A History Lesson

[Darky]

Rooboy96, I have taken your advice and am going to do something a bit self-indulgent here, regarding milestone posts. You'll all get the gist of it soon enough.

This thread is in appreciation the players, coaches, staff and supporters of the NMFC, especially all the people here at BigFooty...

1869

"In 1869, John Pascoe Fawkner died, Melbourne's Herald became an evening newspaper and Victoria was basking in the glory of being the most famous British colony. The future Dame Nellie Melba was a mere girl of eight, the exploits of the Kelly Gang were still a decade away and the Commonwealth of Australia had not even been thought of. That was the year the North Melbourne Football Club was born."
- taken from The North Story, Gerard P. Dowling, 1972

This club is 132 years old. Only three AFL clubs (Melbourne, Geelong, Carlton) are older. We have tradition, we have passion, we have pride. This club will be around for a long time yet. BEWARE!!!

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"Not by speech-making and the decisions of majorities will the questions of the day be settled... but by iron and blood" - Otto von Bismarck 1862

 

[Rooboy 96]

Loved it Darky...

 

[hotham]

The NMFC has thrived on tough circumstances. Great post Darky.

 

[Mags]

Great Post Darky!

I enjoyed that, I just learnt something.

Why didnt u post that on the main board? U should.

It was good

 

[Shermanator]

An absolute beauty Darky!!

It's made me think a bit...in another 132 years I wonder what we will be called?
The Saturn Roos, the Mars Shinboners or the Kanga Plutos?

Before the opposition respond to this - YES we will be around in another 132 years!!

 

[Darky]

Hehe thanx folks - I ain't finished yet either!

1877

North Melbourne FC (as "Hotham") joins as a founder member of the Victorian Football Association, and finishes third in its first season. This is after it absorbed the Albert Park club in an amalgamation.

 

[Shinboners]

The heart is swelling with pride.

 

[66MunsterT]

Nice Posts Darky.
I've read both of the North Story Books,
especially the sections regarding the Bummers
attempts over all those years to get rid of us.
We even got blamed for John Coleman's Knee injury that ended his career.
Iloved it when kicking Essendons rrrrrs and Jack Clarke asked the Umpire to count our Players because he thought we must have too many to be so far in front.

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Butcher Boy

 

[Rooboy 96]

Darky... brilliant Idea... I predict now... that this will be a record breaking thread... remember to save post post 306 on this thread for Schimma...

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by Rooboy 96:
Darky... brilliant Idea... I predict now... that this will be a record breaking thread... remember to save post post 306 on this thread for Schimma...

Thanx for the feedback people. This is your club, your thread, everyone poke their heads in

Rooboy, which one do I save for Keith Greig? 300 for his 300th game? 297 for when the AFL re-adjusted the tally? 294 for when they readjusted it again?

Btw umm... 1884
Hotham finished third in the VFA - Won 12, Drew 3, Lost 7. 64 goals for, 48 goals against.
Leading scorer was H.Todd with 13 goals.
Captain was A.Ley

Gee that book comes in handy for the boring years

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Trink, trink, Bruederlein, trink

[This message has been edited by Darky (edited 04 April 2001).]

 

[Aussie_Roo]

Good on ya Darky, enjoy these posts.

 

[35eye]

I know Malibu was wondering recently about the significance of 1869.

There was a suggestion that it had something to do with the King & his marital bed.

But I'm glad we've sorted that one out.

Wayne apparently sleeps on a Becks bed. But Though rich in tradition, I'm not sure what year Becks was established.

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The Skull Squad go to Brisbane. Here Comes the Beast Again Tour April 2001

 

[Darky]

1888

In line with the change of locality name from Hotham to North Melbourne in mid-1887, the club held a meeting in March 1888 and it was decided for the club also to revert to its orginal name, North Melbourne. This was at the original suggestion of club president Mark Evans, who I presume is not the same bloke who played bass for AC/DC in the mid 1970's.

35eye, Becks was founded in 1874. You are talking about the German brewery, right?

Damn, that deserved a post in itself.

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Trink, trink, Bruederlein, trink

[This message has been edited by Darky (edited 05 April 2001).]

 

[Malibu]

How about you find out when Beck's Beds were founded Darky......

 

[Daphne]

Hendersons beds didnt they have something to do with North back in 68 or there abouts

 

[Malibu]

Daphne, you're showing your age there love!

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by Malibu:
How about you find out when Beck's Beds were founded Darky......

Floor's not good enough for you anymore sweety?

But to continue...

1897
That was the first year of the VFL competition, after it formed late in 1896.
The VFA continued with six clubs, of which North Melbourne finished second, its highest ever place to that time. Won 14, lost 6 and finished runner-up to Port Melbourne.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Darky

Got any history from 1924 ?

I have a vague knowledge of the circumstances but am really hazy on detail. I heard somewhere that Essendon doggedly and stubbornly resisted the entry of North - right to the bitter end.

Any truth in that ?

cheers

 

[Darky]

BSA, Essendon was a major thorn in the side of North Melbourne entering the VFL in 1896/7, largely because of a dispute over residential ties. As The North Story explains it, "If North were included, Essendon stood to lose some of its valuable recruiting ground in Kensington and Flemington. That this was probably Essendon's fear is corroborated by the fact that one of the conditions laid down for North's eventual entry to the League in 1925 was that Essendon retain Flemington and Kensington divisions of Hopetoun ward.

