Re-writing of Australian Footballs history.

[fabulousphil]

Seen a few in my time, although IMO this takes the cake.

Was scrolling through the Saints being relocated to NZ thread, when i remembered reading about a AF game in 1879 in Wellington NZ, which was the first game played under electric lights in the southern hemisphere, 2.5 months prior to the first night game under electric light at the MCG.

Imagine my suprise after googling it, that the same story, with all the same eerily similar details was on a Wellington Soccer Association claiming that this game was actually a soccer game.

The author of the article, a one Jim Sullivan, is one of NZ eminent historians, quite clearly he has changed the story around to suit his purpose, and quite frankly it sucks, it is a outright mistruth, and disrespectfull to the men who organised the 1879 match, which was a benefit match for a asylum.

Here's what Jim wrote
http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-4205-0-0-0&sID=233821

The Te Aro and Thorndeon football clubs clearly do not play soccer, but Australian Rules ( Victorian Rules)


http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18790530.2.8&srpos=130&e=-------10--121-byDA---0football electric light--

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=ODT18850828.2.27&srpos=1&e=-------10--1----0reform football electric light--


These last 2 links which are the same story, but just on different pages, are eerily similar to Jim Sullivans 'article '.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18790531.2.25&srpos=137&e=-------10--131-byDA---0football electric light--
scroll to next page

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP18790531.2.27.1&e=-------10--131-byDA---0football electric light--

 

[fabulousphil]

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cg...----10--1----0reform+football+victorian+rules--

Reform football club playing Victorian rules

 

[fabulousphil]

Just to clarify and make it easier to read, please note the similarities between the articles.

Jims Soccer story .... on Wellington Soccer league site, linked above

Only weeks after a Wellington jeweller paved the way to lighting the window of his Lampton
Quay shop, night soccer came to Wellington on Friday June 5, 1879.
Spectators flocked to the Basin Reserve to see the new marvel with about 8000 people crowding the rails around the ground, leaving the grandstand, which was decorated with Chinese lanterns, almost empty.

Mr Smith, the "Government Electrician", set up a portable 16hp engine to provide electricity for
two lights, one at each end of the field.Under the lights the pitch "looked more like a billiard table than anything else".

The lighting was powerful enough for spectators to recognise people outside the ground, even as far as St Mark’s Church across the road, while houses on the surrounding hills could be clearly seen.
Pre-game entertainment is not a recent distraction either. The Volunteer Fire and Drum Band was engaged to play and young people "indulged in dancing, no doubt preferring it to witnessing the match".

At eight o’clock the two teams, Thorndon and Te Aro, gathered at the grandstand for a photograph, and then the game was on, with the Wellington wind having dried the grass and the venue "being all that could be desired by the players".

However, Smith had suffered several false starts with his gear before kickoff with one of the
lights refusing to work. He solved the problem by using only one light, but held it aloft and carried it along the sideline as play moved up and down the field. As the game progressed the motor kept missing and the light would dim for a moment until, from time to time, it cut out altogether and the players were left in complete darkness.

But when the lights were working, the crowd had no difficulty following the game with "the red stockings of the Te Aro team being very conspicuous".

Like many scoreless games, the play see-sawed from end to end, followed by Smith and his bulb.

If a white ball had been used, the match report would surely have mentioned it, but the light
appears to have been good enough to follow a brown ball: "Randall nearly succeeded in getting a goal, and had it not been for the prompt measures taken by the goalkeeper the ball would have gone between the sticks".

Then came the moment, which today’s Super 12 promoters and their insurers must dread –
a power failure.

Smith’s motor finally overheated and threw in the towel – the lights went out and couldn’t be
restored. So ended early New Zealand’s first football game under lights.
All the same, spectators rated it as a good night out, and the companies promoting use of
electricity were well satisfied with the publicity.

Not so the Te Aro and Thorndon soccer clubs. They had paid out 40 pounds for the electrical plant, but only 2000 spectators paid admission, leaving the gate receipts at an uneconomic 37 pounds.

Undaunted, the clubs saw night games as the way of the future and vowed to do it again.
They deserve their place in history, lights or no lights.

Standard references say the first soccer club in New Zealand was Dunedin’s Northern
Association Football Club, formed in 1888, almost 10 years after Te Aro and Thorndon chased
the "bladder towards the sticks" under lights at the Basin reserve.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

And the real story as reported in the Evening Post 31st may 1879, linked above.

Apoligies for spelling errors, when copying and pasting from Trove, the text has spelling errors.

FOOTBALL MATCH BY THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
The announcement that a; Football Match, under the auspices of the Reform Clubs, would be played on the Basin Reserve by the electric light last night drew together a large concourse of spectators. There were about 2000, probably, in tbe Reserve itself, and the road around the enclosure was thronged with people, who somewhat shabbily wished to view the game without paying. Messrs. Proudfoot, of Dunedin, kindly lent for the* occasion two of Siemens Brottiers' Dynamo-Electric Light*, each having an illuminating power equivalent to 8000 sperm candies.

