KBCC 60 Year History
Preface
In season 2023 / 24 the Keilor Bowls & Community Club turns 60 years old. If you have ever sat in a movie theatre over the years you might have noticed our movie-makers fascination with time portals, humans hurled through whirling tunnels or just walking through inanimate objects into another time & space.
The Club’s Honour Boards tell the story of our club down the ages, huge silent sentinels, so I thought I might try to step inside them and delve deeper into the history of our club and see what I could come up with. Far from writing a “huge tome” I want to keep this document reasonably short so I have encapsulated the past 60 years into 5 year periods and have tried to pick out certain achievements, major changes, people and places, some quirky but true facts and a bit of trivia plus as most club members had an interest in other sports I have added the winners of the Melbourne Cup & VFL and AFL Premiers. A Melbourne Cup Day event was on the bowls calendar for many of the 60 years and early start practice match’s were organised for that “last day in September” so the footy fans could come into the clubhouse and watch the final on TV.
I have undertaken this project to keep those neutrons firing in my 76 year old brain, so as not to sit and twiddle my thumbs whilst I wait for worn out parts of my body to go under the knife, (Total Knee Reconstructions, one down and one to come.).
Ok, Lets give it a Whirl………..
1963 / 64
The Keilor Bowls Club was formed in 1963. It had a 3 man committee: Pres. G. Cornish, Sec. K. Smith, and Treas. J. Vert, the namesake of our No1 Green. There were no Club Champions that season as it was most likely the club and the greens were being set up that season. In the season 1964 / 65 the club had a Men’s & Ladies Section. Apart from the data on the Club Honour Boards I could not find a great deal more information.
1963 Melbourne Cup Winner, Gatum Gatum & Geelong were VFL Premiers.
1968 / 69
We move on 5 seasons and in 1968 / 69 our men’s section was headed by Pres. J. Pascoe, Sec. E. Fynmore and Treas. K. Critchley. The ladies section was headed by Pres. J. Mayo, Sec. L. Paxman and Treas. R. Keene. Men’s Club Champion, J. Paxman, Ladies Club Champion J. Pascoe. Once again not a lot of history information to obtain.
1968 Melbourne Cup Winner, Rain Lover & Carlton were VFL Premiers.
1973 / 74
The Club is now 10 years old and in 1973 / 74 our men’s section was headed by Pres. J. D’arcy, Sec. E. Fynmore and Treas. K. Critchley. The ladies section was headed by Pres. E. Trantor, Sec. J. Mayo and Treas. R. Keene. Mens Club Champion B. Bermingham, Ladies Club Champion J. Pascoe. It is worth noting the ladies Secretary J. Mayo was to go on and hold that position for 16 seasons.
1973 Melbourne Cup Winner, Gala Supreme * ridden by the only Aboriginal jockey to win a Melbourne Cup. & Richmond were VFL Premiers.
1978 / 79
The Club has entered its 15th year and in 1978 / 79 our men’s section is headed by Pres. L. Dobson, Sec. J. La Salle and Treas. T. O’Riley. The ladies section was headed by Pres. G. Dawson, Sec. J. Mayo and Treas. I. Robson. Men’s Club Champion B. Watson, Ladies Club Champion V. D’arcy. Ladies Secretary I. Robson went to hold that position for 15 seasons. In season 1978 / 79 the Men’s Section won there first White Pennant Flag.
1978 Melbourne Cup Winner, Arwon & Hawthorn were VFL Premiers.
Now we are getting our hands on some interesting Club History
1983 / 84
20 years old and in 1983 / 84 our men’s section was headed by Pres. G. Collins, Sec. J. La Salle and Treas. T. O’Riley. The ladies section was headed by Pres. E. Short, Sec. J. Mayo and Treas. I. Robson. Men’s Club Champion R. Fuek, Ladies Club Champion V. D’arcy.
