1961

[Beno88]

59 years ago the Saints ended a long finals drought with Semi Final appearance against the Bulldogs.

1961 saw St Kilda start the season poorly, winning just one of their first three. But a Round 4 victory over the reigning premiers squared the ledger (sound familiar?).

The Saints got on a roll and found themselves in an unlikely second spot halfway through the season.

A few narrow losses saw the Saints drop into the bottom half of the four, with their finals hopes hanging by a thread. A hard fought victory in the final round ensured St Kilda would play finals for the first time since 1939, ending a 22 year drought.

The first week of the finals saw St Kilda take on the Bulldogs in a knock out Semi Final. St Kilda started slowly, trailing by five goals early the 3rd quarter before rallying to end up just 9 points short.

The dogs would go on to make the Grand Final, but St Kilda had begun a golden era, where they would feature in the finals 9 times in 13 seasons, including three Grand Finals and Premiership.

Let’s hope this parallel is the beginning of something just as great.

[saynta]

59 years ago the Saints ended a long finals drought with Semi Final appearance against the Bulldogs.

1961 saw St Kilda start the season poorly, winning just one of their first three. But a Round 4 victory over the reigning premiers squared the ledger (sound familiar?).

The Saints got on a roll and found themselves in an unlikely second spot halfway through the season.

A few narrow losses saw the Saints drop into the bottom half of the four, with their finals hopes hanging by a thread. A hard fought victory in the final round ensured St Kilda would play finals for the first time since 1939, ending a 22 year drought.

The first week of the finals saw St Kilda take on the Bulldogs in a knock out Semi Final. St Kilda started slowly, trailing by five goals early the 3rd quarter before rallying to end up just 9 points short.

The dogs would go on to make the Grand Final, but St Kilda had begun a golden era, where they would feature in the finals 9 times in 13 seasons, including three Grand Finals and Premiership.

Let’s hope this parallel is the beginning of something just as great.

yeah, I remember the Saints got beat up by a thug Dawks team in the last home and away.

[longtimesaint]

59 years ago the Saints ended a long finals drought with Semi Final appearance against the Bulldogs.

1961 saw St Kilda start the season poorly, winning just one of their first three. But a Round 4 victory over the reigning premiers squared the ledger (sound familiar?).

The Saints got on a roll and found themselves in an unlikely second spot halfway through the season.

A few narrow losses saw the Saints drop into the bottom half of the four, with their finals hopes hanging by a thread. A hard fought victory in the final round ensured St Kilda would play finals for the first time since 1939, ending a 22 year drought.

The first week of the finals saw St Kilda take on the Bulldogs in a knock out Semi Final. St Kilda started slowly, trailing by five goals early the 3rd quarter before rallying to end up just 9 points short.

The dogs would go on to make the Grand Final, but St Kilda had begun a golden era, where they would feature in the finals 9 times in 13 seasons, including three Grand Finals and Premiership.

Let’s hope this parallel is the beginning of something just as great.

yeah, I remember the Saints got beat up by a thug Dawks team in the last home and away.

I was at that game and remember being squeezed into the sardine can that was Glenferrie Oval.
They went the bash and we finished with a lot of injured players.
This was the main reason we lost the semi the next week as we played a lot of injured players.

[saynta]

59 years ago the Saints ended a long finals drought with Semi Final appearance against the Bulldogs.

1961 saw St Kilda start the season poorly, winning just one of their first three. But a Round 4 victory over the reigning premiers squared the ledger (sound familiar?).

The Saints got on a roll and found themselves in an unlikely second spot halfway through the season.

A few narrow losses saw the Saints drop into the bottom half of the four, with their finals hopes hanging by a thread. A hard fought victory in the final round ensured St Kilda would play finals for the first time since 1939, ending a 22 year drought.

The first week of the finals saw St Kilda take on the Bulldogs in a knock out Semi Final. St Kilda started slowly, trailing by five goals early the 3rd quarter before rallying to end up just 9 points short.

The dogs would go on to make the Grand Final, but St Kilda had begun a golden era, where they would feature in the finals 9 times in 13 seasons, including three Grand Finals and Premiership.

Let’s hope this parallel is the beginning of something just as great.

yeah, I remember the Saints got beat up by a thug Dawks team in the last home and away.

I was at that game and remember being squeezed into the sardine can that was Glenferrie Oval.
They went the bash and we finished with a lot of injured players.
This was the main reason we lost the semi the next week as we played a lot of injured players.

Yep. I was there with my dad who was mate of Ian Drake. You are spot on.

