1964 memories- calling our older supporters

[Cassiew 1,903]

For anyone on here who went to or can at least remember our last premiership, can you share some of your memories of it? What the week before it were like, how did you feel during the game, how confident were you and most especially how was it afterwards.

It’d be so nice to have a DVD of this, unfortuantly we’re the only premiership winning team that doesn’t have a viewable premiership. All we have are these:

The rothmans highlights, 11 minutes long, prerecorded commentary, players look like small sticks.

Less than three minutes of the last quarter, missing several plays in extremely poor footage.

Edited September 16, 2018 by Cassiew

[Deeoldfart 8,201]

I was around throughout of our 'Golden Era' and before, but 1964 holds the greatest memories of all for me.  I was still at school, but I'll try to describe my highlight in a few sentences:

The Dees were 4 points up late in the last quarter, when Ray Gabelich,  Collingwood captain and a lumbering and uncoordinated  ruckman, went on a long run towards goal.  The ball was bouncing all over the place, but 'Gabbo' somehow managed to maintain some sort of control, while every Melbourne supporter at the 'G' was praying that he would kick it from a long way out.  Despite our prayers, he kept going and dobbed a wobbly punt from close range.  Collingwood 2 points up, with bugger-all time left on the clock.  A minute or two later, Neil ('Froggy') Crompton, the Melbourne back pocket player, took the ball at half forward for the Dees, and kicked the match winning goal from 30 to 40 yards out.  The Melbourne crowd went berserk, and moments later, the siren sounded to give Melbourne the Flag against the arch enemy.  I'll never forget that moment!

Footnote:  In those days, it was unprecedented for a back pocket player to be in the forward half of the ground, and legend has it that our coach, the legendary Norm Smith, reprimanded 'Froggy' after the match, for being out of position.  Surely if this did actually happen, it was 'tongue in cheek', but you never know!  Interesting, 'Froggy' also represented Victoria in Sheffield Shield cricket.  He combined his sporting activities with a full-time job as a school teacher.

Gee, how times, and football, have changed in the last 54 years, and my love of the Dees has increased with every passing one of them.

Now for the next Flag, while I'm still on earth to watch it please!

ps.  I must have been confident of a win, because I remember winning six pence on the double, Melbourne seniors and Under 19s both winning the Premiership.  Very relieved when we won, because I didn't have a penny to my name, let alone sixpence! 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Deeoldfart
added the post script

[MrMoose 317]

I was born in 1964 - I just want to see 1 premiership before I fall off the perch! (Well 1 at least)

[bush demon 2,209]

Too young, and living in the country. But we had just bought a TV and ABC 2 scrolled the football and racing updates and on some kind of typed rolling sheet. The score updates showed the lead fluctuating until, "final score... etc with Melbourne winning. a few years ago i purchased from ABC archives the radio commentary of the game ($70) and then mixed it with the rothmans video and grainy tv footage to provide some sense of the last few minutes. in a scrappy game, amazing how barassi, townsend, and bourke combined to give Mann a shot at goals from directly in front (which he missed). amazingly, the kick-out was a very markable drop-kick which Brian Dixon duly marked. Ron Barassi, unable to mark seems to bring the ball to ground - in front of Crompton - who then purposely slots it through. the radio commentary later tells how Barry Bourke later took a telling mark in the last line of defence to repel Coillingwood. the footage shows how collingwood COULD have been paid one or more free kicks in the dying moments... but as they say, the whistle is usually thrown away by this stage. I know this is not direct memories of the game but hope it is helpful.

 

[nosoupforme 3,085]

I remember listening to the radio with my Dad  being 11 years  old wearing my Melbourne jumper with the number 16 on my back. Johnny Townsend's number. I am hoping this could be the year and if not we are not that far away this time.

   

[doc roet 1,302]

I was 11 and in grade 6 (skipped preps)

Was brought up in a Carlton household.

Swapped to the demons after the 64 granny. Joined the cheersquad and spent Friday night's tearing up newspapers and filling pillow cases with it to throw out onto the ground after goals were scored.Rolls of toilet paper were thrown as streamers.What a mess was made.All good  fun though. 

Edited September 16, 2018 by doc roet

[Dante 2,739]

I was at the game and thought that we would win easily, we had beaten them on the final leading up to the GF quite by a big margin and to me it was just a matter of turning up. 

It was not as planned, however and as deoldfart described above we only just won.

I had a standing room ticket and was by myself, when Gabbo kicked that goal, it was down my end of the ground, so I saw it coming, I was devestated and thought it was over and sat on the terrace. A short time later a woman standing near me said get up, Hassa Man has a kick 25 out, I stood and watched him miss, so I sat down again. Then Froggy kicked the goal to put us in front and I didn’t see it, I was still sitting down. I got up and shortly after the siren went and we’d won.