Data from the 1984 / 85 Syllabus shows Keilor with 5 sides in RVBA Saturday Pennant, with the top side in Division 1. and 4 sides in VLBA Tuesday Pennant with the top side in Division A1. For reasons only known to the VLBA pennant organisers during that season 4 rounds in November across all 4 sides were played on a Thursday and the final 4 rounds of the season were once again played on a Thursday!. Did the men request sole use of the greens on the Tuesday’s for 8 rounds?. Players of note in our top men’s and ladies sides were Dawn Calthorpe, Rob Casey, Jan Casey, Doreen Collins, Jack D’arcy, Ken Hatty, Val D’arcy, Dick Fuek, Ruth Hatty, Stan Hollingsworth, Wayne Spencer and Bill Young. In season 1985 / 86 the Club took the step of becoming an Incorporated Association and among the changes was a new position within the club, a Public Officer and that position was taken up by a KBC Club Member who went was to hold that position for 28 years. The Milburn family was well represented in season 1985 / 86, Norm Senior, Norm Junior, Donald, Tom, Glad, Edna and our present Finance Director Robert Milburn!. In season 1987 / 88 our Ladies Section won there first White Pennant Flag.
1983 Melbourne Cup Winner, Kiwi & Hawthorn were VFL Premiers.
1988 / 89
The Keilor Bowls Club is now 25 years old and celebrated that milestone with a Gala event at the Lakeside Banquet and Convention Centre in Taylors Lakes. A special medallion was struck and handed out to all Club members, any present member still have one in their possession? In 1988 / 89 our men’s section was headed by Pres. N. Milburn, Sec. G. Collins and Treas. P. Bourne. The ladies section was headed by Pres. J. Pringle, Sec. H. Jackson and Treas. I. Robson. Men’s Club Champion W. McLarty, Ladies Club Champion J. McNamara. We still had 5 sides in RVBA Saturday Pennant, with the top side still in Division 1 and start time was 1.30pm, playing 25 ends!, other clubs in the Div. 1 section 1 were Beaumaris, Cheltenham, Melbourne, MCC, Auburn Heights and Mulgrave C.C., lots of travel for the top side!. Lots of late Saturday nights, 4 sides in VLBA Tuesday Pennant, with the top side in Division A1 and the start time was 11.00am, playing 25 ends, other sides the top side played against were Footscray Park, Doutta Galla, Moreland and Altona. 9 sides in Pennant, 16 per side for a total of 144 bowlers playing each week over 18 rounds. Also in those days the bowlers had plenty of choice when shopping for bowls wear and equipment, JACK HIGH Bowls shop in Dennis St Footscray or GLENN’S MEN’S CENTRE bowls wear in Keilor Rd Niddrie, remembering all bowls clothes MUST be White or Cream!. In season 1991 / 92 all 6 sides in Men’s Saturday Pennant won their sections and 2 of those sides, the No 1 side and No 5 side went on to win Division Flags, plus the Ladies VLBA Tuesday Pennant Division E Side were also Premiers that season.
1988 Melbourne Cup Winner, Empire Rose & Hawthorn were VFL Premiers.
1993 / 94
The Club has turned 30 and in 1993 / 94 our men’s section was headed by Pres. W. Smith, Sec. G. Collins and Treas. A. Patten. The ladies section was headed by Pres. D. McLarty, Sec. H. Jackson and Treas. I. Robson. Men’s Club Champion B. Stewart, Ladies Club Champion R. Hatty. The club now had 6 sides in RVBA Saturday Pennant with the top side in Division 1, start time 1.30 pm, 25 ends, our top side playing against such clubs as Collingwood-Northcote, McKinnon, Box Hill, Kew, and Buckley Park. Four sides in VLBA Tuesday Pennant with our top side still in Division A1 playing such sides as Yarraville/Seddon, Glenroy, Maribynong Park and Werribee. 10 sides playing pennant, 16 per side for a total of 160 bowlers playing pennant each week over 18 rounds. Some of the men playing in our top side in season 1993 / 94 were Rick Casey, Mark Cowan, Paul Dorgan, Vito Rio, Bryce Stewart, Steve Webster and also our current Head Coach Mark Jacobsen.