[samuraisaint]

A bit before my time but our final match of the home and away that season was actually against North Melbourne. An ex-St Kilda coach was coaching them - Killigrew. We just fell in and made the finals.

I do remember the Dogs beating us in a semi final in 1992. They were a lot stronger than us that year. I think they beat us four times that season including a night match.

[saynta]

A bit before my time but our final match of the home and away that season was actually against North Melbourne. An ex-St Kilda coach was coaching them - Killigrew. We just fell in and made the finals.

I do remember the Dogs beating us in a semi final in 1992. They were a lot stronger than us that year. I think they beat us four times that season including a night match.

YEAR FINAL RESULT
1961 Semi-final St Kilda 8.12 (60) def. by Footscray 9.15 (69)
1992 Semi-final Footscray 19.5 (119) def. St Kilda 14.6 (90)
2009 Preliminary final St Kilda 9.6. (60) def. Western. Bulldogs 7.11 (53)
2010 Preliminary final St Kilda 13.10 (88) def. Western Bulldogs 8.16 (64)

[perfectionist]

Only 4 players from that 1961 1st Semi team played in our Premiership team of 1966.

In the last H&A game, which we needed to win to make the 4, North were bottom of the ladder and we trailed by 13 points at 3 quarter time. It has been speculated that Alan Killigrew told his players to let us win - not very likely. It was at the game but don't have any strong memories of it, unlike the match two weeks prior when we beat Richmond 12 goals 19 behinds to 0 goals 8 behinds. I remember gazing up at the scoreboard after the game for as long at it took the scoreboard attendants to finally take down the numbers.

[saynta]

Sorry . Saints got beat up by Hawthorn in round 17 not 18 and then limped into the finals

[shanegrambeau]

59 years ago the Saints ended a long finals drought with Semi Final appearance against the Bulldogs.

1961 saw St Kilda start the season poorly, winning just one of their first three. But a Round 4 victory over the reigning premiers squared the ledger (sound familiar?).

The Saints got on a roll and found themselves in an unlikely second spot halfway through the season.

A few narrow losses saw the Saints drop into the bottom half of the four, with their finals hopes hanging by a thread. A hard fought victory in the final round ensured St Kilda would play finals for the first time since 1939, ending a 22 year drought.

The first week of the finals saw St Kilda take on the Bulldogs in a knock out Semi Final. St Kilda started slowly, trailing by five goals early the 3rd quarter before rallying to end up just 9 points short.

The dogs would go on to make the Grand Final, but St Kilda had begun a golden era, where they would feature in the finals 9 times in 13 seasons, including three Grand Finals and Premiership.

Let’s hope this parallel is the beginning of something just as great.

yeah, I remember the Saints got beat up by a thug Dawks team in the last home and away.

I was at that game and remember being squeezed into the sardine can that was Glenferrie Oval.
They went the bash and we finished with a lot of injured players.
This was the main reason we lost the semi the next week as we played a lot of injured players.

Love it.
Sorry.
Side question.

What -I’ve been wondering about this all week- what kind of food could you buy at the ground in 1961? What did people typically eat? Did they bring sandwiches and a thermos?

Until last week, I assumed people bought meat pies and chips and dummies and sausage rolls, just like they did in 1979 when I was there. But then I thought, wait a minute, it might just be a myth made up by our Aussie marketers in the 70s. (The great Aussie pie, come on Aussie, meat pies, Holden - all that kinda crap) so tell me , please, what did people buy at ‘the kiosk’ in those days?

[perfectionist]

...I’ve been wondering about this all week- what kind of food could you buy at the ground in 1961? What did people typically eat? Did they bring sandwiches and a thermos?

At the Junction Oval, there were pies, from stalls and from roving sellers; chips and dimmies from stalls, Boon Spa bottles of soft drink - on which there was a half penny refund so an industrious boy might scamper around at thee quarter time or when the game was well within grasp, collect up a few dozen and go home with more money than he went with - plus seeing a Saints win!

Of course, not everyone was so flush as to be able to afford bought food. The die hards, who got to the ground early, would more often than not take their own food and drinks, including the thermos. It was a bit of a ritual. I did this at the cricket more than the football.

Oh, and I almost forgot - there was the man who sold peanuts ' Peanuts - shilling a bag - peanuts!"

[longtimesaint]

I used to go to the Junction Oval with my two older brothers and we would get there about 11 a.m. and watch the entire reserves match before the main game.
Sitting in the old wooden stand and we would stamp our feet whenever Saints got a run on.
I remember seeing Ross Smith play his first game in Saints reserves.

[saynta]

In 1958 and 1959. my brother and I used to carry food drink trays around the MCG and Glenferry Oval. We also manned a stand in the old southern stand for the Billy Graham tour in 1959 which was a f****** waste of time as those relgious prick types didn't buy anything.

