1933 Chronology

Position: Second
Won 16, Lost 5, For 1935, Against 1477.
Captain: Percy Bentley Vice Captain: Basil McCormack
Coach: Billy Schmidt
Leading Goal Kicker: Doug Strang (51)
Revenue: Credit Balance:
Membership: 3,863
Seconds: Eleventh

January
Melbourne’s application to interview Frank “Checker” Hughes is refused by Richmond, who appoints him coach subject to the incoming committee’s approval.

Wed. 18
At Richmond’s annual meeting the League’s president Dr. William McCelland presents the club with the 1932 premiership flag. The pennant is opened to a loud cheer, and each player is similarly greeted when they step forward to receive their premiership medals.

Mon. 23
Richmond’s head trainer, Ernie Saunders leaves for Perth where he will train Victoria’s swimming team in the national championships.

Tue. 24
Richmond approves the application from Frank “Checker” Hughes to coach Melbourne.

February
Tue. 7
Richmond refuses to clear Jack Baggott to coach Fitzroy.

Tue. 28
Richmond appoints Billy Schmidt as non-playing coach for the season. It has been 22 years since his last senior game with Richmond.

March
___ The League decides to alter their original draw. The Tigers are in favour of the change because it will probably be better for membership sales.

Mon. 27
The Richmond City Council hears a deputation from the Richmond Football Club and the Burnley cricket and football clubs. The Tigers want the council to assist in the development of the Burnley ground for the benefit of local junior clubs.

April
Sat. 1
Richmond plays their first practice match of the season and the boundary throw-in is reintroduced to Punt Road. It was abolished in 1925 and few of the present team have had experience of it.

Thr. 6
Former Richmond VFA captain George Sparrow (1894-1895) dies.

Fri. 21
The Richmond Chronicle reports that the committee invites the fathers of players to join them in the training room each Saturday.

Thr. 27
The players elect Percy Bentley captain and Basil McCormack vice captain at their team dinner.

Fri. 28
The Richmond Chronicle reports that a new press box has “sprung up” on the old (pre 1932) location.

Sat. 29
Richmond opens their season by defeating the Frank “Checker” Hughes coached Melbourne team at the MCG.
Richmond extend their winning streak to 11 games.

May
Fri. 5
The Richmond Chronicle reports that 3UZ had secured the rights to broadcast all matches at Punt Road.

Sat. 6
The wife of Barney Herbert, Richmond’s president unfurls the 1932 premiership pennant before the Tigers’ game against North Melbourne at Punt Road.
Richmond extend their consecutive winning streak to 12 matches.
1912 Richmond player Percy Ellingsen field umpires his fifth and last Richmond game.
Prior to the match, Richmond experiments with a broadcast of the baseball match curtain-raiser through amplifiers around the ground. The League said it will ensure this does not happen again.

Thr. 11
Vice captain Basil McCormack is disqualified for six matches by the League tribunal for elbowing North’s Johnny Lewis.

Sat. 13
Footscray 6-14 (50) upset Richmond 4-10 (34) at the Western Reserve.
The day was wet and mitigated against the Tigers’ high marking and systematic playing style. Richmond’s selection committee will therefore reserve the right to change the team on Saturday in future.
It is Footscray's first victory over Richmond at that ground.
The players elect Maurie Hunter vice captain before the game owing to Basil McCormack’s disqualification.

Sat. 20
Collingwood’s Gordon Coventry falls on and injures Allan Geddes’s forearm during the last quarter of Richmond’s win over the Magpies.

Sun. 21
Richmond players and officials journey to Frankston to cheer up the kids at the Orthopaedic Hospital.

Sat 27
Against Hawthorn, Tom O'Halloran kicks his 100th career goal.

June
Fri. 2
The Richmond Chronicle reports that a new hot water service had been installed at Punt Road. It was not possible to provide the service to the visitors’ rooms so both teams will continue to shower together after games.

Sat. 3
The Tigers kick eight goals to one in the final quarter to overcome Geelong’s four goal lead at three-quarter time.

Mon. 5
The Cubs’ Rich Saunders vice captains the League Second Eighteen’s representative team. Stan Brett and Jack Cotter are the other Cubs in the team and Keith Torpey.

Sat. 10
The Prime Minister Joseph Lyons attends Richmond’s game against Fitzroy at Brunswick Street.
The Cubs’ Jim Harbison breaks his leg against Fitzroy’s seconds at Punt Road.