Some interesting bowling events on the calendar that season, Australia Day “Jacks v Jills” the men finally get to play against the ladies!!, there was also a Sunday event, “Parents & Offspring’s” morning social bowls, was this “Bowling with Babies” ahead of its time??.
One of our sponsors in season 1993 / 94 was the Keilor Hotel, built in 1849, the hotel became a stopover for folks heading for the goldfields, the roads were busy and this was a time when Keilor flourished. Local garden farmers like David Milburn sat at the side of the road selling his fruit and vegetables to the passing crowd. David Milburn is our Finance Director, Robert Milburn’s Great Great Grandfather!!.
I stand corrected on this next bit of information but I do believe that at the end of season 1995 / 96 the RVBA decided to form a “Premier League” and 10 clubs from Division 1 were invited to form the first Premier League in season 1996 / 97. Those 10 metro clubs were City of Croydon, Mitcham, Ivanhoe, Kew, Burden Park, Altona, Werribee, Melbourne and KEILOR BOWLS CLUB. Unfortunately the Keilor side could only win 5 games that season and although finishing in 7th place the bottom 4 clubs were relegated, ending Keilor’s only appearance in the Premier League but the Club had been selected in the first ever Premier League because in those days Keilor Bowls Club was indeed a force to be reckoned with. In that season 1996 / 97 another major change took place with the introduction of the ”Committee of Management”.
1993 Melbourne Cup Winner, Vintage Crop & Essendon were AFL Premiers.
1998 / 99
Five seasons on and in season 1998 /99 the Chair for the Committee of Management was G. Pearce, Sec. E. Fynmore and Treas. P. Jones. The Men’s Bowls Section President was J. Bedford, Sec. J. Knowles and Treas. P. Bourne. The Ladies Bowls Section President was G. Norman, Sec. H. Jackson and Treas. G. Stone. Men’s Club Champion N. Pantalon, Ladies Club Champion G. Stone. We had 11 sides in pennant (6 Sat RVBA) and (4 Tue VLBA) and 1 Night Pennant Team. Our top side on Saturday pennant was still in Division 1 and playing such sides as Collingwood F.C. (I kid you not!!), Burwood and Burden Park. Top side on Tuesday still in Division A1 and playing more local sides like Strathmore, Glenroy, Altona and Werribee. The start time for Tuesday pennant had changed to 10.30pm and of note is the minimum length of the jack had been changed from 21.4 metres to 21 metres.
1998 Melbourne Cup Winner, Jezabeel & Adelaide were AFL Premiers.
2003 / 04
The Club now turns 40. In season 2003 / 04 the Chair of the Committee of Management was G. Pearce, Sec. E. Fynmore and Treas. J. McDonagh. In charge of the Men’s Section was Pres. C. McInerney, Sec. J. Knowles and Treas. A. Capuano. In charge of the Ladies Section was Pres. D. Collins, Sec. L. Henneken and Treas. M. Sutton. Men’s Club Champion M. Lucas, Ladies Club Champion H. Bunning. Again fielding 11 pennant sides, 6 in RVBA Saturday pennant and 4 in VLBA Tuesday pennant and 1 Night Pennant Team. Saturday top side in Division 1 and in VLBA Tuesday Pennant, the top and second sides both in Division A1, one in Section 1, the other in Section 2!. Of interest that season the club hired a bus to transport bowlers playing across all sections of the VLBA Tuesday pennant. According to the Syllabus the bus left the footy ground at 9.00am sharp and transported the bowlers to such away venues as Moreland, Werribee, Thornbury, Yarraville/Footscray, Altona, Bundoora, Preston, Kingsbury, Craigieburn and Sunbury. Bus fare paid along-side green fees. Also that season the club was awash with sponsorship, a grand total of 45 sponsors. The Tuesday bus operated for another 5 seasons, the last being in Season 2008 / 09. In season 2005 / 06 the Saturday start time was moved back to the present time of 1.00pm.
