Before it was the Australian Open it was the…
The first Victorian tennis championships took place in 1880 just three years after the first Wimbledon tournament.
View ArticleA bohemian football match
The costume football match in 1881 featured players dressed as characters from opera, tragedy, comedy, farce and pantomime.
View ArticleCarlton’s bluebirds
In the 1970s and 80s, the Carlton Bluebirds added a touch of glamour and excitement to Carlton home games with their high leg kicks, cheeky dance routines, and dedicated pom pom waving.
View ArticleDid Daylight really come second?
Did daylight ever really come second or is it just another part of Melbourne Cup folklore?
View ArticleMurder at the Grand National
On Saturday 14 July, 1906 the Grand National race meeting was held at Flemington. During the afternoon young bookmaker Donald ‘Big Mick’ McLeod was beaten to death by an angry crowd after failing to...
View ArticleIt’s just not cricket… or is it?
On Wednesday 23 March, 1895 a large crowd gathered at the East Melbourne cricket ground for an unusual event - a ladies' cricket match. The ladies had been practising in secret and speculation was rife...
View ArticleHang ten with Rennie Ellis
Rennie Ellis combined his two true loves of surfing and photography when he captured the thrills of the annual Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. A dozen of Ellis's surf photographs are featured in The...
View ArticlePlayer payments and the great bribery scandal
In 1900, the VFL prohibited player payments. The upshot? Shady dealings with players, investigations, suspensions- and a pay rise.
View ArticleCountry tennis in Victoria
The Australian Open came via courts in paddocks in rural towns and coastal getaways, built to attract tourists, inspire social events and to hold tournaments.
View ArticleAustralian football: from rectangles to ovals
As we enter AFL Grand Final week it is a good opportunity to look at a key moment in the game’s development. Beginnings Football began being played in Melbourne in… Read More ›
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