Autopsy "I remember when"

[Vdubs]

I think the record contract back then was held by Mr Fowler at his newsagency near the corner of Moorabool and Fyans st. I did a daily paper round for him and used to ask him to dispatch me first from records pick up so I could bolt on the bike to the prime spots on each gate.

West Gate was the shitty draw (near the pool), prime spots were near the netball courts on the main gate and just under the train bridge at the train gate.

I even got the legendary jackpot once, when "that guy" from the Social Club would 1st thing in the day buy a bundle of 50 records off one kid. It only happened to me once, but everyone who got a sale to him over the years was off to a flyer for the day!

My boss way back then was George at PURDEY'S in the city, for the morning paper round, and I think he may have gotten some records to sell from your man. Either way, I only did it 2 years, but kept up the paper round longer.
Talk about another whole set of memories.

 

[Commando]

I think the record contract back then was held by Mr Fowler at his newsagency near the corner of Moorabool and Fyans st. I did a daily paper round for him and used to ask him to dispatch me first from records pick up so I could bolt on the bike to the prime spots on each gate.

West Gate was the shitty draw (near the pool), prime spots were near the netball courts on the main gate and just under the train bridge at the train gate.

I even got the legendary jackpot once, when "that guy" from the Social Club would 1st thing in the day buy a bundle of 50 records off one kid. It only happened to me once, but everyone who got a sale to him over the years was off to a flyer for the day!

I'm curious how you got paid for selling the records (commission?) and did you have to take them back if unsold?

 

[Tyler Durden007]

I'm curious how you got paid for selling the records (commission?) and did you have to take them back if unsold?

Yeah, got commissions. I just remember that when they were 50c each you got $10 per hundred sold, that's when I started selling them, each year the price went up a bit

But it was good when they were 70/80/90 cents because most people would tip you the left overs from $1. Your tips were as good as the commish.

The bosses were right arseholes when you came back with unsold records, they made you get back out there and even go into the ground and walk around trying to sell more.

 

[Vdubs]

Yeah, got commissions. I just remember that when they were 50c each you got $10 per hundred sold, that's when I started selling them, each year the price went up a bit

But it was good when they were 70/80/90 cents because most people would tip you the left overs from $1. Your tips were as good as the commish.

The bosses were right arseholes when you came back with unsold records, they made you get back out there and even go into the ground and walk around trying to sell more.

I was never allowed back until all sold or 1/2 time, whichever came first.
Sure ruined a good footy game for a young kid like me, and tips were rare in my year, 1966-67; unlike the "Christmas Box " tips for the am paper round. One year I earned my whole year's wages, $5.95 per week, in one day of collecting Christmas Box tips. Can you believe we were encouraged to door knock every house we delivered to for the purpose of getting a payment??
Certainly made the dreaded winter 0430 mornings become worthwhile.

 

[Partridge]

And in combination with that Partridge, cricket season wasn't diluted.

Don't get me started.

I can still remember entire cricket seasons by who it was who came out here, and the key moments of the Tests played, as well as some memorable parts of the one-dayers. Now it's just a meandering blur of meaningless matches. To think a professional team like Australia would prepare for an ASHES series - after we've lost 3 of the last 4 to them and been thrashed in the last 2 - by playing yet more empty one-dayers in India. Makes perfect sense doesn't it?

 

[Pollywaffle]

Oh yeah. I remember being at a game ( vs South Melb?) someone threw an apple at Doug Wade as he was kicking for goal, It hit the ball, I think, and the kick was a shocker. That person would have a great tale to tell.
I always wonder what would happen now if that happened? Another kick? Banning Apples? It was a close crucial game too, as I recall.

 

[vinum coupe]

Don't get me started.

I can still remember entire cricket seasons by who it was who came out here, and the key moments of the Tests played, as well as some memorable parts of the one-dayers. Now it's just a meandering blur of meaningless matches. To think a professional team like Australia would prepare for an ASHES series - after we've lost 3 of the last 4 to them and been thrashed in the last 2 - by playing yet more empty one-dayers in India. Makes perfect sense doesn't it?

A lot has changed with AFL saturation.

I can remember summers when you would always watch the Victorian and S.A golf opens on TV.
And all the golfers played them. Shearer, Norman, etc.
On free to air!

Reckon that will ever happen again? I don't.

I remember caring what the Shield team was doing. And knowing that runs in the shield was a strong pointer to national selection.
Hell, I can remember giving a stuff as to what the North Shore cricket team was doing. Especially when they recruited DeSilva from India.

I don't understand why the AFL can't give some clear air to other sports.
The funny thing is that cricket has probably shot themselves in the foot and actually helped the AFL.

 

[SJ]

A lot has changed with AFL saturation.

