The National Sports Museum is appealing for help to locate particular football objects ahead of the opening of its Australian Football Hall of Fame at the MCG in early-August.
The Australian Football Hall of Fame will recognise and honour the greats of our game, including players, umpires, coaches, administrators and media representatives. This all-new exhibition is currently under construction and exhibition producers have uncovered some amazing items related to the 21 Legends of the AFL’s Hall of Fame.
Highlights include the guernsey worn by St Kilda captain Darrell Baldock during his club’s famous 1966 premiership win, the certificate presented to Haydn Bunton Snr in 1931 when he was awarded the first of his three Brownlow medals, John Coleman’s Essendon training bag and guernseys worn by Barassi, Bartlett, Matthews and Whitten.
A few items however, remain elusive. Organisers are appealing to the public to help source items worn or used by Jack Dyer, Polly Farmer, Ian Stewart or Norm Smith.
Other items on the museum’s wish-list include playing guernseys worn by Roy Cazaly (South Melbourne), Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy), Gordon Coventry (Collingwood), Jack Dyer (Richmond), Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer (Geelong), Peter Hudson (Hawthorn) and Ian Stewart (St Kilda/Richmond).
“Often families have such items in their cupboards, or pass them down from generation to generation,” said Gerry Kerlin, General Manager of the National Sports Museum. “These are family heirlooms, but they are also items of significant interest to the public and we would be most appreciative if the owners of these treasured items would lend them to the National Sports Museum.”
If you can help, please contact Jed Smith, NSM Exhibition Producer via email [jeds@mcc.org.au] or phone (03) 9657 8888.
For further media information, please contact Katrina Hall on 0421 153 046.