'The Hafey years' book by Elliot Cartledge [Merged]

[23.21.159]

I seem to remember pointing out a couple of minor factual errors to you, EJC. Do you know if they've been addressed?

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

Personally, I'm pleased. It's more the book I wanted first time around - bolder, cleaner and more colourful. It will serve to document Tommy's legacy from here on.

Just grabbed a copy from the Punt Rd shop.

Who knows, maybe the first edition will become a collector's item like Ulysses!

On a related note, someone rang SEN this morning saying they have a Richmond history book printed from 1934, covering the club's first 50 years. Anyone know more about this book?

 

[EJC]

Any plans to release it as an eBook ? Kindle or what have you ?

G'day Baloo...the publisher tells me most likely after most of this print run goes.

 

[EJC]

On a related note, someone rang SEN this morning saying they have a Richmond history book printed from 1934, covering the club's first 50 years. Anyone know more about this book?

I know it's at the National Library! http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18895708?q=+&versionId=22181371

It was 80 pages, soft cover and put together by a fellow called Derby Clonard, who was also a racing writer. Very few copies are known to exist, so it's worth between $400 - $500.

 

[EJC]

I seem to remember pointing out a couple of minor factual errors to you, EJC. Do you know if they've been addressed?

We made a great many amendments.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

I know it's at the National Library! http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18895708?q=+&versionId=22181371

It was 80 pages, soft cover and put together by a fellow called Derby Clonard, who was also a racing writer. Very few copies are known to exist, so it's worth between $400 - $500.

Thanks Elliott. Apparently there was one published around 1948 or 49. I thought that was the first one.

 

[tigertim]

Just read that PRE's own EJC (Elliott) and Tim Lane have written a book on Peter Roebuck, should be a good read that one.

 

[EJC]

Just read that PRE's own EJC (Elliott) and Tim Lane have written a book on Peter Roebuck, should be a good read that one.

You're right tigertim; we have just finished the manuscript after researching it over the last 12 months. It's a hell of a tale - took me to Asia, the UK, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Never say never, but I'm not sure I'll do another footy book. I loved doing the research and writing for 'The Hafey Years' and the one that followed, 'Footy's Glory Days', but there isn't much, I'm afraid, that inspires me about the game today. Anyway, I'm really happy we were able to do a reprint of the Hafey book as I think it's a better product than the original version.

 

[tigertim]

You're right tigertim; we have just finished the manuscript after researching it over the last 12 months. It's a hell of a tale - took me to Asia, the UK, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Never say never, but I'm not sure I'll do another footy book. I loved doing the research and writing for 'The Hafey Years' and the one that followed, 'Footy's Glory Days', but there isn't much, I'm afraid, that inspires me about the game today. Anyway, I'm really happy we were able to do a reprint of the Hafey book as I think it's a better product than the original version.

Yeah, I'm not sure why footy doesn't lend itself to stories other than biographies. There's some like Footy Inc and the Hafey years and the new one Essendon but I'm sure there's a lot of untold stories.

What about a follow up to the Hafey years that chronicles RFC post 1982? I reckon there's a story or 2 in that.

 

[TT33]

Thanks writing this book EJC, it was given to me for Christmas. I must say how much I enjoyed it.
It was a great time to be a Tiger supporter.
I was lucky enough to meet Tommy at a function that the company I worked for at the time ran.He was the guest speaker & luckily I was nominated to be his table host.
That day was Tommy's 77th birthday, I Asked him why he was not at home celebrating, he said " I just love getting out & meeting people & besides it's just another day"
He went on to say that he celebrated by doing 700 sit ups & 400 push-ups instead of 500 & 200

There were 10 people in total on the table, Tom, me & 8 others. Tommy introduced himself to everyone, asked about them, their family what they did for work etc. remembered ALL Their names etc for the whole function & sought each & everyone of them at the end of the evening to say goodbye to them.

He is an absolute Legend, the world is a poorer place for his loss.
I & many others loved him.

Again I say many thanks for your book EJC.

 

[EJC]

Yeah, I'm not sure why footy doesn't lend itself to stories other than biographies. There's some like Footy Inc and the Hafey years and the new one Essendon but I'm sure there's a lot of untold stories.

What about a follow up to the Hafey years that chronicles RFC post 1982? I reckon there's a story or 2 in that.

It's an interesting point, tigertim. Footy does not have a rich canon of literature, unlike cricket by way of example. Biographies, as you say, are a dime a dozen and probably don't add much to the tradition and folklore.

When I was living in Argentina I did a few features for Inside Sport and one was pitched (and accepted) about Wallace's appointment and the whole wave of optimism that accompanied it. I tried in vain to land an interview with him (not easy from Buenos Aires!) and the club really stuffed me around. I ended up researching another topic instead; the abysmal performance of our club post-82 and the reasons why. It had always fascinated me, particularly the loss of Cloke, Raines, Wood, Taylor, etc.

