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1949 Chronology

February
Monday 28
Richmond begins pre-season training, under the supervision of Jack Dyer and Alby Pannam.
33 former senior players train, as well as recruits including Jerry Pendlebury (20yr, 6ft 5, 13/5 stone), Kevin Phillips(18 yrs, 6ft 2, 14 stone) who is the brother of senior player Pat Phillips. Jack Grey, who won the Thirds Best and Fairest in 1947 returns to train after missing the 1948 season with a cartilage operation.
Training is to continue on Mondays and Wednesdays until the Richmond Cricketers complete their season.

April
Saturday 2
A old-timers match between the 1933 South Melbourne premiers, and the 1934 Richmond premiers, takes place at Punt Road.
The match was to raise money for an end of season trip.
The idea appeared to have come from Tiger's President Harry Dyke, though one reader suggested it had started with Mr Bob Powell.

Thursday 14
20 yr old Ray Lee, from Sth Warrnambool, is injured in the final practice match of the season. An accidental collision results in three stitches inserted into his eyeball. The following year he wins the Hampden League Best and Fairest - 'Maskell Medal'.

June
Monday 13
A huge crowd of 46,000 pack into Punt Road for the King's Birthday match against Carlton.
The pressure of the crowd burst through the picket fence and cause the crowd to spill onto the ground, twenty minutes prior to the game. Several thousand spectators were turned away outside the ground.
One girl (Lorna Powell) suffered an injured leg and was admitted to St vincent's Hospital. Many were crushed in a stampede to reach the outer ground.
At 2pm the turnstiles were closed but Health Authority demanded all gates to be thrown open.
The Ambulance attendees reported is one of the worst day in football they can recall.
12 Ambulances men, 6 cadets and 1 nurse were in attendance.
43 spectators were carried to the ambulance room
The bar building at the Richmond end had 200 spectators on its roof.
Some boys carried ladders around the perimeter of the ground and charge spectators to use them.
Spectator Frederick Harrison (aged 62) collapses and dies in the Carlton Room after the match, but it is not attributed to the crush.



July
Sat 9
In a Sporting Globe article by H. deLacy on Jack Dyer; 'Eat Em Alive' is referenced as a character around the football ground and got his name from his raucous rendering of the famous Tiger cry. When the game was the hottest he'd go between two partisans and swiping one unsuspecting hothead behind the ear, nick off into the crowd and let them fight it out.


September
Sun. 11
Shamrock Hotel vs Ruoak Team at the Alexandra Showgronud.
Jack Dyer, Maurie Fleming, Harry Dyke are present.
'Bill' Sandiford is 'signed up' by Jack Dyer to Richmond after the game.
Dyer umpires the game and gives a exhibition of his drop punt kicking during the game.
27 pounds was raised, of which the ambulance fund received 12 pounds and the Dyer Testimonial Fund the remainder.


October
Thurs 27
Leo Merrett is appointed playing coach of Maryborough.


December
Wed 14
Barney Herbert, Richmond premiership player of 1920 and 1921, and former Richmond president, dies aged 60.