2003 Melbourne Cup Winner, Makybe Diva & Brisbane Lions were AFL Premiers
2008 / 09
Turning 45 and in season 2008 / 09 the chair of the Committee of Management was L. Henneken, Sec. A. Sutton and Treas. C. McInerney. In charge of the men’s section was Pres. A. Mansfield, Sec. A. Sutton and the Treas. C. McInerney. In charge of the ladies section was Pres. M. Sutton, Sec. J. Furres and Treas. M. Capuano. Men’s Club Champion, S. Webster, Ladies Club Champion H. Kristitz. Still 6 sides in RVBA Saturday Pennant, the top side now in Division A1 and 1 Night Pennant Team which finished the season as Division 1 Premiers. We now have some changes as to how the Ladies of the club were playing pennant bowls. 3 sides in VLBA Tuesday Pennant and 2 sides in VLBA Saturday Pennant for LADIES only. The bus was back for the last time for Tuesday Pennant but no bus for the girls playing in the 2 Saturday teams, they played their home games at Maribyrnong Park, sections of 7 with a bye in each section and they were travelling much further afield to clubs such as Greensborough, Waverley Golf, Glen Waverley, Ivanhoe and Kew Heights Sports. One away club for the Keilor No1 side was Seymour!, possibly the record for furthest away pennant game for any Keilor side?. The Ladies Saturday Pennant lasted for a total of 3 seasons with the last season being 2010 / 11. In season 2011 / 12 our top side in Tuesday Pennant was in the Tuesday Women Only Pennant, Div. 1 and the other 2 sides were now playing in the new Tuesday Open Pennant. We had 3 Selection Committees that season and a young lady playing for Keilor by the name of Carla Odgers, better known now as Carla Krizanic.
2008 Melbourne Cup Winner, Viewed & Hawthorn were AFL Premiers.
2013 / 14
The Big 50. We turn 50 years old and a gala event was held in our clubrooms, bulging with over 150 past & present club members celebrating together. In season 2013 / 14 the chair of the Committee of Management was P. Livy, Joint Secretary’s D. Gavaghan & R. Duddington, Treas. R. Milburn. The Men’s & Ladies Section had been amalgamated into one, the KBC Bowls Committee and in season 2013 / 14 in charge of this committee was Pres. J. Watkins, Sec. J. Knowles and Treas. R. Milburn. Men’s Club Champion T. O’Brien, Ladies Club Champion J. McInerney. We had made the move from 3 committees down to 2 committees and reduced a lot of doubling up of Club Positions. We still had 6 sides in Weekend Metro Pennant with the top side now in Division 2, 2 sides in Night Pennant and down to 3 sides on Tuesday, the Division 1 side had won promotion to Midweek Women’s Premier League and the other 2 sides were now playing in the re-named Midweek Open. Long gone was the RVBA & VLBA, amalgamated into the governing body we know today as Bowls Victoria. In season 2015 / 16 our 2 Night Pennant teams finished up Premiers in Division 2 & Division 4.
In the 2017 / 18season another governing change was made when the KBC Bowls Committee was linked with the Committee of Management and we ended up with one ruling body, The Committee of Management, made up of a Chairman and 6 Directors. The Inaugural Committee was Chair, P. Livy, Deputy Chair / Bowls Director J. Watkins, Sec. R. Duddington, Finance Director R. Milburn, Bar Director S. Martin, Social Director M. Sutton and Maintenance Director A. Marshall. Also in season 2017 / 18 we welcomed new caterers to the club, Jin, Melanie & Mum, a family affair who met all the catering needs of this club when coming on boat
