior football, Phil, now 36, worked hard for the next two years and success was found in perhaps his most prestigious appointment - the 1947 VFL Second Eighteens Grand Final. Phil retired from the VFL list at the conclusion of the 1948 season.

Maintaining his connection with both Fitzroy and its football club, Phil was a regular at Past Players functions and was also a Life Member of the Fitzroy Bowling and Sports Club. In recent years he was able to clearly recall events from his time in umpiring and football, no mean effort considering it was almost sixty ago.

Phil Lane, VFL player, VFL umpire, passed away on 8 August 2006, aged 96. His survived by a large and loving family.

John Higgins

John Higgins was a 100 game VFL boundary umpire who achieved this milestone with little fuss and a strong work ethic.  He was renowned for his dress sense and style both on and off the field.

John Patrick Higgins was born in Melbourne's western suburbs and spent his entire life in that area, much of it with his mother in Geelong Road, Footscray.  A telephone technician by trade, he was employed by the Postmaster-General for more than three decades.

He took up the boundary with the VFL Reserve Grade in the early 1950s and umpired Reserve Grade finals in 1954 and 1955.  This success resulted in promotion to the VFL senior list of boundary umpires for the 1956 season with John McNiff and Richard Kidd.  On 21 April of that year, John umpired the Fitzroy versus Essendon match at Brunswick Street.  His first VFL match made him the 305th boundary umpire in VFL history.  Later in the year, the VFL instituted its night competition and John umpired the third game under lights at the Lake Oval.  It took his first year's total to 13 matches and set a pattern for his career that was remarkably consistent.  Each year resulted in 14 to 15 matches and he only missed the night competition in one year.

A number of his contemporaries remember that he was not a naturally gifted athlete.  Ray Calway commented "He was a gutsy runner, not a lot of speed but ran on determination".  Given that the VFL panel at the time contained athletes such as Des Fitzgerald, John Geggie and Phil Stone, it is perhaps not surprising that John did not break through to VFL finals.

Nevertheless, as a 'happy go lucky sort of fellow', John did enjoy his umpiring.  He loved running on the field and, off the field, threw himself into both social events and Executive work.  He was a regular whenever a pleasant Sunday morning was held and often joined fellow western suburbs cronies Gordon Watt, Charlie Black and George Mather in Gordon's car as they went 'into town' for umpiring meetings after training.  As a keen golfer and a member of the Medway Golf Club, he was also a regular attendee on the VFL Golf Club trips away.

John was a member of the VFL Umpires' Association Executive Committee for his last four years on the list viz. 1959-1962.  It was for this work that he was elected to Honorary Life Membership of the Association in 1963.

John's final match in the VFL was at the Lake Oval in the first round of the 1962 night series.  It was his 100th senior match.

John never married but retained some links with umpiring through the Golf Club and the friends he made while on the boundary.  He passed away on 7 June 2006 at a nursing home in Melton, the result of Alzheimer's disease.  Vale John.

Les Barratt

There are few more iconic (or replayed) moments than Barry Breen’s final kick in the 1966 VFL Grand Final. Few outside the umpiring fraternity would even notice the man in the white coat standing under the premiership procuring punt, but many goal umpires would cast a wistful eye and wish to be in the same position as Les Barratt. The match was one highlight in ten years with the senior VFL field and goal umpire list and numerous years with the VFL Reserve Grade.

Les passed away suddenly on 25 March in Queensland leaving behind many other memories from memorable career.

Les began with the VFL after his promotion to the Senior field umpires list in 1952 and held that position for three seasons. While he did not umpire Reserve Grade football his last match was a final in the Kowee-Narracoorte League in September 1954.

Taking up the goals was a natural progression in those years but by this time experience needed to be gained on the Reserve Grade List. Les gained that experience and was promoted to the VFL Senior list in 1964 with Bryan Grant and Ray Schwensen. In that first year he umpired thirteen matches including a sensational draw between Essendon and Geelong. Ken Fraser was felled after scoring a behind at Les’s end 33 minutes into the last quarter. He declined risking the behind with another kick, Les registered the behind and the siren sounded.

Success came quite quickly with appointment to the Preliminary Final in 1965 and the following year the first of three Grand Finals.

The last quarter of 1966 Grand Final was a remarkable stanza in a remarkable match. Les was at the City End with St.Kilda attacking his goal. There were four points the difference at the start and after nine minutes, a goal to Moran and a couple of behinds the Saints led by thirteen. Collingwood came back and the game see-sawed until Des Tuddeham leveled scores with two minutes and time-on to go. Finally, after two minutes of time-on, with the crowd going crazy, Breen grabbed the ball from a bounce and sent a long, bouncing kick through for a behind that was signaled by Les. Not a tough decision but historic in the context of the VFL competition and the Saints only flag to date.

