1914 Chronology

Position: Eighth
Won 8, Lost 10, For 1084, Against 1077.
Captains: Charlie Ricketts, Barney Herbert, William Thomas
Vice Captains: Barney Herbert, William Thomas
Coach: Charlie Ricketts
Leading Goal Kicker: Clarrie Hall (32)
Revenue: L1571 10s. 11d. Debit Balance: L73 17s. 3d.
Membership: 2,708

Ground: In the new year work begins on the new grandstand.

February

Wed. 25
Richmond's Annual meeting takes place at the Skating Rink, Bridge Road , Richmond.
The founders of the Richmond Football Club are honoured at its annual meeting and gold medallions are presented to all living and officially recognised life members of the club (no new life member is inducted). They are James Charles, James Eastman, Andrew Manzie, Jack Stewart, Alf Elder, John Egan, William Malone, William Bicknell, Charlie Backhouse, Archie McNair, George Beachcroft, Alec Edmond, Charles Whittaker, H Slattery, Jack Archer, William Maybury. Five Year Certificates are first presented by the club to players William Maloney, Hugh James, Ted Ohlsen, Robert Bowden, George Gibson.

Secretary W Lohse, Treasurer J Archer, and President Frank Tudor nominated unopposed.
A huge crowd was expected that the Richmond Australian noted that 'all who want comfortable seats should arrive early' 3,000 arrived including 'a good percentage of the fairer sex'.

'Barroni' presents the club with a framed photo of the 1912-1913 office bearers, and an enlarged photo of secretary W Lohse.

The Richmond District Junior Association shield is presented by H.J Plant to Jack Archer, president of the Burnley Football Club, who were winners of the association.
(Burnley went through undefeated, despite 50 per cent of their players going over to war)
Archer will present the shield, and 21 gold medals (donated by the Richmond Football Club) at the future Burnley Smoke Night.
The shield has to be won 3 times before becoming the absolute property of any club.
Burnley defeated Balmain in the final.

March
Wed. 11
The Richmond District Junior FA decides to extend the area of the Association’s district and make it consistent with the recruiting district of the Richmond Football Club.

Mon 16
Beverley Football Club hold their 25th Annual Meeting.
Beverley captain Norman Yeo announces his retirement. Back in 1912 he had declined an offer from all Richmond players to captain the club.

Sat 21
It is reported that Dave Smith has had a successful knee operation and can now get around without the use of a stick.
His transfer from Essendon to Richmond is granted, and he will wait until his knee has healed before he plays again (which is Rd 8 1814)

April
Thr. 23
A dinner is held in the pavilion for all the players and prospective players of the club. Officials also attend.
It is at this dinner that captain Charlie Ricketts and vice captain Barney Herbert are selected
Committeemen Dick Kelly and Dave Henry were unable to attend due to prior commitments.
President Tudor, and E.J. Cotter were also absent due to political business.

Sat 25
Round 1
StKilda 8.16.64 def Richmond 5.12.42 in front of 20,000 at StKilda
Richmond kick all their goals at one end of the ground.
They failed to kick a goal in the 1st and 3rd quarters
Percy Martyn kicks 3 of Richmond's 5 goals
'Son' Thomas is unable to play for Richmond as his permit from South Melbourne had yet to be dealt with by Permit Committee
Vic Thorp plays in the forward line, as he was quite successful in that position last year.
Bob McKendry (McKendrie) debuts for Richmond after a successful season with Beverley FC in 1913. (The Richmond Australian incorrectly state he played senior games with Richmond in 1913)
Bill Nolan (Brighton Juniors) and George McLear (Queenscliff) also debut. (Nolan would die in WW1)
Barney Herbert's first game for Richmond since August 31 1912.

May
Sat. 2
Round 2
Fitzroy 9.15.69 def Richmond 3.10.28 at Punt Road
The foundation stone of the new grandstand on the Punt-road reserve is declared “... well and truly laid” by Ted Cotter MLA. Seats are in place but the stand is still without a roof.
Early in the game Frank Love injures his leg and takes no further part.
Later, Percy Maybury is accidentally kicked in his leg, and takes no further part. Richmond play portion of this game with two men short.
Richmond are goalless in the second quarter. Only 3 men score goals.
Barney Herbert is absent from the team with injury. Artie Bettles (from Brighton Juniors) debuts, so too does Son Thomas

Fri. 8
Richmond applies to change its uniform from black with a yellow band, to black with a yellow sash across the (right) shoulder and yellow and black striped stockings.

Sat 9
Round 3
Collingwood 12.18.90 def Richmond 3.12.36 at Victoria Park
Richmond fail to kick a goal in the 1st and 3rd quarters
Ohlson did not play due to injured foot. Richmond Australian ask 'Why has Percy Maybury been left out of the team? He should be one of the first selected'
Only two men score goals (Percy Martyn 3) (Bill Thorpe 1)

Thr. 14
Charlie Ricketts retires from the captaincy to concentrate on coaching. Barney Herbert is appointed captain and William “Son” Thomas vice captain.

