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I have read some of those, and when they are good, these books can be exceptional reading (though when they are bad they are awful). I have liked the West Perth, East Fremantle, Subiaco and Claremont histories (and that of SANFL clubs Sturt and Glenelg) and they are extremely useful for a writer on Wikipedia as well as for general reading. However, the histories of Perth and East Perth I have read were positively awful, giving few details or descriptions. As one example, neither notes that amazing match (on my vote for the most amazing football day nationwide before the AFL) where East Perth were goalless in complete darkness with three minutes to go. As the lowest score by an eventual premier club since a goal became six points and a behind one, it ought to be part of Australian rules history books, though even Full Points Footy never mentioned it.This is what I have in my collection:
The Charlie Mitchell Football Book
My Football Life (Jack Sheedy)
The South Fremantle Story Volumes 1 & 2
West Australian Football History 1885-1970
Polly Farmer
Back To The Place (Dennis Cometti)
John Todd (Brian Dawson)
75 Years of Black and White
West Perth Football Club 1885-1985
The South Story (about South Bunbury)
From Redlegs To Demons
The Tigers Tale
The Footballers (1985 & 87 editions)
1898-1997 (EF History book)
Mal Brown and Mongrels I Have Met
Diehards Volumes 1 & 2 (Subiaco FC)
It's A Grand Old Flag
The Sandover Medal Men
The Royals
Behind The Play
Complete Football Register Collection
does anyone know where the '' garry cullen memorial shield '' might be. it was introduced by the west perth junior league in 1960. it was for my brother, garry, who tragically died aged 15 from a football accident. notable players that won it were ken spencer and john nykyforak.I've started this thread to get a list of books written about the wafl and its players over the years.
WAFL history
Club histories
Autobiographies
Biographies etc
Thanks
does anyone know where the '' garry cullen memorial shield '' might be. it was introduced by the west perth junior league in 1960. it was for my brother, garry, who tragically died aged 15 from a football accident. notable players that won it were ken spencer and john nykyforak.
I have read some of those, and when they are good, these books can be exceptional reading (though when they are bad they are awful). I have liked the West Perth, East Fremantle, Subiaco and Claremont histories (and that of SANFL clubs Sturt and Glenelg) and they are extremely useful for a writer on Wikipedia as well as for general reading. However, the histories of Perth and East Perth I have read were positively awful, giving few details or descriptions. As one example, neither notes that amazing match (on my vote for the most amazing football day nationwide before the AFL) where East Perth were goalless in complete darkness with three minutes to go. As the lowest score by an eventual premier club since a goal became six points and a behind one, it ought to be part of Australian rules history books, though even Full Points Footy never mentioned it.
The two I would be keen to find when finances might allow are 75 Years of Black and White and West Australian Football History 1885-1970. I have never seen such books as these on eBay (abebooks is a better bet) but would want to know what I am buying with the former. Details on things like Swans’ near-winless seasons in 1968 and 2002, their rise and fall in the 1960s, and their early and more recent history are something I would want to know.
I did get 75 Years of Black and White in an odd way – finding it on abebooks and actually gaining a special appointment to visit the shop in the Mornington Peninsula. What’s more remarkable is that a tram strike meant I was very lucky to get the train out to Frankston – after which I had to catch a bus to Somerville to buy it along with the 1985 West Perth history that I had already read.If you contact Swan Districts they have plenty of copies of the 75 Years of Black and White available. If you are still looking for WA Football History 1885-1971 I scanne a copy of the book years ago. There is a shadow on the right pages, but the scan is still readable.
Used to love reading the Football Register every year. A good resourceThere's a few out there.
The state library has a decent selection on the third floor (I think), including official club histories going back a long way.
I don't have too many myself, but these are some I remember...
Polly Farmer: A Biography (Steve Hawke)
John Todd: Six Decades in Footy (Brian Dawson)
The Tigers' tale: the origins and history of the Claremont Football Club (Kevin Casey)
Back to the place, Back to the time (Dennis Cometti)
Also have a big chunk of the WA Football Registers, which were published from 1962 to 1990 (excluding 1973).
"Behind the Play" by Anthony Barker and published by the WAFC is excellent. Covers the years 1868 - 2003 and is an exhaustive record but always interesting read.
Easily the best book on football I have read and the one book I would never consider lending.
ISBN 0-9752427-0-9 if anybody is interested and if it is still in print.
"100 Years" is a beauty from a VFL/AFL perspective. It is fun to open it up every few months or so and dip into a random year or two. I find myself exclaiming "That's right. I'd forgotten all about that". The football scandals and characters of yore are always a hoot to learn about or reacquaint yourself with."Behind the Play" is certainly a great read, LeakyValve, and if I take my East Perth hat off, is the best WA footy book I've read (though not all of it yet).
However, my favourite all-time footy book (putting aside my Fitzroy bias) is another coffee table-sized publication, "100 Years of Australian Football", that was released in 1996.