wally_donald
jim_gallagher
noel_carroll
peter_box
brian_gilmore
dave_bryden
charlie_sutton
angus_abbey
jack_gaffney
tom_magee
roy_harper
ron_mccarthy
vin_williams
norm_johnstone
ken_ross
alan_gale
george_coates
jack_collins_b1930
eddie_goodger
neville_broderick
joe_hickey
jack_macgregor
ron_simpson
herb_henderson
ted_whitten
don_ross
roger_duffy
arnie_bench
harvey_stevens
jack_king_b1928
alan_martin
doug_reynolds
joe_murphy
bill_stephen
kevin_wright
allan_rogers
tom_meehan
allen_warren
jack_gervasoni
alan_ruthven
Matches
On a rain soacked afternoon at the Western Oval on the 23rd of May 1953, 14,087 fans endured the rain to watch on the the few games in the 20th Century where a team was held to one scoring shot.
To add to the amazement these were not teams at the bottom of the ladder, at the time, both were in the four. Footscray would end the season losing to Geelong in the Preliminary final, where Fitzroy managed a respectable sixth with 10 wins and eight losses for the season.
The Football Record expressed the level of shock that the result provided to all football supporters:
Fitzroy would have been held scoreless except for the efforts of their captain Alan Ruthven who 5-10 minutes before the end of the game who somehow got his foot to a ball already in the air and got it through for a goal.
Commentators such as Essendon coach Dick Reynolds (The Argus 25-May-1954-p11) remarked that the result was a sign that Footscray had matured and loomed as a new power in VFL Football and that their defence, with the return of Ted Whitten, would command respect.
Read the Argus 25-May-1953 p12 : http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23246462
See http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1953/060719530523.html
Last Minute change of Magee for Simpson (The Age 25-May-1953, p12)
Table of contents
Introduction
TheAge25May1953p12 Section of Wells Cartoon
On a rain soacked afternoon at the Western Oval on the 23rd of May 1953, 14,087 fans endured the rain to watch on the the few games in the 20th Century where a team was held to one scoring shot.
To add to the amazement these were not teams at the bottom of the ladder, at the time, both were in the four. Footscray would end the season losing to Geelong in the Preliminary final, where Fitzroy managed a respectable sixth with 10 wins and eight losses for the season.
Description
Flooding at the ground was deep enough so that parts of the boundary line were ankle deep under water, making the job of the boundary umpire very difficult.
Argus 25May1953 p12 DidYouSee (Rearranged Layout)
The Football Record expressed the level of shock that the result provided to all football supporters:
The Football Record 1953 r6 p4-5
Fitzroy would have been held scoreless except for the efforts of their captain Alan Ruthven who 5-10 minutes before the end of the game who somehow got his foot to a ball already in the air and got it through for a goal.
Commentators such as Essendon coach Dick Reynolds (The Argus 25-May-1954-p11) remarked that the result was a sign that Footscray had matured and loomed as a new power in VFL Football and that their defence, with the return of Ted Whitten, would command respect.
Match Report
Read the Argus 25-May-1953 p12 : http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23246462
Scores
| Footscray | 2.2 (14) | 5.3 (33) | 8.5 (53) | 10.6 (66) |
| Fitzroy | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 1.0 (6) |
| Margin | FO by 14 | FO by 33 | FO by 53 | FO by 60 |
See http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1953/060719530523.html
Teams
Footscray
Fitzroy
Last Minute change of Magee for Simpson (The Age 25-May-1953, p12)
Photos
Argus 25May1953 p11 WesternOval - Photographer Unknown
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TheAge 25May1953 p14 - Photographer Unknown
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The Age 25May1953 p14 WesternOval - Photographer Unknown
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Footscray v Fitz1953 p149 The Bulldog Heritage - Historical Player Register - Western Bulldogs Forever Foundation 2010 Adjusted
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