Backing up is never easy but Les had another sensational year in 1967 and was rewarded with another Grand Final. Again it was a corker and again it was a drought breaker with Richmond scoring their first premiership since 1942 by nine points

The third Grand Final Les umpired was 1969. For three quarters fortunes fluctuated and there were some terrific goals but the Tigers drew away in the last quarter to take the flag. The following year was the last for Les, he umpired the First-Semi and then retired.

Since his senior debut, when he became the 145 th VFL goal umpire, he had umpired 114 matches and one interstate fixture, Victoria versus South Australia in 1968.

Jim Barwick, who was a contemporary of Les in both the field and goals summed him up very simply as “a thorough gentleman”. They had met when sharing a practice match at Princes Park in 1950, had a few drinks afterwards and were friends for life. In fact Les asked him to umpire his fiftieth match at the Lake Oval and they and their wives celebrated the occasion together.

Having lived in Ringwood, Les visited Buderim in Queensland for a holiday and felt that it might be a good place to live. He gathered the whole family around the dinner table to discuss the move and they decided to go north.

Leslie George Barratt was a very successful goal umpire, loyal friend and loved family man. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Bill Caddy

Renowned as the last VFL senior list umpire to punch the ball into the ground rather than bounce it in the modern manner Bill Caddy umpired almost three hundred matches as a country field and VFL goal umpire in a career that spanned fourteen seasons.

Born on 30 January 1919 in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, William Francis Caddy came to the VFL in 1946 following his discharge from service in the Army Signals Corps. Beginning his career on the senior list Bill was immediately successful. In his first season he umpired six VCFL finals; two in the Murray League, two in the Echuca League and one each in the Tyrrell and Ovens and King Leagues.

In the ensuing decade Bill field umpired 248 country and metropolitan matches including a remarkable twenty-two Grand Finals. His final season in the field saw him umpire the Hampden League Grand Final between Terang and Colac. He was awarded VFLUA Life Membership for 10 years service in 1956.

Retiring from field umpiring after the 1955 season Bill took up the goals in the VFL Second Eighteen Umpires Association. After umpiring the 1958 VFL Second Eighteen Grand Final he was promoted to VFL senior list the following season.

On 2 May 1959 Bill earned Heritage Number 138 when he umpired his first VFL senior match, Hawthorn versus Geelong. From 1959 to round three 1962 he compiled a career total of 47 matches which included the 1960 Night Grand Final. His biggest crowd of 81 089 at the MCG in 1960 was a far cry from many small country venues of his early career in the field.

In 1966 Bill was one of the first group of former VFL field umpires to be appointed as official country observers. It was a position he held for two seasons.

Bill Caddy passed away on 8 July 2008 aged 89 after a long illness .

Peter Watt

Former VFLUA member Peter Watt passed away last week in Port Macquarie, New South Wales. A country field umpire between 1944 and 1954 Peter was awarded Life Membership in his final year.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 24 April 1913, Peter came to Australia with his parents and grew up with his two brothers in Melbourne's northern suburbs. He began writing for the Melbourne Argus and Northcote Leader newspapers in 1943 and the following year was placed on the VFL list of umpires. War time fuel restrictions and suspended competitions meant that the small list of VFL umpires covered the VFL senior and second-eighteen, sub-district and military leagues rather than the many country competitions.

At the same time he was also secretary for the Fitzroy Cricket and Bowling Club, one of Melbourne's strongest, which meant he had much inside information for his bowls column.

Combining his writing and football must have been difficult as the end of the war heralded the return of country travel for umpires. Nevertheless Peter totalled more than 200 country matches in his eleven seasons. His final match was Wangaratta versus Albury at Wang at the end of 1954.

In 1958 Peter moved to Mildura, a place he had umpired on numerous occasions and began a 21 year association with the Sunraysia Daily newspaper as a bowls and football columnist. He was also invited to coach the local umpires which he was pleased to do. His contribution to the community also involved a term as alderman for the Wentworth Shire Council.

Peter went to Port Macquarie in 1979 and wrote for the Port Macquarie News as well as broadcasting on radio 2MC.

Twice married, first to Freda and then Norma (both deceased), Peter is survived by his daughter, Margaret Halfpenny.

Peter Watt passed away peacefully on 30 November 2005 at Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

Jim Bates

It was widely reported that when Jim Bates died on October 6 2009 he was the oldest living VFL player but none of these reports noted that he was also the oldest living VFL umpire.

Born Thomas James Edward Bates in Nathalia on 25 June 1910, Jimmy grew up there until recruited by Essendon. He spent three years with the Seconds before gaining his only VFL match in Round two 1933. Bates filled in on the wing replacing Tom Clarke who was ill with the flu. He recalled, "I played one game, had one kick and got paid three quid.". Disgusted with his performance he retired immediately after the game to concentrate on professional running. He won the Keilor Gift in 1939.