It was an amazing game and we were so superior to Collingwood, we would have been unbackable  

You have to remember we were a super team throughout the 50’s and 60’s so you went to the ground expecting to win every week, it never entered my mind that we’d lose the 64 GF so it was just a normal week, to me at least.

If someone had said to me, as I was leaving the ground, that we wouldn’t win another flag for over 50 years, I would have thought they were crazy. 

[corowa 216]

I travelled down from Corowa (southern NSW) at the age of 17 on the morning of the GF. We had won 5 grand finals in my 10 years as a Dees supporter, so I was brashly confident. Not so confident late in the last quarter when Collingwood hit the front.

A great trip back home - the three hours passed quickly.

I'm now 71 and no way would I have ever thought that we'd be 54 years from our 1964 win and still without another premiership.

I guess I'm blessed to have seen us win one. But I would love another!

[layzie 34,528]

Not from that era I’m in my 30s, but I just wanted to say that I’ve watched that highlights reel so many times I have it memorised.

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,825]

There was a fair bit of time left after Froggie's goal.

The ball went deep into their forward line.

Magpie Ian Graham nearly marked, and could have been paid a free, but wasn't (times have changed....good on you, Ron Brophy!)

Barry Bourke cleared it and the siren went.

I'll never forget the joy!

Like Dante, I expected us to keep winning premierships year after year.

It's been pretty rough since then, and the many thousands of Demon faithful should be proud that they've stayed with the Demons so long, for so little reward. That's what's made the last month so good!

[deebug 1,754]

I was born after 1964, great to hear people's experiences from our last GF win.

It's amazing to think how long it's been for all of us? Fingers crossed the boys can bring home the Grand Old Flag this year.

[Willmoy1947 4,261]

36 minutes ago, corowa said:

I travelled down from Corowa (southern NSW) at the age of 17 on the morning of the GF. We had won 5 grand finals in my 10 years as a Dees supporter, so I was brashly confident. Not so confident late in the last quarter when Collingwood hit the front.

A great trip back home - the three hours passed quickly.

I'm now 71 and no way would I have ever thought that we'd be 54 years from our 1964 win and still without another premiership.

I guess I'm blessed to have seen us win one. But I would love another!

Yes, i'm about the same, sorry to say that i was used to seeing the big games so much then that i went along into the members and didn't bother watching this one until the last qtr when it looked like we were going to lose and i watched the last qtr without a blink in the mud.

[Willmoy1947 4,261]

I know i've seen a recording of the last qtr somewhere of that game 1964 and also the Olympic Games highlights year 1956 and whatever game we played against Richmond i think....

[special robert 438]

The last 5 minutes was agony....we were gone. I was sitting right behind the Punt Rd goals up in the great Southern stand when Gabelich ran with the ball from about 40 -50 m out on the members flank/robbie flower side. He wanted to make it a cert so didn't go for the kick but ran and bounced towards the Punt rd goal. I was literally dying...this is 25 minute mark of the last qtr. The forward 50 was deserted...but Barassi was after him absolutely flat out! ....maybe Ronald Dale was 20 metres behind him...but gaining fast. Every bounce Gabelich  took he only just managed to recover the ball. The crowd was going nuts. I was standing on my seat....screaming get him Ron!....but he kicks it from the square...its a goal and we are devastated. Nobody was seated at this point. Collingwood are now in front by something like one or two points.

I was out of my mind at this point.....its the bloody grand final we are going to lose at the death.....everybody around me is half crazy as well....could only be two or three minutes left.....when out of the blue, maybe at the 27 minute mark , Frog kicks that beauty ..........I went from one kind of delerium to the other in a split second. If god had burst through the clouds accompanied by a chorus of angels I wouldn't have noticed........the next  ...two minutes?...........It was like I was on acid...standing on the wooden seat yelling blow the siren! Blow the bloody siren! and..........there it goes...we win! From the death to being saved!!!!!

It remains perhaps one of my most vivid memories.

[waverleyheartbreak 89]

4 hours ago, MrMoose said:

I was born in 1964 - I just want to see 1 premiership before I fall off the perch! (Well 1 at least)

me too MrMoose!

[praha 11,267]

Best thread on Demonland. I was born in 86 and have mostly experienced misery with a handful of good but not great years. This current team is undoubtedly the best we've had in my time, maybe the 94 list as all of our best players were in their prime but we could never get them on the park at the same time.

Keep the stories coming!

[MT64 1,148]

I'll try and keep it short. I've been very fortunate to have seen the premierships from 55' onwards and we started the cheer squad in 1959 sitting by the old race before moving to the Punt Road end. Many meetings with JIm Cardwell who helped us with money to start making the banners. We used to cut up paper (had a paper mill near us) and dragged hessian bags full along to the first train and the banners. Loaded a lot of the paper in the Greysmith stand and the kids used to throw it down when the team ran out.