Sat. 16
Round 4
Essendon 7.11.53 def Richmond 7.7.49 at East Melbourne CG
Richmond goalless in the last quarter. (A Vic Thorp shot for goal hits the post)
Richmond lose to Essendon by four points after it had led for all but the last two minutes of the game. (It had led by 9 pts with 5 minutes to go)
“Son” Thomas captains the Tigers because Barney Herbert is injured.
Len Gibb (brother of Collingwood player Percy Gibb) plays his one and only game for Richmond.

Mon 18
During the week, practice matches at the City Reserve are held for the Richmond Schoolboys team, who will play Geelong schoolboys prior to the Round 5 match. Frank Crohan, and Kelso look after the team.

Sat 23
Round 5
Richmond 10.17.77 def Geelong 6.17.53 at Punt Road
Both the senior Richmond side, and the junior Richmond side defeat Geelong.
A Richmond schoolboy team (picked from various schools) defeat a Geelong schoolboys team, in a curtain raiser.
The Geelong schoolboys arrived at Spencer Street at 9.45am , then driven to Sands and MacDougall factory where they were taken the 'stupendous works' and have machinery explained to them. They were then driven through StKilda and Prahran before dining at Masonic Hall, hosted by the Citizens Committee.
The match began at 1.30pm, with Richmond side 2.11.23 def Geelong schoolboys 1.6.12
Richmond's 1902 and 1905 Premiership captain Alec Edmonds umpires.
One of the Geelong schoolboys breaks his collarbone.
Richmond Junior team is: Kelly, Kirk (Brighton-St), Cox, Birtles, Sharman (Burnely), Nelson, Smith (Cremorne-St), Goulett, Lawrence, Watson (Central), Jackson (North Richmond), Cuarie, Matthews (St Ignatius), Henderson, Petterson, Rowles, Lord, Wilson (Yarra Park).
Emergencies are W Smith, Stephens, Cooke, Vanson, Thompson, Mitchell, harry, Rowley, Hooker
After viewing the Seniors match, they were provided tea, then sent back home via Richmond station. A framed photo of the Richmond team is given to Mrs H Kelly, lady vice president of the Citizen's Committee.

Sat 30
Round 6
Richmond 16.14 110 def University 5.6.36
Percy Maybury kicks 6 goals
Around this game, Archer presents new hats to all the players.
During the game, aviator Maurice Guilleaux flies over the ground.
"All eyes were turned upwards while the daring aviator was aloft"

June
Thr. 4
Players are entertained at tea in the pavilion and matters “appertaining to the Club’s welfare” are discussed. Barney Herbert resigns the captaincy in favour of “Son” Thomas. Herbert accepts the vice captaincy.

Sat. 6
Round 7
Sth Melb 7.12.54 def Richmond 4.12.36 at Punt Road.
A record RCG attendance, The Richmond Australian notes.
Richmond were promised a quid per man , should they win.
The new grandstand is officially opened at 2.45pm by former Prime Minister and federal Labor Party leader Andrew Fisher, who also unfurls Richmond’s new yellow and black club flag. Players of both sides salute the flag. The grandstand accommodates 1,200 people. 'Members of the rival team gave a footballers volley'
The Richmond v. South Melbourne game played following the ceremonies is brutal. The umpire is struck on the head by a rock in the first quarter and receives stitches. and Richmond’s Edward Farrell and South’s Albert Hiskens are carried from the field in the second. At three-quarter time club officials Dick Kelly (Richmond) and Lewis Thomson (South) speak to their players and request that, “... they should play the game in the proper spirit, and cut out a good deal of the roughness...”. Hiskens will be disqualified for the remainder of the season for striking Farrell.

Mon. 8
Round 8
Richmond 14.11.95 def Melbourne 6.17.53 at Punt Road
Richmond's third game in 10 days (second game in two days)
On the King’s Birthday holiday Dave Smith, the son of Richmond’s first captain George Smith, plays his one and only game for Richmond.
Wal Rogers also plays his first and only game. He is from the Police Force.

Sat 13
Round 9
Carlton 5.13.43 def Richmond 5.11.41 at Princes Park
The last 10 minutes of the game was one of the most strenuous goes one could wish to see
Richmond hit the front by 4 points with just over 10 minutes remaining, but Carlton hit the front with McKenzie's goal.
The final ten minutes were both teams trying to score. 'The noise was deafening, the supporters of each side shouting themselves hoarse, the fairer sex figuring prominently in the demonstration'
Keggin's shot, just as the bell rang, fell short. The Richmond Australian said that Keggin's kicking for goals was very weak. He seemed to lost his nut at the psychological moment

Sat. 20
Round 10
Richmond 9.14.68 defeat St. Kilda 9. 12.66 at the RCG.
Some 17,000 spectators. After the game so many people were at Swan Street station that it was like 'Spencer Street station on a Melbourne Cup morning'
Jack Cronk from Balmain, Reg Hede from Beverley debut.
Former Prime Minister Andrew Fischer watches the match.
Thomas plays a great game on McNamara, using his smaller stature to spoil the ball and clear the ball behind McNamara. McNamara was held scoreless.
In the last quarter with a minute to spare he cleared a ball from the StKilda goalsquare.
Ted Keggin boots 5 goals.
The game was umpire by Tim Lane, a 'Richmond boy'

Sun. 28
Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia. It is the catalyst for world war.

