1939 Chronology

Position: Fourth
Won 13, Lost 6, For 1776, Against 1541.
Captain: Percy Bentley Vice Captain: Kevin O’Neill
Coach: Percy Bentley
Best and Fairest: Jack Dyer
Leading Goal Kicker: Jack Titus (48)
Revenue: Credit Balance:
Membership: 3,834
Seconds: Second
Recruits U19: “A” Premiers

January
The Richmond Football Club sends a truck laden with food to Hurstbridge and Yarra Gen to assist the people made homeless by bush fires.

Wed. 18
The Cubs decide to alter their constitution to prevent officials, players and employees of the senior club sitting on the second eighteen’s committee.

February
Wed. 8
The Richmond Town Hall is packed for the Tigers’ annual meeting and late arrivals are refused admission. Barney Herbert is elected president, defeating the incumbent Lou Roberts by twenty votes. Maurie Sheahan defeats Maurie Fleming by eight votes for the vacant position of secretary. Ben Dyer, Jack’s father, is one of two new committeemen.

April
Sat. 8 Wilkie Egan, a coloured footballer from West Melbourne plays in a Richmond intra-club practice match.

Fri. 21
The Richmond Chronicle gives the dimensions of the RCG as 184 x 149 yards.
_ Lou Roberts is made a life member of the Victorian Country Football League.

Sat. 29
Jack Titus kicks seven goals in Richmond’s win against Footscray at Punt Road.
An electric clock is used in a premiership match at the RCG for the first time.
Former Richmond head trainer Ernie Saunders announces that he will definitely accompany the Australian Olympic team to Finland next year.

May
Sat. 6
Richmond come back from a 31 point half-time deficit to defeat Essendon by two points at Essendon.
The Cubs’ Maurie O’Connell kicks seven goals against Essendon’s second eighteen at Punt Road.

Thr. 11
Jack Archer, the famous former Richmond president (1928-1931) and treasurer (1919-1921), dies aged 58.

Sat. 13
Richmond plays its 1,000th senior (VFA and VFL) premiership game. The Tigers 14-24 (108) defeat South Melbourne 13-7 (85) at Punt Road.
Jack Titus kicks two goals and twelve behinds.

Sat. 27
The Tigers defeat Carlton by seven points at Princes Park and win their sixth straight game. They are so far undefeated and it is the club’s best start to a season since 1920.
Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister and a Carlton supporter, attends the game.
The Cubs’ Maurie O’Connell kicks seven goals against Carlton’s second eighteen at Punt Road.

June
Sat. 3
Collingwood defeats Richmond at Punt Road. It’s the Tigers’ first loss for the season .
A massive crowd of 40,000 contribute a ground record gate of 1,303 pounds /19/-, but they leave the arena with broken seats and drooping fences.
The umpire does not hear the three-quarter time bell. This allows Collingwood’s Ron Todd to mark and kick a goal after the bell had tolled.
The Cubs’ Maurie O’Connell kicks eight goals against Collingwood’s second eighteen at Victoria Park.

Mon. 12
Ian Hull kicks seven goals for the Cubs against Hawthorn’s second eighteen at Punt Road.
Richmond Recruits kick a club record 30-25 (205) to defeat Ivanhoe 2-5 (19). Frank McCormick kicks 13 goals for the Kittens.

circa 12th Jack Dyer and Dick Harris represent Victoria against Western Australia in Perth.

July
circa 3rd Jack Dyer and Dick Harris represent Victoria against South Australia in Adelaide. Dick Harris kicks eight goals.

Mon. 3
Jack Dyer and Dick Harris arrive back in Melbourne with the Victorian team. Dyer will receive the Young and Jackson’s Cup as the best and fairest player on the tour.

Sat. 8
Melbourne, the ladder leader, comes from behind during time-on to snatch a seven point victory over the fourth placed Tigers at Punt Road.

Sat. 15
The Cubs defeat Footscray’s second eighteen, the top team, by 70 points. Cub Alby Hodges kicks eight goals. The Cubs are now second from Footscray by percentage.

Sat. 22
An Essendon official enters Richmond’s room at half time and accuses the Tigers of using illegal boot studs against the Dons.

Mon. 24
Richmond defeats the North Tasmanian team by 19 points in Launceston. Jack Titus kicks seven goals.

Sat. 29
Dick Harris kicks six goals for Victoria against South Australia at the MCG.
Richmond defeats Collingwood in an exhibition match played in Hobart. Jack Titus kicks eight goals.

August
Sat. 5
The Cubs’ Alby Hodges kicks eight goals against South Melbourne’s second eighteen at Punt Road.

Sat. 12
Richmond defeat North Melbourne at North but the last quarter of the game is spiteful. A huge crowd of angry North barrackers invade the field after the final bell. The mob overwhelm the police and the Tigers are forced to run a gauntlet to their rooms.
At Punt Road the Cubs defeat North Melbourne’s seconds by 111 points and Alby Hodges kicks seven goals.

Sun. 13
A charity football match between jockeys and bookmakers is held at the Richmond City Reserve.

Sat. 19
A capacity crowd of 40,000 watch Richmond defeat Carlton at Punt Road. The gates are closed at 2.30 p.m. with thousands locked out but, the gate of 1,305 pounds/5/3, is a new ground record, bettering the amount set against Collingwood in June.
The crush is so great that Carlton’s committee is forced to use a trap in the roof of the players’ race to get from the rooms to their allotted seats.
The committee entertain Richmond veterans at the match. Amongst them is Jimmy Charles, and VFA era captains Billy Clarke and Alec. Edmond.
Richmond Recruits defeat Richmond Rovers in the Melbourne Boys’ League “A” Grade Grand Final to win the Kittens’ first premiership.

Sat. 26
The last round of fixtures is postponed for one week by the League. It had been a very wet winter and it is hoped that the break will help firm the sloppy grounds

September
Fri. 1
Nazi Germany invades Poland and annexes Danzig. This is the catalyst for war in Europe and it also leads to Australia’s involvement in a second world war.

Sat. 2
The second placed Collingwood defeats the third placed Richmond by 32 points at Victoria Park. Had the Tigers won they may have taken second position from Collingwood and had a second chance in the finals.

Sun. 3
Britain declares war on Germany, and as a result Australia is also at war with Germany.

Sat. 9
St. Kilda defeats Richmond by 30 points in the first semi final at the MCG before 51,411 spectators.

Mon. 11
Jack Dyer receives The Argus Cup, a best and fairest award decided by the newspaper’s football writers. Dyer tied for the prize with Essendon’s Dick Reynolds.
Martin Bolger announces his retirement as a player.

Sept 19
Bert Foster is incapacitated and therefore seniors coach Percy Bentley takes Richmond Seconds training.
They train on Olympic Park, as the Punt Road ground is in to poor condition, in the opinion of Bentley

Sat. 23
The Cubs’ defeat Geelong in the League Second Eighteen’s preliminary final at the MCG. Alby Hodges kicks eight goals for the Cubs.

Thur 28
The Cubs lose the League Second Eighteens’ Grand Final to Melbourne at the MCG on Show Day.

November
Sun. 26
Former Richmond champion Billy Mahoney dies.

December
Sun. 10
Jack Dyer meets Collingwood’s Ron Todd in a swimming race at Richmond Baths as part of a swimming carnival for charity.

Wed 20
Jimmy Charles dies. Charles was Richmond’s first secretary and was a leading figure in the club’s formation. Family notice