1960-1962 captain and Best and Fairest player Ron Branton is born.

Tues 13
Committeeman Costello complains about the state of the Fitzroy ground after the Rd 7 victory against Fitzroy.

Sat. 17
Richmond 16-12 (108) narrowly defeats South Melbourne 15-13 (103) at South.
The umpire Jack McMurray illegally awards a free kick against Richmond’s full back Maurie Sheahan in the dying seconds of the game. McMurray supposed that Sheahan took too long to kick out. Bob Pratt pops through an easy goal from the free.
Allan Geddes returns to the team from an arm injury.
1915 and 1917 Richmond player Jack Sheehan dies.

Fri 22
The VFL rules that umpire Jack McMurray's decision to award a free kick against Maurie Sheahan for taking too long to kick out was incorrect, as the ball is not 'in play' until the actual kick is taken.

Sat. 23
Lou Roberts of The Richmond Chronicle makes the earliest known reference to Basil McCormack, Kevin O’Neill and Martin Bolger as the Three Musketeers. It is their 50th game together.

Sat. 24
Stanley Porter, a spectator is concussed after he was hit on the head by the ball at the Richmond v. Essendon match.
He requests that the ball be presented to him. At the next Richmond Committee meeting, it is agreed.

Tues 27
Perc Bentley asks the Richmond Committee if they are aware of a match played on the Fitzroy ground prior to the Rd 7 victory against Fitzroy

Richmond provide a football to the Salvation Army Boys Home, and Tally Ho's Boys Home .
The committee refuses to allow supporter Miss B Bowtell to purchase another membership ticket at a reduced rate after she loses her previous ticket No. 2542.

July
Sat 1
for the second consecutive week, Richmond kick 16.14.110 - this time in their 54 point victory against StKilda.

Sun. 2
A Richmond team plays a match against Bungaree at Bungaree. The team largely consists of Cubs however former senior players also play. Frank O'Brien plays 5 years after he retired. Vic Thorp played 8 years after he retired. Barney Herbert plays 12 years after he retired. Maurie Sheahan plays 2 years after he retired.
Herbert and Thorp plays together in the same side for the first time since the 1921 Premiership.
A Tiger recruit from Bungaree, Dan Guinane plays.

Sat. 8
Carlton 10-10 (70) defeats Richmond 9-13 (67) at Princes Park in possibly the best game of the season.
The crowd 43,000 people is the largest regular season attendance that Richmond had ever played before.

Jack Titus plays his 100th game.

Tues 11
The RFC committee refuse to supply a reserves player to the Richmond District Football Club for the rest of the season.

Secretary Jack J Smith writes a letter to former secretary Percy Page on this day, requesting the return of the club's old typewriter. Page replies he will accept 5 pounds for the typewriter, which the committee agree to purchase.

Thurs 13
No Springvale players turn up to the scheduled meeting with Richmond President Barney Herbert and Clarrie Hall at the Springvale Junior Football Club, so both men leave and return home.

Sat 15
President Barney Herbert address the Cub's players prior to the match on the MCG.
Richmond's 20.15.135 is at that stage the highest score against Melbourne. They win by 50 points.

Sat. 22
Doug Strang kicks ten goals from eleven shots against North Melbourne at North. The Tigers win by 75 points, their great winning margin at the ground.
Strang breaks the record for most goals by a Richmond player against North Melbourne , held by VFA player Jack Hutchinson (8 goals) 26 years earlier in the same round.

Tues 25
The Committee mention as a likely player for Richmond, Len Smith of Northcote. Smith would eventually be recruited to Melbourne, but end up coaching Richmond 31 years later in 1964.

Clarrie Hall resigns as Vice President of the club owing to business reasons, but withdraws his resignation after Barney Herbert refuses to accept it. His resignation from the selection committee is accepted.

Fri. 28
Jack Baggott leaves for Brisbane as the manager of the Victorian schoolboys’ team. He will return to Melbourne on August 9.

Sat. 29
The Western Australian carnival team trains at Punt Road prior to the Richmond v. Footscray match. They will leave for Sydney in the evening.
Only 16 Cubs show up for a seconds match at Footscray so committeeman J. Joyce and Dave Langdon take the field soon after the game’s commencement. The Cubs draw with Footscray’s seconds 9-11 (65) apiece.