In 1964 at 3/4 time of the prelim we marched outside and started queueing for "T" section (now the Ponsford stand end) and we slept there all week as the there were 3 rows of seats and the rest was standing room. Collingwood got the goal and we were just around from them. Was a bit nervous in the last quarter when Gablelich has his run and then Hassa man missed an easy goal from the pocket. Brian Dixon played so well that day and kept pushing the ball forward where "froggy" Crompton got onto a loose ball AND BANG. The roar from the members (totally Red & Blue those days) was enormous.

Spoke to the goal umpire years later (Steve Stephens) and he said the goal was never in doubt but it was his moment and he slightly delayed putting the fingers up to enjoy the moment. And he did barrack for Melbourne. Was the Lord Mayor at Moorabbin later on I believe.

After the game the club put on a barbeque/food and drinks outside the club rooms which was so packed so we sat on the ground after midnight just soaking it all in. Finally packed up and went home on Sunday afternoon. Many more funny stories but that's it for now.

[M_9 2,216]

2 hours ago, MT64 said:

I'll try and keep it short. I've been very fortunate to have seen the premierships from 55' onwards and we started the cheer squad in 1959 sitting

....

MT - I guess that's Malcolm? I too was in the cheer squad from '62 - '69. A bit younger than most at the time (13 in '64). Knocked around with Dobbo and Ken. Great days. 

 

[Dockett 32 1,239]

6 hours ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

There was a fair bit of time left after Froggie's goal.

The ball went deep into their forward line.

Magpie Ian Graham nearly marked, and could have been paid a free, but wasn't (times have changed....good on you, Ron Brophy!)

Barry Bourke cleared it and the siren went.

I'll never forget the joy!

Like Dante, I expected us to keep winning premierships year after year.

It's been pretty rough since then, and the many thousands of Demon faithful should be proud that they've stayed with the Demons so long, for so little reward. That's what's made the last month so good!

You make a good point . The Demon   noise last Friday from our supporters was wonderful music and brought back memories of the 50/60’s. I think it’s inportant to understand what  has just woken. The coach certainly does and I suspect a few Geelong and Hawthorn people do too now. Congrats to all who went and yelled like crazy. It was powerful.

The Frog lived around the corner in Carnegie in 1964. Was a local boy and played juniors at Carnegie before going on to bigger things. Always a good bloke and a great mate of Lenny who was also a handy district cricketer.

 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,137]

Anyone know how Neil Crompton got his nickname of "Froggy"?

[Deefender 254]

In 1964 all radio was from a power point. There were no transistor radios. I listened to the grand final as a twelve year old on the family radiogram.

I was there for ‘87 and at Waverley too. The Dees have unfinished business.

Momentum and belief are powerful forces when combined.

Step aside. We’re on our way.

[old dee 24,083]

I was there in 64 and before that in 60. DOF has described it perfectly. I remember it as thought it was yesterday. The over powering memory I have driving home with my father to the country was that following the Redlegs ( no Dees in 64) was that this would go on forever. My father and I had standing room tickets and we were at the ground when the gates opened. Saw the under 19 game then the Seconds game and then the big dance.

How wrong was I but still I have done what few on here have done and that is see two GF wins.

We still have to get there but I have not enjoyed games like the last four for a very long time.

Go Dees.

[John Crow Batty 8,892]

In 1964 we were living in Powlett St, East Melbourne opposite the MCG, I was 8 years old. The family moved from Collingwood earlier that year. I was already a Melbourne supporter and Barassi was my favourite player. We never went to the games as my dad had to work at the nearby brewery  but listened on the radio. A highlight was most Saturday’s when there was a game on my brother and I used to sit on the fence and watch the crowd. I remember hordes of fans passing our front wrought iron fence with their coloured scarfs, beanies and floggers coming up from the Victoria St tram  going to and and leaving the games. Richmond still played at Punt Road though so there were always a majority of Melbourne colours parading by most games. After the GF a delirious drunken Melbourne supporter in a suit and fedora hat gave us a two pound note which was small fortune for us then. That’s my memory of the game. A lifetime has gone by since then.

Edited September 16, 2018 by america de cali

[Micksdemons 131]

I was there sat in the top deck of the old members stand with my mother while my father watched from the balcony in front of the old Annexe bar in the Members - being young I don't remember much but Barassi was huge - Gabbo's run and Cromptons goal - I also remember mum sitting quietly and then grabbing me ( I was standing ) and saying the siren had gone but they were still playing and I said the umps hadn't heard it - the noise was unbelievable and the loudest since was Jones goal against Geelong and then again with Hannans ! 

[tiers 2,883]

To MT64 - Steve Stevens was later Mayor of Moorabbin.

Remember how goal umpires would always get it right without score reviews and conferences on the filed and were generally more mature, non athletic types.

 

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by tiers