[samuraisaint]

...I’ve been wondering about this all week- what kind of food could you buy at the ground in 1961? What did people typically eat? Did they bring sandwiches and a thermos?

At the Junction Oval, there were pies, from stalls and from roving sellers; chips and dimmies from stalls, Boon Spa bottles of soft drink - on which there was a half penny refund so an industrious boy might scamper around at thee quarter time or when the game was well within grasp, collect up a few dozen and go home with more money than he went with - plus seeing a Saints win!

Of course, not everyone was so flush as to be able to afford bought food. The die hards, who got to the ground early, would more often than not take their own food and drinks, including the thermos. It was a bit of a ritual. I did this at the cricket more than the football.

Oh, and I almost forgot - there was the man who sold peanuts ' Peanuts - shilling a bag - peanuts!"

Not the same old bloke who sold peanuts and used to call out when Fitzroy played at the Junction in the late '70s was it?

[one point]

Only 4 players from that 1961 1st Semi team played in our Premiership team of 1966.

In the last H&A game, which we needed to win to make the 4, North were bottom of the ladder and we trailed by 13 points at 3 quarter time. It has been speculated that Alan Killigrew told his players to let us win - not very likely. It was at the game but don't have any strong memories of it, unlike the match two weeks prior when we beat Richmond 12 goals 19 behinds to 0 goals 8 behinds. I remember gazing up at the scoreboard after the game for as long at it took the scoreboard attendants to finally take down the numbers.

I was also at that Richmond game and for many years really questioned my memory as to whether we could have kept Richmond goalless for that entire game. When I finally checked the records there it was - Richmond 0 goals 8 behinds.

[samuraisaint]

...I’ve been wondering about this all week- what kind of food could you buy at the ground in 1961? What did people typically eat? Did they bring sandwiches and a thermos?

At the Junction Oval, there were pies, from stalls and from roving sellers; chips and dimmies from stalls, Boon Spa bottles of soft drink - on which there was a half penny refund so an industrious boy might scamper around at thee quarter time or when the game was well within grasp, collect up a few dozen and go home with more money than he went with - plus seeing a Saints win!

Of course, not everyone was so flush as to be able to afford bought food. The die hards, who got to the ground early, would more often than not take their own food and drinks, including the thermos. It was a bit of a ritual. I did this at the cricket more than the football.

Oh, and I almost forgot - there was the man who sold peanuts ' Peanuts - shilling a bag - peanuts!"

Food sounded like it was quite a bit different from what was on offer at Moorabbin in the late '70s. I remember there was this wooden kiosk between the members entrance and the visitor's gate where the ladies made hamburgers and used to fry onion rings to put on them. I wasn't allowed to eat them because they were rubbish. They also had a jam doughnut van where you could buy half a dozen doughnuts for a buck or something ridiculous - only one flavour, hot jam doughnuts of course. I wasn't big on them. I remember they were called 'Herberts'.
After that the Huttons Footy Frank was a popular hot dog on sale eaten with sauce, with a can of Coke or Tresca, I think it was called. That was my go to happy meal back in the day.
They also had chocolates like Chockito bars.

[shanegrambeau]

...I’ve been wondering about this all week- what kind of food could you buy at the ground in 1961? What did people typically eat? Did they bring sandwiches and a thermos?

At the Junction Oval, there were pies, from stalls and from roving sellers; chips and dimmies from stalls, Boon Spa bottles of soft drink - on which there was a half penny refund so an industrious boy might scamper around at thee quarter time or when the game was well within grasp, collect up a few dozen and go home with more money than he went with - plus seeing a Saints win!

Of course, not everyone was so flush as to be able to afford bought food. The die hards, who got to the ground early, would more often than not take their own food and drinks, including the thermos. It was a bit of a ritual. I did this at the cricket more than the football.

Oh, and I almost forgot - there was the man who sold peanuts ' Peanuts - shilling a bag - peanuts!"

Food sounded like it was quite a bit different from what was on offer at Moorabbin in the late '70s. I remember there was this wooden kiosk between the members entrance and the visitor's gate where the ladies made hamburgers and used to fry onion rings to put on them. I think it was called O'Brien's Catering or something. I wasn't allowed to eat them because they were rubbish. They also had a jam doughnut van where you could buy half a dozen doughnuts for a buck or something ridiculous - only one flavour, hot jam doughnuts of course. I wasn't big on them. I remember they were called 'Herberts'.
After that the Huttons Footy Frank was a popular hot dog on sale eaten with sauce, with a can of Coke or Tresca, I think it was called. That was my go to happy meal back in the day.
They also had chocolates like Chockito bars.