August
Carnival:
Gordon Strang and Kevin O’Neill represent Victoria at the carnival held in Sydney. The Vics have used Richmond’s “Eat ’em alive” war cry for years but now other interstate teams are using it as well.

Sat. 5
Seventh placed Collingwood 15-16 (106) upsets first placed Richmond 10-8 (68) at Victoria Park.
Richmond slips to second on the ladder behind Geelong.

The Committee announce this is Basil McCormack's 150th game, and is presented with a clock.
However his 150th is the following week.

Tues 8
St Ignatius FC request to train on the Richmond Cricket Ground on Monday and Wednesday during the Semi Final week

The first ever Life Member, and co-founder of the club, James Charles submits names of 4 players from the Box Hill and Ringwood District to the committee to consider.

Vice President Ernie Taylor is elected to the vacancy on the Selection committee left by his 1920/1921 team mate Clarrie Hall.

Committeeman Langdon complains of the Committeeman Stand being dominated by children during game day.
Three hot water bags are purchased for use in the training rooms.

Sat. 12
Percy Bentley captains Victoria. Bentley and Ray Martin represent the state against South Australia in Adelaide. Tiger secretary Jack Smith and Ern Saunders are also in Adelaide as the team’s manager and trainer respectively.
A Richmond team travels to Ballarat and easily defeats a combined Ballarat League team at the Eastern Oval. Jack Titus kicks twelve goals in the match.
Punt Road is the venue for the Second Eighteens League v. Federal Association match.
A Carlton girls team 1-6 (12) defeats a Richmond girls team nil at the Carlton Football Club’s carnival.

Wed. 16
The Cubs host a reunion of old players and officials in the pavilion.

Sat. 19
Richmond defeats Hawthorn by 23 points in a lacklustre game, but with Geelong’s loss to Fitzroy the Tigers regain top position on the League table.

Basil McCormack's 150th game. Jack Titus kicks his 250th goal.

Tue. 22
Fritz Heifner is disqualified six matches for striking Hawthorn’s Stewart Stewart. The tribunal also finds that the kicking and striking charge against Jack Titus was not sustained.
Billy Schmidt has the Tigers play a match at training to smarten them up after some mediocre performances.
Richmond decides not to arrange a post season match against the South Australian premier because Jack Smith’s enquiries were not enthusiastically received whilst he was in Adelaide.

Sat. 26
First placed Richmond defeats second placed Geelong by four straight goals at Corio Oval.
Over two hundred Richmond supporters were presented with cardboard megaphones by Barney Herbert prior to leaving Spencer Street Station for Geelong.

Wed. 30
Ray Martin wins the Victorian footballers’ dancing championship at the League’s ball.

Thr. 31
The Tigers train with a waterproof ball similar to the jet black ball used in their recent match at Ballarat.

September
Sat 2
With this victory over Fitzroy, Richmond finish the 1933 Home and Away season having won all 9 matches at Punt Road.

Tues 5
Committeeman Costello asks that all the assistance be given to further Gordon Strang's chance of winning 3KZ popular vote.
Bill Garvie is signed up as a Richmond player.

Wed. 13
Tom O’Halloran is presented with a silver tea service by the Burnley Theatre for being voted Richmond’s most popular player.

Sat. 16
Richmond blows a 37 point half time lead and loses to South Melbourne in a semi final. South opens the final quarter with three goals in five minutes and eventually snares eight for the term. The Tigers could manage just one goal during the quarter and they lose the match by 18 points. It is the first time the two teams have met in a final since the Round Robbin Finals of 1924. This is South Melbourne's first VFL win over Richmond at the MCG.
Rumours circulate that Billy Schmidt asked his players to spare themselves for the Grand Final at three-quarter time.
It is estimated that nearly one thousand people travelled from Albury to Melbourne for the semi final. Albury is a largely pro-Richmond town.
Jack Baggott receives a cup donated by Mick Kannis for Best and Fairest in the match.

Sun 17
President Barney Herbert visits the St Pauls and St Vincent orphanages, but indicates his disappointment at the lack of players attending.

Tues 19
Former secretary Percy Page sends a letter of congratulations and good wishes to the club.
Former player Jack Fincher sends a congratulations letter to the club.
Mr Hyde offers to the club, via a letter in The Age, the Challenge Cup which Richmond won on August 24 1872, sixty one years ago for the club's showcase. It remains in the Richmond Museum to this day.
Allan Geddes suggests to the Committee that if Richmond beat Geelong in the Preliminary Final, that the players be taken to the StKilda Hot Sea Baths as reward. They win.

