Apocryphal or not?

[Osho]

Off season, still need my footy fix, a man of my vintage may scour the history vault for tid bits from the past. Came across this event, from Wikipedia, involving the great Douglas Wade, and South Melbourne Footy Club's campaign to make finals in 1970:

"In the final minutes of a match against South Melbourne late in 1970, Wade had a shot at goal to put Geelong in front. A spectator threw an apple on the field, which collided with the football in mid-air as it dropped between Wade's hand and foot, and knocked the football clear of his boot which then failed to even connect with the ball. The umpire, faced with an unprecedented circumstance, signalled 'play on'. South Melbourne's key defender, John Rantall (later to be a teammate of Wade when they both crossed to North Melbourne in 1973/4) picked up the ball and cleared it down field. South Melbourne scored a goal on the rebound and won the game by 7 points. They went on to make it into the finals for the first time since 1945. Geelong had started the game one win and percentage behind South Melbourne and this loss seriously damaged their chance of making the finals, which they went on to miss for the first time since 1961. The umpire's 'play on' decision was considered valid, since there was no rule at the time, to account for this kind of 'spectator interference'. South Melbourne went on to lose to St Kilda in the Semi-final".

Apocryphal or not? Seems unlikely, and knowing how chinese whispers and time effect recall and the ability for falsehoods to outpace facts, I am suspicious. But I hope the story is true.

Is this the real meaning of a bad apple?

What other bizarre, unlikely but true stories from the past are worth recounting for our amusement in the off season?

 

[Underarm]

Sounds like a Furfy.

 

[kane249]

Sounds like a Furfy.

Sydney Swans think it happened

On This Day: Belief to the core

On this day, 15 August 1970, South Melbourne fans flocked to Geelong’s Kardinia Park for the Round 20 clash with the Cats, full of hope and belief.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Taylor Moss]

I have coffee with Wheels every morning. I’ll ask him if he remembers it.

 

[Kwality]

Off season, still need my footy fix, a man of my vintage may scour the history vault for tid bits from the past. Came across this event, from Wikipedia, involving the great Douglas Wade, and South Melbourne Footy Club's campaign to make finals in 1970:

"In the final minutes of a match against South Melbourne late in 1970, Wade had a shot at goal to put Geelong in front. A spectator threw an apple on the field, which collided with the football in mid-air as it dropped between Wade's hand and foot, and knocked the football clear of his boot which then failed to even connect with the ball. The umpire, faced with an unprecedented circumstance, signalled 'play on'. South Melbourne's key defender, John Rantall (later to be a teammate of Wade when they both crossed to North Melbourne in 1973/4) picked up the ball and cleared it down field. South Melbourne scored a goal on the rebound and won the game by 7 points. They went on to make it into the finals for the first time since 1945. Geelong had started the game one win and percentage behind South Melbourne and this loss seriously damaged their chance of making the finals, which they went on to miss for the first time since 1961. The umpire's 'play on' decision was considered valid, since there was no rule at the time, to account for this kind of 'spectator interference'. South Melbourne went on to lose to St Kilda in the Semi-final".

Apocryphal or not? Seems unlikely, and knowing how chinese whispers and time effect recall and the ability for falsehoods to outpace facts, I am suspicious. But I hope the story is true.

Is this the real meaning of a bad apple?

What other bizarre, unlikely but true stories from the past are worth recounting for our amusement in the off season?

Reckon the apple incident is spot on.

 

[Engimal v3]

Sounds like a Furfy.

 

[Osho]

Sydney Swans think it happened

On This Day: Belief to the core

On this day, 15 August 1970, South Melbourne fans flocked to Geelong’s Kardinia Park for the Round 20 clash with the Cats, full of hope and belief.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

Peter Bedford BOG, great player for Port as well.

This version says an apple core was thrown at the ball after it was kicked, wiki version says an apple struck the ball as Wade dropped it to his foot.

It's not looking good!

 

[Sttew]

There are so many stories about Gary Ablett Senior. Former journalist and author, Garry Linnell, tells this one:

"One day at what was then VFL Park Waverley, Ablett was doing what he had been doing for 17 years, cementing his title as probably the best player – certainly the most interesting, explosive and, on his day, match-winning – Australian Rules football ever saw. Cruising on the wing, he grabbed the ball, set off, bounced and then let fly with a 70-metre goal. He was turning it on, not just for the crowd, but for players of both sides who could only stop and watch.

Geelong rover Paul Couch went up to Ablett later to congratulate him. “Thanks,” Ablett said. “I’d been planning that goal in my head since we crossed the West Gate Bridge.” "