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Issues from 1998
Issues from 1998
 
 
 
 

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The Sculpture Unveiled

Governor General

After the game and the presentation of the Cordner-Eggleston Cup, the magnificent sculpture depicting the first recorded game of Australian football was unveiled by the Governor-General, His Excellency the Right Reverend Dr Peter Hollingworth AC, OBE ('52).

The sculpture is located in the garden beds outside the Gallery of Sport in front of the MCC Members' Stand.

 

The 2.7m high sculpture sits near another fine work by the sculptor, Louis Laumen, showing the great batsman Victor Trumper in classic driving pose.

Principal Dr Gordon Donaldson AM welcomed dignitaries from both schools and the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Deputy Premier, the Honourable John Thwaites (an Old Melburnian), who accepted the sculpture on behalf of the people of Victoria and invited Dr Hollingworth to do the unveiling.

Dr Hollingworth recalled he could remember as far back as 1945 when the Footy Record religiously reported each year the origin of the game as commemorated by the sculpture, and he paid tribute to the role subsequently played by the great sportsman Tom Wills in the development of both football and cricket in the young colony of Victoria. Indeed it was he who persuaded his cousin Henry Harrison that they should work together to develop 'a game of our own.'

The Governor-General then unveiled the sculpture to the accompaniment of a fanfare from the Scotch Military Band and congratulated the sculptor, Mr Louis Laumen on his very fine piece of work.

Governor General and Dr Donaldson MCC committeeman and Melbourne Grammar Headmaster, Mr Paul Sheahan, who had earlier kicked off the luncheon with a splendid Latin grace, closed proceedings by expressing his delight and congratulations to the Governor-General on his appointment, his own accolade to the sculpture as a 'remarkable image of the game we love' and a warm tribute to our 'much loved friend Scotch College.'

Dr Hollingworth then met the Captains of the two football teams and was subsequently greeted by a mini re-union of a group of his old classmates from IVA in 1947, his first year at Scotch, as he left to attend an MCC Committee function.

 

Frank Shew

Updated: Monday 24 June 2013