I can remember summers when you would always watch the Victorian and S.A golf opens on TV.
And all the golfers played them. Shearer, Norman, etc.
On free to air!

Reckon that will ever happen again? I don't.

I remember caring what the Shield team was doing. And knowing that runs in the shield was a strong pointer to national selection.
Hell, I can remember giving a stuff as to what the North Shore cricket team was doing. Especially when the recruited DeSilva from India.

I don't understand why the AFL can't give some clear air to other sports.
The funny thing is that cricket has probably shot themselves in the foot and actually helped the AFL.

And I believe that the AFL is playing with fire trying to oversaturate the market (in the same way cricket has failed).

 

[Willo_]

Don't get me started.

I can still remember entire cricket seasons by who it was who came out here, and the key moments of the Tests played, as well as some memorable parts of the one-dayers. Now it's just a meandering blur of meaningless matches. To think a professional team like Australia would prepare for an ASHES series - after we've lost 3 of the last 4 to them and been thrashed in the last 2 - by playing yet more empty one-dayers in India. Makes perfect sense doesn't it?

And not only are we playing a one day series we have taken people from other states to strengthen some teams for the warm up games the poms play... far out I'd make them play Leopolds under 12s if I could and give them nothing that could help!

I will say though the sheer volume of garbage ODI's and rubbish T20 has made me appreciate the beauty of test cricket even more

 

[Tyler Durden007]

I was never allowed back until all sold or 1/2 time, whichever came first.
Sure ruined a good footy game for a young kid like me, and tips were rare in my year, 1966-67; unlike the "Christmas Box " tips for the am paper round. One year I earned my whole year's wages, $5.95 per week, in one day of collecting Christmas Box tips. Can you believe we were encouraged to door knock every house we delivered to for the purpose of getting a payment??
Certainly made the dreaded winter 0430 mornings become worthwhile.

I was a bit later than you. I started selling records in '78 and lasted until '82. My paper round was in South Geelong directly next to Kardinia Park across Moorabool street. There was a bakery right over the road from Kardinia Park, Kay's Cakes, and Scratcher Neil used to work there. I used to knock off a paper every day to give to Scratcher for free and he'd let me take my pick of a cake off the bakery line.

I was a bit partial to a Honey Stick back then... good times

Yeah, but the 4:30 get up time was a real bastard, especially with the big wooden box strapped onto your bike pack rack with Occy straps. Fyans street might as well have been in the middle of of Africa at that time in the morning... no lights for 1km.

 

[vinum coupe]

There was a bakery right over the road from Kardinia Park, Kay's Cakes, and Scratcher Neil used to work there. I used to knock off a paper every day to give to Scratcher for free and he'd let me take my pick of a cake off the bakery line.

I was a bit partial to a Honey Stick back then... good times

?? Scratcher worked at Fords.
I know that for a fact because he worked along side my dad.

2 jobs?


*drool* honey stick

 

[Pollywaffle]

?? Scratcher worked at Fords.
I know that for a fact because he worked along side my dad.

2 jobs?


*drool* honey stick

Footy players didn't get payed much back then

 

[Vdubs]

I remember the treat of a lifetime after selling footy records and delivering newspapers was a Blue Heaven Thick Shake.
Nobody talks about them anymore.

 

[Tyler Durden007]

?? Scratcher worked at Fords.
I know that for a fact because he worked along side my dad.

2 jobs?


*drool* honey stick

It was definitely Scratcher circa '78/'80... used to call me "chief" great bloke and one of my all time favourite players as a result.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I was never allowed back until all sold or 1/2 time, whichever came first.
Sure ruined a good footy game for a young kid like me, and tips were rare in my year, 1966-67; unlike the "Christmas Box " tips for the am paper round. One year I earned my whole year's wages, $5.95 per week, in one day of collecting Christmas Box tips. Can you believe we were encouraged to door knock every house we delivered to for the purpose of getting a payment??
Certainly made the dreaded winter 0430 mornings become worthwhile.

Christmas comes but once a year
And when it does it brings good cheer
So in the midst of all your joy
PLEASE DON"T FORGET THE PAPER BOY !!

Vdubs - did you have the hessian bag with the special pockets draped over the pack rack on the bike?
Those Saturday Ages were a real bastard !!
Used to do a round in Essendon - 5.00am start for the princely sum of $5.50 per week. Agree on the tips at Xmas though - nice little earner .......and you tell that to the young folks of today and they won't beleive ya

 

[Tyler Durden007]

Christmas comes but once a year
And when it does it brings good cheer
So in the midst of all your joy
PLEASE DON"T FORGET THE PAPER BOY !!

