This year the Pratten Park Magpies Reunion was celebrating
The 1963 Grand Final (we were robbed) and the 1963 Kangaroo Tour
the first Australian team to win the Ashes on British soil
The very famous photos taken after the 1963 Grand Final
Norm “Sticks” Provan and Arthur Summons.
This photo was taken seconds after the famous one
Arthur’s face says it all!!!
Arthur still unhappy about the ref
The room before the Big event
The Room a couple of hours later
Bob Dickinson getting ready with the name tags
Table Flags with the different eras
(It helped the older players find their table)
Norm Dhu and Noel Trevena
Gordon Kennedy, Barry Shepherd and Paul Dixon
Two old Magpies, Stan Mildwater aged 96 and Ted Dunn aged only 92
Laszlo Parcsi, Wayne Jennings and John Coates
Barry Glasgow, Harry ‘Bomber’ Wells and Barry Bryant
Ben Fisher, TV Star Alan Davidson and Don Parish
Don was the Captain/Coach of the Wests Devils in the Illawarra Comp
They won back to back premierships in 1969 and 1970
Denis Culpan and Roger Buttenshaw
John came along with his own stats
John 50 years ago
(Thanks to Steven Lalich for the photo)
Col Davis and the Ford Boys, Tony and Peter
Don Hall and Denis Culpan
Mark Wallington and Peter Di Michiel
Rick Wayde and Arthur Summons
Kevin Storey, Col Lewis and Carl Ross
Jim Leis and Mark Bevan
Barry Glasgow checking in with Jim Brophy
Wests running onto the SCG in the 1963 Grand Final
Some of the same Wests 1963 team up on stage
Noel Kelly reliving the ’63 Grand Final
Wests team and program 1963 Grand Final
Big Kel O’Shea leading Wests onto the SCG 1963
Col Lewis, Harry Wells and Alan Davidson
Col Ensor played for Wests in 1979 and Balmain in 1977
John O’Bryan and Barry Bryant
John played at Wests 1972-1974 for 40 First Grade games
Then a season at Manly in 1975
John Mc, Kevin Brown and Geoff Squires
It’s that time of the day again … singing time
“We are the boys from Western Suburbs, come along and ….”
‘Bruiser’ takes over the singing
Mike Bailey wishing he could sing that good ….
Meanwhile Don ‘Irish’ Malone signing the 1963 GF Program for Steve Dillon
Don ‘ Irish’ Malone and Norm Provan
(Thanks to Steven Lalich for photo).
Nebo meets Steven Lalich
WARNING: If you see the 2 steves at any function be nice as they are true collectors and sell none of their signed memorabillia
Check out their website www.legendsofleague.com
Rick Wayde talking to Gary Lester about Wests Spirit.
Gary is a sports writer who worked at THE SUN newspaper
He has written many books including
Clouds of Dust, Buckets of Blood
Two words spell out the Wests Spirit … Jim Cody
Jim running past ‘Big’ John O’Neill in 1969
More Wests Spirit …. Roy Masters talks from the heart about his time with Wests
To top off the Wests Spirit … Tommy
Tommy a few years earlier
“It is not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly… who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.”
Teddy Roosevelt
Steve Reeves talks about the next generation of Magpies
Steve is the Manager-Football Operations of Wests Magpies
Tim Murphy and Tim Pickup
Tommy and Don Parish
Tony Lewis and Steve Winter
Tony has a website www.noelkellyskids.info
Steve with the ball at Henson Park
Wests players L-R John Maxwell, Barry Bryant, Nebo, John Baker
Steve scores a great Wests try against St.George in 1968
Tony Lewis wasn’t sure who these guys were … 1961 Reserve Grade Premiers?
A proud Ted Brennan with his youngest son Stephen
Two Behind the scenes Wests men. Charlie Tuxford and Horrie Jowsey
Jon Clark and Dick Small
Back to 1963
The 1963 Kangaroo Team were also remembered on this day
Wests had four players who went away with this famous team
Kevin Smyth, Peter Dimond, Noel Kelly, and
Capt/Coach Arthur Summons
The winning Australian team 1963
Ned scoring an easy try
Phil meets Mr. Dimond
Back to 2013
Peter Ratcliffe and his Dad Col Ratcliffe
Wayne Merry
Here’s a rough mob
L-R: Stephen Tamone, Garry Clark, David Kennedy, George Moroko and Wayne Smith
Ned, Ray Brown and Arthur
Trevor Cogger and Ned
John Walsh and Dave Turner
Pat Regan
Sid Walsh and John Kearns
The sad and moving part of the day
Obituaries 2013
The Controversy Corner Panel
Alan Clarkson, Rex Mossop, Ferris Ashton and Noel Kelly
We all stood as one in respect and silence as their names were called out
Speaking of Wests men … 3 regular attendees were missing on the day
Billy Owens, Paul Dillon and MC Bruce Sacre
Even though Bill was not present, his video presentation about Wests in 1963 was, as always, BRILLIANT!
Bill Owens and Pat Toohey at the 2011 Reunion
Paul Dillon at the SCG at the 2012 Reunion
That’s Bruce, mike in hand saying SHHHHHHHHH!!! at the 2012 Reunion
We hope to see all three of these Wests men at the 2014 Reunion
Thanks to the Pratten Park Magpies committee for a wonderful day
The Old Pratten Park gate
“Think where man’s glory most begins and ends
And say my glory was I had such friends” – Yeats
Thanks to Wikipedia for the information links to the great rugby league players and others mentioned on this website