2013 Melbourne Cup Winner, Fiorente & Hawthorn were AFL Premiers.
2018 / 19
Five years further down the track in season 2018 / 19 the Committee of Management chair was B. Copal, Deputy Chair/Bowls Director J. Watkins, Sec. R. Duddington and Treas R. Milburn. Men’s Club Champion R. Temple, Ladies Club Champion J. Valentine. During the 5 seasons up to 2021/ 22 the club had 5 sides in W/E Pennant with the 5th side being a 12-a-side team. One side in Night Pennant and 4 sides in M/W Pennant with all 4 sides now being a 12-a-side teams. Also in season 2018 / 19 our Night Pennant side were Premiers in Division 3 West and again in 2019 /20 Premiers in Div 3 Central. Also gone were the Yellow & blue Pennant result sheets and phoning through the team results at the end of the day. Bowlslink was with us and now all done on-line thus the need for the club to create a new position, a Bowlslink Coordinator. Results and prospects were looking up for the Keilor Bowls Club but the Covid-19 Pandemic was rearing its ugly head, we had managed to complete season 2019 /20 in March but soon after Pandemic restrictions came into place and it wasn’t until the end of May 2020 that the club was able to resume bowls under special Covid-19 sessions! But in July 2020 back into Lockdown / Curfew and stricter restrictions. It was touch & go over the next few months but Season 2020 /21 finally got underway on the Saturday 28th November 2020 along with a new Head Coach Mark Neicho. More unsettling times for the Club from June 2021 to September 2021 with more Covid-19 Lockdowns but in the end the Club weathered the difficult times and came out all guns firing for season 2021 / 22 which started on Saturday 13th November. Another change took place in season 2021 /22. Our Club was becoming more than just a bowls club and was opening itself up to the local community and to better reflect these changes the name of the club was changed to The Keilor Bowls & Community Club. In season 2021 / 22 we added another big Blue Pennant Flag when the top side in Midweek Pennant won their Section Flag and promotion to Division 1 and then went on to win the Division Flag and crowned Premiers, plus our Night Pennant side added another Division Flag, crowned Premiers Division 3 West. More changes took place at the end of the season when Bowls Victoria decided to undertake a massive reconstruction of all Weekend and Midweek Pennant Divisions, reducing them to 8 sections of 8 teams per section to better fit into the now shortened season of 14 rounds. At the end of season 2021 / 22 preparations began on a new surface for the No2 Green. Season 2022 /23 saw the club return with many of our pennant sides dropping a division as if they had been demoted due to the complex reconstruction. That didn’t stop Keilor from further success on the field. We lost our Head Coach Mark Neicho at the end of the bowls season (a sea- change) and then appointed a new Head Coach, Mark Jacobsen for season 2023 / 24.
2018 Melbourne Cup Winner, Cross Counter & West Coast were AFL Premiers.
Whirling…….. Twisting……. Turning…… Skidding………. Crashing……Thump!!!, that wasn’t too bad a trip back…………………..
Happy 60th Birthday Keilor Bowls & Community Club
Footnote
Many Club Members have served and played for Keilor over the past 60 years, too many to mention here but not forgotten as their names and achievements are all around us on the Honour Boards that encircle the clubhouse and in the archive records and Trophy Cabinet. I have dealt with just a small part of our Club’s history and the reason for a lot of data relating to Pennant Bowls in this document is because over the past 60 years I believe that Pennant Bowls was the Lifeblood of this great Club. Our Club has won over 70 Pennant Section Flags and 10 Pennant Division Flags in the lifetime of this club. Lets see how things turn out when the Club reaches 100 in Season 2063 / 64.
Research
Most of the research for this document was taken from 40 Club Syllabus Note books, from season 1983 / 84 to 2021 / 22, plus some phone calls to Club Members.
Keith Hinks (Unofficial Club Historian)
* The Author is more than happy to stand corrected on any part of this document *