The Flinders Alumni Relations team recently received correspondence from a graduate hoping to put some names to faces in an old slide photo that has been digitised.
At the time it was taken, in the early 70s, it was much cheaper to buy a roll of film to then be converted into slides because the cost of development was included – a no-brainer for impecunious Uni students!
The two slides in question are of the Flinders Uni Hockey Club squad celebrating in the Renmark Hotel beer garden after a friendly match in Renmark in late 1973/early 1974.
These images brought back many great memories, like the time the team won The Cinders… this may need some explaining from somebody who was actually there, the supplier of these trips down memory lane, Kerry Lovell (BSc(Hons) ’70).
“The Inter-Varsity carnivals were traditionally held during the winter months, but there was also a summer I/V hockey carnival. The prize for the winner was The Cinders – an obvious nod to The Ashes, but not so much the traditional urn as a concept,” Kerry says.
“In January 1974, the fledgling Flinders University Hockey Club fielded a team, against the might of the established (and more populous) universities, such as Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. There was also another new university, La Trobe, which started a year before Flinders in 1965.
“I was fortunate enough to be selected in the team (the selection process being not so much merit-based as ,’who wants to go to Melbourne to play a few games of hockey?). I had only played a handful of hockey games, having been encouraged by Dick Triggs and his good mate Tony Wiedeman who I tutored in Maths, and fellow Science students Bob Lloyd and Bruce Gunn.
“In my first game, played in the West Parklands on the corner of West Terrace and Port Road opposite the Newmarket Hotel, I scored the only goal of the match, immediately establishing me as a player of great talent. However, after the game, I was advised that the goal was invalid, as I had hit the ball with the back of my stick, but the ref and opposition hadn’t noticed!
“Alas, not only was it the only goal I ever scored, it was also the only game where I showed any hockey ability whatsoever!
“And so to the I/V. With one match to play, Flinders and La Trobe were even on points, two clear of Melbourne and Sydney, who were playing the last game, so the winner of that game would win the Cinders.
“Unfortunately for them, the match ended in a draw, meaning the upstarts Flinders and La Trobe were joint winners of the Cinders. Melbourne and Sydney were devastated.”
Kerry would appreciate identification of the un-named people in the photos below. If you appear, or know somebody in the photos, please contact him at kmlovell1919@gmail.com.
Clockwise from top left:
Nick Sheard (skipper, with hat), ?Ross (Dribble) Drabble, ??, ??, Fitzy, ??, Tony Wiedeman, ??, ??, ??, ??, ??, Dick Triggs.
Clockwise from end of table:
?? (with hat), ??, ??, Dick Triggs, Kerry Lovell, Mary Eitzen (now Mary Lovell), John (Johnny Lasagna) Garlick, Tony Bradford, Nick Sheard, Diane (Nick’s “wench”), ?Ross (Dribble) Drabble, ??, ??, Fitzy, ?Tim Dalby, Tony Wiedeman, ??, ??.