Almanac Footy History: The Crapp Chronicles Part 6 – Ivo Crapp v Dick Condon
In the final sectional match between Melbourne and Collingwood in 1900, the incident which Ivo Crapp and Dick Condon will forever be remembered for occurred. Melbourne, were on their way to the grand final, by virtue of their huge 71 point win the previous week, while Collingwood was playing for pride (although if they could absolutely smash the Demons they had a chance).
Condon had taken over the captaincy in the previous season but was always close to controversy. He had missed matches earlier in the year for swearing at an umpire, and only the week previous he had lost the plot, again at the umpires and threatened to walk the whole team off. So during Collingwood’s hard-fought win over Melbourne, Condon again had a fit of rage when a free-kick went against him. In fact, Condon’s reaction was to launch a personal attack on Ivo Crapp screaming “Your girl’s a bloody whore!”.
The game continued, and it was not until the league announced the report in the following week that Condon discovered he had been reported. The Sportsman in Melbourne reporting that ‘the investigation committee, whose decision is final, by the way, dealt with the case of Condon in a way that must have the effect of restraining those players whose tongue carries them out of bounds. The case was considered proved, and the committee decided to disqualify Condon for life”.
Condon himself was unable to attend the hearing, saying he was ‘prevented from so doing by the sickness of his wife and child’. Condon’s lifetime ban would last all of one season, after two previous appeals, his third appeal was successful and in round 2, 1902, he returned. But rest assured he was never far from controversy!
But just who was the girl that Condon had referred to in his vile rant?
From almost all reports since it has been assumed that the reference was being made about Ivo Crapp’s young daughter. However, this is not the case. Henry Crapp was married in 1895 to Priscilla Hulley, also known as Prissie. Between them, they had three children. Edward Henry, born the year after they wed, Thomas George born two years later in 1896, and finally May Alice, born in 1901. If we look at the dates for the infamous game involving Dick Condon, September 8th, 1900, this is the year before May Alice was born. And looking deeper into May Alice Crapp’s life (Becoming May Alice Clairs in 1925), she passed away on May 27th, 1994, according to the death notice, at the ripe old age of 92. Meaning her birthday lies in the 2nd half of 1901. Therefore at the time of the game, May Alice Crapp had most probably not even been conceived.
Therefore, the whore that Dick Condon was referring to was Henry’s wife, Priscilla.
More of The Crapp Chronicles can be found HERE
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Hi Tim. I’ve been enjoying these Crapp Chronicles.