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Great Article on Harold Ball on the ABC website

pitmaster
in Melbourne Demons

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7 hours ago, pitmaster said:

Interesting piece from the public broadcaster on a dual flag hero, and much more.

Harold Ball had a short but impressive football career before he died in WWII

Merbein has proved to be a great recruiting ground for the club. In addition to Harold Ball and Hassa Mann, the late Colin Sylvia also came from Merbein.

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    Good piece and it's always terrific to see one of our war hero-Demon champions receive due recognition.

    The only quibble I have with this piece is that it seems to tip toe around the circumstances of his death. Other accounts have suggested Harold and his mates were in effect executed - or rather murdered by being bayoneted - on a beach after being confronted by Japanese soldiers. 

    Actually, a second quibble is that the photo with Wilfred Smallhorn is not commented on, but at a guess I reckon Wilfred is actually "Chicken" Smallhorn, a rover who played 150 games with Fitzroy and who was a media commentator when football was first on telly in the 50s and early 60s. Chicken's record would have been worth a mention. He'd also have roved against my avatar!

     

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    • Thanks 1
     

    Great story, and such finds/posts are one of the pleasures (usually!) that is @Demonland.

    It is also a story, however, that makes one say, '[censored] war'.

    And those pictures; 21, going on 31...

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    3 hours ago, Percy Beames said:

    Good piece and it's always terrific to see one of our war hero-Demon champions receive due recognition.

    The only quibble I have with this piece is that it seems to tip toe around the circumstances of his death. Other accounts have suggested Harold and his mates were in effect executed - or rather murdered by being bayoneted - on a beach after being confronted by Japanese soldiers. 

    Actually, a second quibble is that the photo with Wilfred Smallhorn is not commented on, but at a guess I reckon Wilfred is actually "Chicken" Smallhorn, a rover who played 150 games with Fitzroy and who was a media commentator when football was first on telly in the 50s and early 60s. Chicken's record would have been worth a mention. He'd also have roved against my avatar!

     

    Also won a Brownlow Medal, the same Chicken Smallhorn.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    3 hours ago, Percy Beames said:

    Good piece and it's always terrific to see one of our war hero-Demon champions receive due recognition.

    The only quibble I have with this piece is that it seems to tip toe around the circumstances of his death. Other accounts have suggested Harold and his mates were in effect executed - or rather murdered by being bayoneted - on a beach after being confronted by Japanese soldiers. 

    Actually, a second quibble is that the photo with Wilfred Smallhorn is not commented on, but at a guess I reckon Wilfred is actually "Chicken" Smallhorn, a rover who played 150 games with Fitzroy and who was a media commentator when football was first on telly in the 50s and early 60s. Chicken's record would have been worth a mention. He'd also have roved against my avatar!

     

    Unmistakably 'Chicken', for those whose black-and-whites (TVs!) were tuned to the original Friday night footy!

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