At any rate, I called up Barry Richardson, Francis Bourke and a couple of others who wanted to remain anonymous and put the story together, which appeared in Feb 2005. A copy of the article can be found here: http://docslide.us/documents/the-state-of-richmond-tigers-inside-sport.html

Subsequently, I have sat down with the likes of Barry Rowlings, Tony Jewell, Octa Wilson, etc. and further explored what happened that caused such a rapid and dramatic capitulation. I think there is more than enough material to put a book together...but I doubt I would find a publisher.

 

[EJC]

Thanks writing this book EJC, it was given to me for Christmas. I must say how much I enjoyed it.
It was a great time to be a Tiger supporter.
I was lucky enough to meet Tommy at a function that the company I worked for at the time ran.He was the guest speaker & luckily I was nominated to be his table host.
That day was Tommy's 77th birthday, I Asked him why he was not at home celebrating, he said " I just love getting out & meeting people & besides it's just another day"
He went on to say that he celebrated by doing 700 sit ups & 400 push-ups instead of 500 & 200

There were 10 people in total on the table, Tom, me & 8 others. Tommy introduced himself to everyone, asked about them, their family what they did for work etc. remembered ALL Their names etc for the whole function & sought each & everyone of them at the end of the evening to say goodbye to them.

He is an absolute Legend, the world is a poorer place for his loss.
I & many others loved him.

Again I say many thanks for your book EJC.

Many thanks for your kind words TT33 and thank you for sharing your memories of Tommy. He was a delight - at times! - when being interviewed, occasionally feisty, occasionally too candid to print, but overall a wonderful experience to get to know him over a number of years when researching the original book and then the follow up. I really do miss him. Like clockwork, he would ring every month, just for a chat, just to say hello. I remember a very typical Tommy conversation:

EC: So what have you been up to Tommy?

Tommy: Oh, just making lots of calls, catching up with people.

EC: Righto, anyone in particular you've been talking to?

Tommy: No, just everyone.

Quite a character.

 

[tigertim]

It's an interesting point, tigertim. Footy does not have a rich canon of literature, unlike cricket by way of example. Biographies, as you say, are a dime a dozen and probably don't add much to the tradition and folklore.

When I was living in Argentina I did a few features for Inside Sport and one was pitched (and accepted) about Wallace's appointment and the whole wave of optimism that accompanied it. I tried in vain to land an interview with him (not easy from Buenos Aires!) and the club really stuffed me around. I ended up researching another topic instead; the abysmal performance of our club post-82 and the reasons why. It had always fascinated me, particularly the loss of Cloke, Raines, Wood, Taylor, etc.

At any rate, I called up Barry Richardson, Francis Bourke and a couple of others who wanted to remain anonymous and put the story together, which appeared in Feb 2005. A copy of the article can be found here: http://docslide.us/documents/the-state-of-richmond-tigers-inside-sport.html

Subsequently, I have sat down with the likes of Barry Rowlings, Tony Jewell, Octa Wilson, etc. and further explored what happened that caused such a rapid and dramatic capitulation. I think there is more than enough material to put a book together...but I doubt I would find a publisher.

That's a bugger, I would've thought a book on Richmonds woes would be an easy sell! And I'm sure you've considered self publishing via crowd funding so I shan't suggest that option.

 

[CarnTheTiges]

That's a bugger, I would've thought a book on Richmonds woes would be an easy sell! And I'm sure you've considered self publishing via crowd funding so I shan't suggest that option.

It wouldn't be a fun read, but from the perspective of a supporter like Elliot, who would also have interviews with people involved in the club and get their viewpoints on it, I think it would be fascinating, and I'd definitely get a copy. Sheahan's documentary on what is referred to as the Wilderness Years did pretty well, too. Just thinking about it, I'd start it with the aftermath of the '82 GF and then finish it as we lose to Geelong in the '95 PF. That could of course be Volume 1.

 

[toby64]

It wouldn't be a fun read, but from the perspective of a supporter like Elliot, who would also have interviews with people involved in the club and get their viewpoints on it, I think it would be fascinating, and I'd definitely get a copy. Sheahan's documentary on what is referred to as the Wilderness Years did pretty well, too. Just thinking about it, I'd start it with the aftermath of the '82 GF and then finish it as we lose to Geelong in the '95 PF. That could of course be Volume 1.

Agree I would find it a fascinating read.

I reckon you could even go as far back as the aftermath of 1980, which had Jewell being sacked at the end of 1981 and Francis Bourke being appointed almost in fear that he would do a Sheedy and coach another club.