To the diehard Fitzroy supporter this name may not strike a chord, but if we change it to Ted McDonald, I am sure many of you will know who I mean.
Born in Launceston in 1891, Ted developed a love of Australian Rules football and Cricket. In fact, he much preferred to play sport than work.
Arriving on the mainland prior to World War I, he played a few cricket matches with Victoria. This lanky Taswegian was soon spotted and he was picked to play for Australia in 1920/21 against England. Not a lot of success, but at the end of that year he travelled to England in Warwick Armstrong’s all-conquering team, with incredible success. He was a fast bowler like no other and together with his Captain, they were the “odd couple”. Warwick always had a weight problem and so together with Ted, they shovelled coal into the stokehold on the voyage over, for two hours every day. Ted did not put on weight, but Warwick did!!
Warwick kept a “fatherly” eye on Ted and this was to prove worthwhile. Ted took eight wickets in the first Test at Trent Bridge. This great season earned him a “Wisden Cricketer of the Year” award in 1922. A wonderful accolade for any cricketer. Ted played 11 Test matches, scored 116 runs. Took 43 wickets. His best bowling was 5 for 32. Twice he took five wickets in an innings.
So where was the Fitzroy connection? Ted would play for Fitzroy from 1913 until 1919 (46 matches). The half-back line for Fitzroy in the 1916 Grand Final was – Ted McDonald, Wally Johnson (c) and Lal McLennan. Not bad, you say. Add Percy Parratt to that team and you have so much class.
Ted was a gambler and decided that England may be the place to go for an “easier” life. He became the professional with Nelson in the Lancashire League. Finally he became eligible to play with Lancashire and did so until 1930. With age and form not what it used to be, he went back to the Lancashire League with Bacup.
Life was now quite difficult for Ted McDonald and on the morning of 22nd July, 1937 his car collided with another near Bolton, England. He survived the initial crash only to be hit by another car passing by, he was just 46 years old.
For 46 games he played with our beloved Fitzroy. He was a member of that incredible 1916 Grand Final win. We will not mention that they finished last in the home and away matches. Oh, yes - there were only four teams in the competition that year!
One hundred years ago, Fitzroy achieved a sporting feat that will never happen again. In 2016 let us pay homage to another “great” in the history of the Fitzroy Football Club.
- Peta Phillips