Awesome answers.
Yeah, I think '78 to '80 may have been when junk food really got super nasty. Chiko Rolls which looked like they were starch torpedoes filled with cabbage, gristle, toxic salts etc.
But peanuts. That's healthy. (Before everyone became allergic to them) But Pies too, nice. I love a burger and onion too. Just imagine the Junction Oval, wow. How nice it seems now. Probably to you lot old enough to remember, you thought meh....but to be honest, Moorabbin wasn't the nicest of places in the late '70s and a tram or train down to St Kilda near all the parks seems much nicer.


HOw were people's manners?
Swearing? Fights? Polite? Conservative?

[perfectionist]

Not the same old bloke who sold peanuts and used to call out when Fitzroy played at the Junction in the late '70s was it?

Yep

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/12892 ... ton-and-me

[avid]

In the 1960s it was "THE BIG MEN FLY, FOR A HERBERT ADAMS PIE!"

[shanegrambeau]

In the 1960s it was "THE BIG MEN FLY, FOR A HERBERT ADAMS PIE!"

Old Herbie must have been pretty pissed when Messers Four and Twenty stole the contract. BUt 4 n 20 were clever, knowing the time each quarter runs for. 20 minutes and four for time on.

[samuraisaint]

...I’ve been wondering about this all week- what kind of food could you buy at the ground in 1961? What did people typically eat? Did they bring sandwiches and a thermos?

At the Junction Oval, there were pies, from stalls and from roving sellers; chips and dimmies from stalls, Boon Spa bottles of soft drink - on which there was a half penny refund so an industrious boy might scamper around at thee quarter time or when the game was well within grasp, collect up a few dozen and go home with more money than he went with - plus seeing a Saints win!

Of course, not everyone was so flush as to be able to afford bought food. The die hards, who got to the ground early, would more often than not take their own food and drinks, including the thermos. It was a bit of a ritual. I did this at the cricket more than the football.

Oh, and I almost forgot - there was the man who sold peanuts ' Peanuts - shilling a bag - peanuts!"

Food sounded like it was quite a bit different from what was on offer at Moorabbin in the late '70s. I remember there was this wooden kiosk between the members entrance and the visitor's gate where the ladies made hamburgers and used to fry onion rings to put on them. I wasn't allowed to eat them because they were rubbish. They also had a jam doughnut van where you could buy half a dozen doughnuts for a buck or something ridiculous - only one flavour, hot jam doughnuts of course. I wasn't big on them. I remember they were called 'Herberts'.
After that the Huttons Footy Frank was a popular hot dog on sale eaten with sauce, with a can of Coke or Tresca, I think it was called. That was my go to happy meal back in the day.
They also had chocolates like Chockito bars.

Awesome answers.
Yeah, I think '78 to '80 may have been when junk food really got super nasty. Chiko Rolls which looked like they were starch torpedoes filled with cabbage, gristle, toxic salts etc.
But peanuts. That's healthy. (Before everyone became allergic to them) But Pies too, nice. I love a burger and onion too. Just imagine the Junction Oval, wow. How nice it seems now. Probably to you lot old enough to remember, you thought meh....but to be honest, Moorabbin wasn't the nicest of places in the late '70s and a tram or train down to St Kilda near all the parks seems much nicer.


HOw were people's manners?
Swearing? Fights? Polite? Conservative?

Yeah, the burgers always really smelt nice as you entered the ground. That I do remember.
People swore a lot more, toilet facilities were disgusting, and there were fights occasionally, but they were more drunken arguments than anything else. It was like suburban footy in a sense.

[samuraisaint]

Duplicated post.

[Trev from the Bush]

Not the same old bloke who sold peanuts and used to call out when Fitzroy played at the Junction in the late '70s was it?

Yep

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/12892 ... ton-and-me

Great story of a simpler time.

[Winmore]

It used to be 25 minute quarters plus time on.

[saynta]

Maggots dressed in white goal umpires wore long white coats. You could get 4 large full strenth steel beer cans to stand on and supporters carried a blanket round inside the fence at half time for people to throw coins into.

[Dis Believer]

In the 1960s it was "THE BIG MEN FLY, FOR A HERBERT ADAMS PIE!"

Old Herbie must have been pretty pissed when Messers Four and Twenty stole the contract. BUt 4 n 20 were clever, knowing the time each quarter runs for. 20 minutes and four for time on.

I think 4 'n' 20 is probably based more on the reference to the old kiddies rhyme "Four and twenty blackbirds, baked in a pie".....