July
Sat. 4
Ted Keggin kicks the ball from “nigh on half-way” of the Punt-road reserve into the goals but it dips and is touched on the line. A kick of at least 80 yards.

Wed. 8
The committee holds a euchre party.

Sat. 11
Handbills are issued at the Richmond ground asking spectators to restrain pitch invaders. The leaflets also remind spectators that only officials and trainers are permitted on to the oval and police have instructions to arrest trespassers.

Sat. 18
It is estimated that 3,000 supporters followed the Richmond team to Geelong.

Sat. 25
Clarrie Hall kicks eight goals against University at the RCG. It equals Jack Hutchinson’s club record (VFA) and sets a new club record in League football.
Hoodlums invade the ground after the match and harass the umpire.

August
Sat 1
Hughie James kicks 4 of Richmond's 5 goals in their 14pts loss to South Melbourne.

Tues. 4
Britain declares war on Germany.

Wed. 5
Australia declares war on Germany. Hector Milne, a Richmond official and a lieutenant in the light horse, spends the evening galloping miles throughout Melbourne and its satellites to mobilise his division. His horse is so exhausted from the work that it dies the next day.

Carnival:
Hughie James represents Victoria in the carnival at Sydney during the first two weeks of August. Former Richmond player Billy Burns, now with East Fremantle, represents Western Australia.

Thr. 6
Hughie James becomes the first Richmond player to kick a goal for Victoria in an interstate match since the club joined the League. Vic 28.20.188 def Tasmania 8.9.57

Sat. 8
Richmond sends a team to Ballarat to play against a Ballarat representative team at Eastern Oval. The League had planned to play this game but the carnival intervened.
Richmond 2.4, 3.8, 5.12, 6.14.50 def Ballarat 1.1, 2.3, 3.4, 5.9.39
Goalkickers: Cronk (2), Hughes (2), Ohlsen (1), Bayliss (1)
Team incl: Cronk, Hughes, Ohlsen, Bayliss, Danks, Nolan, Ricketts, Hede, Richardson, Reeves, Thomas (capt), McCashney

Victoria 13.16.94 def Western Australia 11.14.80. Hughie James plays

Sun. 9
The NSW League invited the visiting teams to a trip to Middle Harbour.
A musical chorus takes place, with Bruce Sloss conducting, and it includes Hughie James singing (bass)
Richmond and Ballarat footballers participate in a kicking competition on a Ballarat racecourse. R. Lindsay (Ballarat) wins with a kick of 60 yards and Vic Thorp is second with a kick of 57 yards. Jack Archer wins the officials’ competition with a kick of 50 yards.
The Richmond team is driven to Learmouth where they had a meal at the Stag Hotel, which was adorned in gold and black streamers , and the Union Jack. The National Anthem was sung. On their return to Ballarat, they vent via Burrumbeet, and lunched on the Burrumbeet racecourse.

Tues 11
Victoria 24.20.164 def NSW 4.7.31 Hughie James plays.

Thurs 13
Victoria 28.22.190 def QLD 4.3.27 Hughes James kicks 1 goal. Victoria have 18 goalkickers.
A Smoke Social takes place that evening at the Southern Cross Hall

Sat. 15
Victoria 11.11.77 def Sth Australia 5.10.44
Seaman Ted Keggin is still able to play with the Tigers despite being mobilised because he is serving on a shore battery .

Sat. 22
William Mahoney plays his 100th VFL game for Richmond. He is the first Richmond player to do so.

Sat. 29
Richmond lose by four points against Carlton in a rough game at the RCG.
Clarrie Hall kicks five goals against Carlton, and in doing so equals Percy Martyn’s club record of 32 goals kicked in a League season.

September
Wed. 2
Ted Keggin appears at the tribunal for striking Charlie Hammond (Carlton). He is acquitted in the first appearance of a Richmond player before the tribunal since Ted Ohlson in 1909.

Thr. 3
The committee of the Richmond Football Club decides to donate ten pounds to the Patriotic Fund.

Fri. 11
William G. V. Williams, who was born and bred in Richmond, is killed in German New Guinea and becomes one of the first three Australian casualties of the Great War.

Mon. 14
The Annual Report of the Richmond Cricket Club expresses disappointment that debentures in the grandstand scheme were not taken up by as many wealthy Richmond residents as anticipated.
___ George Gibson leaves with the first Australian contingent for the war.

October
Fri. 16
University withdraws from the League.