Stay tuned, BSA, there are several more thwarted attempts to join the VFL, which will be described as the story continues.

Moving on...
1899
The VFA admitted Prahran and West Melbourne to the competiton , which now comprised of eight clubs. North Melbourne were runners-up to Footscray for the second year running. North won 17 games and lost 4 for the year.

 

[Malibu]

Originally posted by Darky:
Floor's not good enough for you anymore sweety?

Did you get the floor idea after watching Sex in the City on Monday night? Carrie seems to like it on the floor.

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by Malibu:
Did you get the floor idea after watching Sex in the City on Monday night? Carrie seems to like it on the floor.

Not a show I watch, Malibu. In fact, I watch practically no non-footy TV. They could probably learn a few things off me though.

Anyway, continuing...
1903

In 1903 the VFA changed its format to include a finals series. It also introduced a tenth team, Preston, which restored some evenness to fixtures.
North Melbourne won 15 and lost 3 games for the year to finish second behind Richmond. Footscray and West Melbourne were the other finalists.
Richmond and North Melbourne were the eventual Grand Finalists, the match played on September 19. North were captained by Paddy Noonan.

Quarter by Quarter scores :
North Melbourne 3.4 3.4 7.6 7.6.48
Richmond 0.0 1.4 1.4 3.9.27

On a windy day, all the scoring was at one end, as the Northeners won by 19 points.

Goalkickers : Considine 3, Londerigan, McCann, Noonan, O'Brien 1 each.


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Trink, trink, Bruederlein, trink

[This message has been edited by Darky (edited 05 April 2001).]

 

[35eye]

I just wanted to share this fantastic Email with youse guys. I was going to reply privately but I don't think Val would mind if I stick it up on the board...

Becks bedding was established around 1943 Hi my name is Val (a one eyed Roo) born and bred. David Beck is married to
my son's sister in law. Becks Bedding are great sponsors at North. I don't
know how to send to Big Footy - just read all the great little snippets to
those mongrel Essendon supporters. My whole family barrrack and are members
of the roos. I come from a family of 6 girls and we are good breeders, we
have 18 kids between us who also have kids (26), so lots of little roos and
more on the way. Go skull squad. Love your posts. Val

In all seriousness, my little brother in law has a new Becks Bed & I had a quick jump on it recently when he wasn't looking and I must say it is total quality. I am very envious.

Thanks for your message Val, we'd love you to come in & join us. You just have to register from the home page to get in.

http://www.bigfooty.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=agree

Especially thanks for answering that nagging question we had about the establishment of Becks.

Keep breeding, we have a membership target to make this year, remember! Hop to it!

 

[Shermanator]

Originally posted by 35eye:
I come from a family of 6 girls and we are good breeders, we
have 18 kids between us who also have kids (26), so lots of little roos and
more on the way.

Keep breeding, we have a membership target to make this year, remember! Hop to it!

Another member of the Roo army on the way!.....Mrs Shermanator has just found out she is prego with our first child to be.

If it's a boy we will call him Joey (baby Roo) hehe!

 

[Malibu]

Congrats Shermster.

 

[Darky]

1904

"The next two decades of the North Melbourne Football Club read more like fiction than fact. Despite an amalgamation, an expulsion and a re-fromation, the Club managed not only to survive but to attain the top honurs in the VFA in two seasons."
That is how The North Story describes a period in the early 20th century, where the club fought off-field turmoil to remain successful on the field. Almost a hundred years later, one could say almost exactly the same thing.

In a bizarre set of circumstances, North won their second consecutive premiership.
The scene was set with a mid-season encounter between North and Richmond at Arden Street, North winning the game by ten points. Umpire Allen, who had charge of the game, was the subject of much condemnation from Richmond officials.

Both sides later finished the season in the top four and qualified for the finals, along with Port Melbourne and Footscray.

North Melbourne played Richmond first up at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, North wiing a neck-and-neck tussle by two points.
Allen was again the umpire, and just as was the case in mid-season, Richmond officials complained long and hard after the match about the standard of his umpiring.
Despite Richmond's loss, as minor premiers they still qualified for the Grand Final, and had to await the outcome of the Footscray vs North Melbourne final to find out their opponents for the big game.

North defeated Footscray by seventeen points in front of 12,000 people at East Melbourne, and would meet Richmond in the Grand Final the following week.

The Grand Final was set for October 1 at East Melbourne, but Richmond announced to the VFA that it would not play the game if Allen was appointed umpire. The VFA refused to bow to Richmond's posturing and duly appointed Allen as umpire. Neither party was willing to give in, and the VFA threatened that if Richmond refused to play they would forfeit the match. The stalemate continued and the VFA decided to award the 1904 Premiership to the North Melbourne Football Club.

P.S. - Just read of the good news Shermanator, congratulations to you and your better half. "When not posting at Big Footy, the Shermanator can be seeing giving the missus a good old seeing-to."

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Trink, trink, Bruederlein, trink