Streets of our Town: All hail the Community Cup!

With the Reclink Community Cup (Melbourne) on Sunday at Victoria Park, we revisit John Harms’s report on the Community Cup of 2017.

Almanac Tributes: Vale Ron Reed

Ron Reed’s column will not appear on our site today. He died last Friday at the age of 74. We will miss him. John Harms pays his tribute.

Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin: What are we playing for?

John Harms says that the Maroons are playing for the Queensland way of life. [This piece was first published in 2014]

Almanac Golf: Oakey Golf Club – a story of country golfing

Today, October 19, 2015 is the 40th anniversary of John Harms’s hole-in-one. We re-visit the story of the course where it happened, and of the event. [Forty years! Really – JTH] [This story was first published in 2015 – Ed]

Almanac Racing – Warrnambool Carnival: Pilgrims’ Progress

Father Kevin Mogg’s funeral was held last week. We reprise this piece in which he played a leading role:

John Harms leaves home at sunrise for a pilgrimmage to the Bool. He meets quite a few fellow-travellers.

Almanac Tributes: An interview with Jack Styring

A genuine legend of the Australian turf, the racing gods declared correct weight on the life of renowned racecaller Jack Styring with his passing on February 9th, at the grand age of 92. Recorded back in 2014, Jack graciously opened his home to John Harms and Steve Baker to reflect on his time behind the microphone and the binoculars.

Jack Styring gets Dog on Fire home at Donald

John Harms paid tribute to Jack Styring when the legendary race-caller was behind the binoculars at Donald, in this extract from Memoirs of a Mug Punter (2002).

Almanac Cricket History: Ashley Mallett

John Harms reflects on the cricketing (and writing) career of a classic off-spin bowler. Vale A.A. Mallett.

Almanac Footy: The Lions, The Cats, The Gabba and The Divine

The Gabba! Before it became yet another monolith to Mammon, it was a ground of immense character. In his 2020 preview of the Brisbane v Geelong Preliminary Final, John Harms explains the mystique of former days.

Almanac Basketball: When the Toowoomba Mountaineers (and John Rillie) were on top of The World

John Harms still has this sporting contest in his Top 10 of all time – any sport, any level – on the night the Toowoomba Mountaineers were on top of the world. It features John Rillie.

Round 13 – Port Adelaide v Geelong: A good game of football

John Harms finally got to see some live footy and was treated to an open, entertaining contest between two pretty good footy teams.

Almanac Rugby – Old Collegians v Barossa Rams: `Appy Birthday

The day the Barossa Rams came to town to take on Collegians, a celebration of South Australian Third Division rugby (and other things).

Almanac (Footy) Poetry: When Tom Papley Beat The Whole World

John Harms observed a rare moment of (footy) purity from Sydney’s Tom Papley.

VAFA – Fitzroy v Ajax: ANZAC Day at Brunswick Street Oval, then, and now.

John Harms spent ANZAC Day 2012 at the Brunswick Street Oval helping with Auskick, having lunch and then watching an exciting match between the Roys and the visiting Ajax side. [Reprised]

Almanac Country Footy – Tanunda v Kapunda: Does this make me a Magpie?

John Harms attended the opening match of the Barossa and Light Football League season, Tanunda v Kapunda, at Tanunda Oval. It seems he’s become a Magpie.

Round 1 – Adelaide v Geelong: An afternoon of fine theatre

John Harms went to the Adelaide Oval to see Geelong open its 2021 account, but the script went a different way.

Almanac (Bush) Footy: The Mighty (Tanunda) Magpies

John Harms now lives in the Barossa. He once wrote about footy there. (First published in The Age, July, 2009)

Almanac Life – A Year in the Barossa: “Glory to the Barossa!”

John Harms and his family have moved from The People’s Republic of Northcote to the Barossa Valley. He hopes to write regularly about their year. This is his story about the Declaration of Vintage ceremony.

The Footy Almanac Podcast Episode 22 – Jack Styring

“Would you like to see the new bank Squizzy?” “Why yes, I think I would…” For our last racing podcast this spring, John Harms and Steve Baker sit down with legendary race caller Jack ‘bearing his molars to the breeze’ Styring for a cuppa or two.

Almanac Life: Quick hands at Uncle Stan’s in Grantham

On the tenth anniversary if the 2011 floods, we reprise John Harms’s story about his Uncle Stan and Aunty June who survived the Grantham devastation.

“My wonderful, wonderful uncle, Stan Schulz, died in 2015. He was a great man – a truly great man. He and Aunty June survived the catastrophic Grantham flood in January 2011. At the time, I wrote this story about him.”