LA TROBE UNIVERSITY SYDNEY 1971

 

Photo.  Top left to right:  

Gerry Spicer - abandoned fame and fortune at La Trobe to become the drummer for the band Men at Work.  Sure he regrets that one.  Dave Fisher, unknown, Joe Someone.

Bottom left to right:

 Dennis Hunt, David Davies - last shown in the over 30s team on the net, a mere 36 years later; Allan Weir - in the other over 30s team; Gordon Reynolds.

MY SYDNEY 1971 RECOLLECTION - By Allan Weir

Remember the time, not many Universities in the nation, three only in Vic. and the latest is La Trobe?

I arrived at La Trobe an innocent who had played `ball at high school only because I couldn't make the footy team in 4th form, year 10 to the youngsters.

No coaching back then as no teachers had any experience with the game (Fawkner High, flick knife was the popular sport) but a 5th form Greek student gathered a band and taught us the basics of the game.

It wasn't much different at La Trobe.  When I finally built up the courage to attend training, it was to find that there was even less organization - no coach and a team with very limited skills.

We then were invited to Intervarsity.  We were initially unable to attend this gig at the UNSW due to insufficient finances.  None of us could afford it!

However, fate intervened in the form of one Phil Staines, tutor at UNSW who offered us the luxury of floor-space only in his rooms at college.

We were on.

The overnight train ride - second class - to Sydney was an experience in itself.  All eight of us dossed down in one compartment.  Once we arrived in Sydney we were more or less confined to college life, including sneaking in to breakfast with the other undergrads because we couldn't afford anything else.

So eight of us were crammed in a tiny room and the only highlight was Phil's tape, played repeatedly, of the World Championship Farting Competition.

Basketball wise, we played two games a day and managed a second place in each event until the play-off for last and second last when we beat University of WA to clinch second last spot.

This was back in the day before the women's team was involved, so social functions were somewhat lacking.  One didn't always score at IV.

I do recall Dave Davies - who incidentally helped us secure that first win when he learned how to catch during the game - visiting a nearby nurses' home and convincing one desperado to accompany him to the final dinner.  I don't remember much but the women were few and far between.  Were there three in attendance?

Strangely, this was the start of an annual ritual.  Can't think why.