The apparatus was worked by a portable engine of 14 horse-power, the machinery by which the electricity v generated being fixed up in one of the rooms on the ground floor of the grand stand. Thence two wires conducted tbe electricity to toe centre gallery of the stand, where, the lamps were placed, under the' supervision of the Government electrician, Mr. Smith. Siemens' -Electric Light Machine produces an electric current by causing an armature, or cylinder of iusulated copper wire to revolve near the poles of an tlectro-magnet. Toe current so induced in tbe coils of tbe armature is made to traverse also the coils of the electro-magnet, so that its magnetic ia tensity ia increased. In tuii way tbe current and magnetism go on mutually reinforcing each other, until a very strong current is accumulated. The light a produced as in tbe ordinary electric lamp, by the current passing through two carbon points, ,whica are thereby readered~ brilliantly incandescent. The distance, between the point* is automatically regulated by the current itself, and not by a clockwork arrangement, as is th« oder tortn of lamp.

The experiment last night was not very successful. One of tbe lamps was found to be out of order, and the other, owing probably to the- time for preparation baring been too short, could only be got to work ia a somewhat irregular manner. The drawback to tbootbOTwift very ingepious arrangement for regulating tbe points appears to be that it it necessary that the motive power shall oe maintained at a constant and Tegular pitch.

As it was found impossible last night to secure this desideratum, the players frequently found themselves suddenly plunged in darkness, just at tbe must tantalising moments— when an opportunity for a splendid kick presented itself for instance. After several false start, a good steady light was obtained at about 8 o'clock, and tbe respective teams (selected from the Te Aro and Thorndon clubs were photographed.

The beauty and brilliancy of the light were then amply demonstrated. Although only one lamp was in use, a flood of light was thrown right across- the reserve, showing everything in its 'natural color, enabling persons to be recognised at a considerable distance, and even lighting up St. Mark* Church and the College. From the grand stand the inscription on the Cale- donian Hotel could also b3 easily read when the light was thrown in that direction

The lamp was manipulated by Mr. Smith so as to follow the play, and apparently caused great consternation among various courting couples sauntering about the grounds, who suddenly found their proceedings brought into an amount of publicity which they had not bargained for. ft was evident that, like that fierce light which beats upon a throne" which Tenuyson talks about, the electric light brings the objects on which it bears into an amount of prominence which is not without its draw backs. Owing to the intermittent character of the light, It wilt readily be imaged that there is very H»tle to be chronicled as regards the game.

However, the players did their best until about half-past nine, when the engine had to be stopped owing to some of the bear- ing being heated. We believe it is the intention of the clubs to have another match shortly, when, no doubt, with the experience that has toen gained, and the greater time allowed for preparation, the result will be more favorable.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------


And lastly proof that the Reform FC played Australian Rules ( Victorian Rules in those days)

The Reform and To Aro Football Clubs, Wellington, congratulate the promoters of the football club formed under Victorian rules in Dunedin.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TS18790517.2.14.7&cl=search&srpos=4&e=-------10--1----0reform Football Victorian rules--

We have to acknowledge the receipt from the members of the Reform Football Club of tickets for all tbe matches played by the club. Their first match, under the Victorian rules, will take place on the Basin Reserve next Saturday.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18790421.2.27.4&srpos=7&e=-------10--1----0reform Football Victorian rules--


**** I also highlighted Randall who was a player named for one the clubs.

 

[SJ]

Doesn't surprise me.

Up there with the Woggabaliri con.

 

[cos789]

Bugger. I've been using the first electric lights at the MCG as a trivia question.
Not a problem because I use "first football game in Australia under lights"
Now I can change to Southern Hemisphere.
Good one.

 

[fabulousphil]

Bugger. I've been using the first electric lights at the MCG as a trivia question.
Not a problem because I use "first football game in Australia under lights"
Now I can change to Southern Hemisphere.
Good one.

Indeed, it is a part of Australian Football history that is really unknown, it should be highlighted a bit more.

On all the football history websites i have seen, there is no mention of it whatsoever.

 

[fabulousphil]

Doesn't surprise me.

Up there with the Woggabaliri con.

I actually emailed Jim Sullivan, and initially he was sceptical, stating that it was indeed a soccer game, however to his credit, he rechecked past papers, and now agrees that it was actually a game of AF.

His article was written a long time ago, from a newspaper clipping, and past papers did not exist online like today, and he claims his original reference is lost.

There are also quite a few sites claiming this was a soccer game, i am tossing up whether to actually email them or not.

For EX ...heres one
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/energy-supply-and-use/page-5

Even this guy, seems to think it was a game of soccer.
http://footysphere.com/post/11947171236/football-floodlit-firsts

And of course the Wellington Soccer League

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-4205-0-202358-0&sID=233821

 

[Hoops]

Ok fabulousphil insert it in here for Greg Hunt to quote.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_game