Vdubs - did you have the hessian bag with the special pockets draped over the pack rack on the bike?
Those Saturday Ages were a real bastard !!
Used to do a round in Essendon - 5.00am start for the princely sum of $5.50 per week. Agree on the tips at Xmas though - nice little earner .......and you tell that to the young folks of today and they won't beleive ya

I had to portion the Saturday Age's in an equal amount on either side of my wooden box on the pack rack, otherwise I could only cycle in circles! Thicker than a large print bible with as much sense in the pages.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I had to portion the Saturday Age's in an equal amount on either side of my wooden box on the pack rack, otherwise I could only cycle in circles! Thicker than a large print bible with as much sense in the pages.

Very impressed with the wooden box arrangement !!
Had to go back to base 2-3 times of a Saturday to refill because of the thickness of the Age , didn't realise Essendon had so many intellectuals in those days.
Had a good boss though , he'd chuck us an extra $1 on Saturday morning - of which I spent 80cents on a freshly baked Boston Bun

 

[The Quandrinator]

45 and a bit

Yeah - and I'm 35 and a bit more

 

[Vdubs]

Christmas comes but once a year
And when it does it brings good cheer
So in the midst of all your joy
PLEASE DON"T FORGET THE PAPER BOY !!

Vdubs - did you have the hessian bag with the special pockets draped over the pack rack on the bike?
Those Saturday Ages were a real bastard !!
Used to do a round in Essendon - 5.00am start for the princely sum of $5.50 per week. Agree on the tips at Xmas though - nice little earner .......and you tell that to the young folks of today and they won't beleive ya

Amazing you mention that bag.

First Saturday was like an initiation. We had Sat Age, Geelong Addy and the Sun. I wasn't aware of the drop off system, where you could get a stack of papers strategically dropped off at a point in your round. This was a really windy day, my bag ripped, papers everywhere. Was convinced my career as a paper-boy would last all of 5 days. I really lost the plot that day, and by 8 am, when others had well finished I was still trying to make ends meet. Fortunately my father, who was one of those waiting for his Addy, went around in his car looking for me. That started a Sat am session with my father dropping off papers where i needed them. Our house was the first and last house of my round, as we lived in the first house on Shannon Ave past Noble St, on the cnr of another small street

Enough of these ramblings, but they were certainly life changing days back then- I think I'm serious about that.

 

[Just do something]

I remember the days back in the early 80s when i went to Geelong with Dad we would sometimes stay at the travelodge close to the ground and the team would have there pre match meeting there before games. We would then stay the night and go watch them do recovery training on Sundays.

 

[Vdubs]

I remember Peter ZYCHLA.
Could there ever be a player so low?





Alphabetically speaking of course.

 

[Willo_]

This thread is ace

 

[vinum coupe]

And Vdubs

(dont like the name change btw)

None of it is ramblings.
They are memories.

And as has been proven, others share them and actually help expand them.
It's good reading for me.

Might have gone away from footy a bit, but who cares.


Btw. I remember dumping my Geelong News for about 3 weeks before I got sacked.
I didnt mind it at first, but then it just became a grind.

And I found a nice spot under north shore primary to dump them.
The stupid thing was that I knew I couldn't go home too quickly for each batch as my parents knew how long it took. So I just twiddled my thumbs!

God knows what the ipad gen will do.
Nothing I expect.

 

[Vdubs]

And Vdubs

(dont like the name change btw)

None of it is ramblings.
They are memories.

And as has been proven, others share them and actually help expand them.
It's good reading for me.

Might have gone away from footy a bit, but who cares.


Btw. I remember dumping my Geelong News for about 3 weeks before I got sacked.
I didnt mind it at first, but then it just became a grind.

And I found a nice spot under north shore primary to dump them.
The stupid thing was that I knew I couldn't go home too quickly for each batch as my parents knew how long it took. So I just twiddled my thumbs!

God knows what the ipad gen will do.
Nothing I expect.

Sorry about the word ramblings, but I felt was being a little self-indulgent. Thanks for acceptance.
And as you may recall, the VEEDUBS was an error as I frequently did, and still type with CAPSLOCK on.
Bit ostentatious for my liking, hence the more true to character demure, Vdubs, which is the same pronounciation.

 

[Sttew]

A


Btw. I remember dumping my Geelong News for about 3 weeks before I got sacked.
I didnt mind it at first, but then it just became a grind.

I did the same. Must have been about 1970 or 71. I was filling in for my older brother, and somehow ended up with 100's of newspapers after "completing" the delivery round. I was surprised the round took me an hour when my brother said it would take 2 - 3 hours. Anyway, hedges served many purposes back then, and one was concealing unwanted evidence! I never told my brother, of course!!

The News was a rubbish paper anyway