Wed. 20
Maurie Hunter is presented with a cup from Hoyts Cinema for being voted Richmond’s most popular player.

Sat. 23
Richmond comes from behind in the hard fought last quarter of the preliminary final to defeat Geelong by eleven points.
Jack Baggott retires from the field during the spiteful third quarter. Maurie Hunter and Jock McConchie are also injured in the match and both will miss the Grand Final. It is Maurie Hunter's last game.

Tue. 26
The League tribunal disqualifies Doug Strang for two weeks for striking Geelong’s Les Hardiman. Strang will therefore miss the Grand Final.

Thr. 28
Gordon Strang is presented with a trophy from 3KZ and a cheque from Hoyts Regent for being voted the most popular player in the VFL.

Sat. 30
In the Grand Final South Melbourne defeats a weakened and tired Richmond team by 42 points.
The crowd of 75,754 is the largest in League history, bettering attendance of 69,724 which saw Richmond and Carlton play the Grand Final last year.
Fitzroy’s Wilfred Smallhorn becomes the first player to be presented with the Brownlow Medal at a Grand Final.

October
Tues 3
Trophies are presented by the Committee including the 'Halliday' trophy to Kevin O'Neill, the 'Farnsworth Medal' to Ray Martin, a kit bag to Allan Geddes, and hats to Tom O'Halloran and Joe Murdoch.

Sat. 7
Richmond plays against a combined Ovens and Murray team in Albury. Jack Titus kicks ten goals while Dan Guinane, a recent recruit boots eight.

Mon. 9
The train that Richmond were returning from Wagga to Albury in collides with a motor lorry. Ernie Saunders gives the lorry driver first aid while other Tigers clear the debris from the rails. An ambulance will take the driver to Wagga Hospital.

Tues 24
Allan Geddes complains that Sid Dockendorff in hospital for kidney trouble was not getting 'consideration'.

November
Tue. 14
The committee decides to pay each player 10% of the gate takings from regular season matches. The money will be placed to each player’s credit in the Provident Fund.
The club decides to call for nominations for the coaching position next season. Billy Schmidt is returning to the country and he will not reapply. They agree to advertise for playing and or non-playing coach in The Age, The Argus and The Sun.

Wed. 15
Joe Murdoch rescues an electrician who was being electrocuted whilst working on overhead power lines.

December
circa Tue 5
William 'Billy' Driver, the cubs First Aid attendant, dies.

Tues 5
Doug Strang's cartlidge is to be removed at an expense of no more than 20 pounds on advisement of the committee.

Nominations for 1934 coach is received.
Allan Geddes name is listed as 6 pounds per week as playing coach
Jack Baggott's name is listed at 6 ponds per week as playing coach and 4 pounds as non-playing coach.
Perc Bentley's name is listed at 6 pounds as plaaying coach.
Percy Rowe's name is listed. (His son would coach Richmond in 1952).
Dan Minogue - the 1920 and 1921 Premiership coach is listed at 5 pound for non-playing coach.
The committee delete Percy Rowe's name owing to 'disqualification'.
Preferential voting is conducted and it is discovered a decision is unable to be arrived at by the committee.
An 'exhaustive' ballot is taken and Allan Geddes name is deleted. Dan Minogue's name is deleted next.
In the final vote, between Jack Baggott and Perc Bentley, Bentley is elected as 1934 coach.

Tue. 19
Percy Bentley is appointed playing coach for the coming season, albeit subject to the approval of the new committee.
Allan Geddes congratulates Bentley saying that he would have 'the players to a man behind him.'
President Barney Herbert congratulates Geddes on his sportsmanlike action.
Dave Baxter mentioned for the first time by the Committeeman Gosch.

Committee agree to attempt to obtain the signature of current StKilda player Jack L Holden. They will fail.
Lloyd E Jones, Stkilda player, expresses interest to the Committee in playing for Richmond.

Committeeman Costello, Lou Cameron and Herbert Cox are all nominated for Life Membership at a committee meeting.
Both Cox and Cameron who are presented step away from the meeting whilst voting occurs where remaining members list 2 names on a ballot paper. Cox and Cameron are elected Life Members.
Committeeman Hall recommends that only one Life Membership should be bestowed, but his motion is defeated.

Sun. 31
Former VFA/VFL Richmond player (1907-1912) George Gibson dies.