Almanac Life: ‘Got a light?’

 

Got a light?

 

You don’t hear that saying often these days, if at all.

 

In my day – hello here we go, it was a regular feature just about anywhere you went. Fortunately Yul Brynner paved the way for a change in societal mores  for the better.

 

 

 

A friend was cleaning out his late brother’s house when he came across a Cigarette Picture Album  (circa 1904) according to the best wishes inside.

 

Well wedged in were over 70 cigarette cards of VFL and VFA footballers plus a couple from Ballarat.  An amazing collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My thoughts turned to who are these guys?  There doesn’t seem to be too many big names amongst them.  Dick Lee, Jock McHale, Dave McNamara are the big three in my book.

 

I want to know more about the ‘ordinary Joe’ who pulled on the boots in the VFL or VFA. They have been part of the picture as well as the star.

 

As we well know, today, the sports media  scene is dominated by a few but where are the many.

 

I wonder what happened to them after football.  Did many of them go to the World War II  for example? Coaching in the bush, members of parliament, leaders in industry (not to be confused with parliament), school teachers or lost souls.  There are many stories.

 

My aim, with the help of readers, is to find out as much as we can about the players in the two photographs and then compose some stories for The Almanac.

 

Please pass the pics on to some one who might be able to help you identify the players or know of family members.

 

Contact me via my email  [email protected] and if you are in for a long chat 0407 51 3357

 

More stories from Citrus Bob Utber can be read Here.

 

 

 

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Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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