Like many professional athletes over many years Jim was drawn to boundary umpiring. It is most likely that he umpired with the Second Eighteen competition before being promoted to the VFL but records of the time are incomplete.

In 1941 he was elevated to the VFL and became its 256th boundary umpire on 26 April when Footscray defeated Hawthorn at the Western Oval. This was also the scene of his final match in round 18 of that year. He never umpired senior football at Windy Hill but he did umpire Essendon twice – round 8 at Victoria Park and round 10 at the M.C.G.

At season's end he had totaled 13 matches which would be the end of his VFL umpiring career.

In January 1942, Jim joined the AIF and, as a postal employee by trade, was posted to various postal units in St.Kilda, Port Moresby and Queensland. He contacted malaria while in the tropics and was eventually discharge in June 1944 after 830 days active service (507 overseas).

When Jim passed away, aged 99, he was the oldest living VFL umpire.*

Acknowledgement:
Essendon Football Club

*Based on available information boundary umpire George Smith, born 30 December 1912, is now the oldest living VFL umpire.

Pat McGough

With his 2010 elevation to Legend status within the AFLUA Hall of Fame there was no acknowledgment of service that had not been awarded to Pat McGough by his colleagues. Add to that a distinguished career in country football that exceeded twenty years and three hundred matches and there was no greater contributor to this association in its history.

Born in Prahran on 4 February 1929 Pat attended St Joseph's Primary School in Northcote and St Thomas's Christian Brothers College in Clifton Hill. He completed an apprenticeship at International Harvester during World War II and went on to hold management positions at many of the major automotive brands.

A broken jaw derailed a promising football career but to stay involved Pat took up umpiring.

In 1954 he joined the VFL Second Eighteen Umpires. After one season he was promoted to the Senior List and his twenty season career began at Upper Yarra Dam in the Yarra Valley League. The Gippsland League Reserves were the first two finals for Pat in 1956 and 1958. In 1959 he umpired his first two senior finals; the first in the Southern Mallee at Yaapeet and the second at Memorial Park, Deniliquin in the Edwards River League. The Southern Mallee was also the scene for Pat's only senior Grand Final - Beulah defeating Yaapeet at Rainbow in 1964.

During his twenty years with the VFL Pat umpired 347 VCFL matches, 9 metropolitan matches and was emergency field umpire at one VFL match. Of all these matches Pat noted that his most memorable was on 23 July 1964. Corowa v. Wangaratta Rovers at Corowa.

Wang. Rovers were unbeaten after twelve rounds and faced mid-ladder Corowa (5-6-1). Coach Frank Tuck's pre-game address to the Corowa players set the tone , "We can win this with 100 minutes of your best football and when its done it will be our biggest thrill since the last flag in '32."

It was close early and former Collingwood champion and Rovers coach, Bob Rose, was playing an inspirational match to keep the favourites in it with three goals from full-forward.

At the last change Corowa led by eleven points but with Rose now on the ball and Voss goaling Rovers took the lead only to lose it moments later. A late goal put Rovers one point down deep in time on but Corowa held on for a famous victory.

Such an extensive on-field resume would have probably qualified Pat for induction into the AFLUA Hall of Fame but it was his work for the association that carried more weight and saw him included.

Pat was elected to the Social Committee in 1963 and the following year took on the role of Social Secretary. During his three years in this office he and his committee organised various dances, theatre nights, a trots night, car rallies, the Annual Ball and the always popular Annual Picnic. In addition he was responsible for the 1965 visit of the South Australian umpires over VFL Grand Final weekend and was commended by the Association Secretary for the success of the functions and visit. Following his resignation as Social Secretary Pat was elected Junior Vice-President in 1967 and consequently took the President's chair in 1969.

It was a busy year. A glut of recent retirements prompted an Association investigation into the causes, tribunal issues came to a head an appeal was run to benefit the family of member Ian Penrose who had died during the year, the Association took part in a Youth Sporting Expo and there was a successful trip to Western Australia. Pat was chiefly responsible for organising the latter two events and as President was closely involved with the other issues.

Having received Life Membership for ten years service in 1965, Pat's executive service was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement (Special) Award. Further recognition of his outstanding career came in the form of a retirement dinner organised by the Association in November 1974 at the Sheraton Hotel. It was a joint function as Doug Gilham had also recently retired.

Writing in the Annual Report, John Moss noted, "...attended by approximately 100 guests. In addition to a number of current members, many friends journeyed from country areas to pay tribute to the fine records of both men."

More recognition came in 2008 when Pat was elected to the AFLUA Hall of Fame and in 2010, only weeks prior to his death on 6 March, he was elevated to Legend Status.

Through a career of dedication on the field and exemplary work off it Pat McGough leaves an outstanding legacy of service to an Umpires Association grateful for his contribution.

Acknowlegement: Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) - Tuesday, March 23, 2010