On the momentous occasion of Jack Dyer’s 100th birthday today (November 15), Tony Greenberg pays a poetic tribute to the Tigers’ beloved patriarch.
A is for Achievements, too numerous to name,
B is for Boldness, a key to his game.
C is for Collingwood, an enemy to hate,
D is for Dyerisms, like “shut the gate”.
E is for Education, at St Ignatius and De La Salle,
F is for Fearsome, giving opponents merry hell.
G is for Goals, 443 in the Yellow and Black,
H is for Hard-hitting, he never changed tack.
I is for Inspiration, lifting the Tigers until they’d won,
J is for Jill and Jack, his daughter and son.
K is for Knee, badly worn, but on with the job,
L is for “League Teams”, fun times beside Lou and Bob.
M is for Marriage, Sybil his dear wife,
N is for Nickname, “Captain Blood” for life.
O is for Oakleigh, the place he was born,
P is for Punt Road, where many an opponent’s collarbone he’d torn.
Q is for Quest, leading the Tigers’ charge to be best,
R is for Richmond, and bugger the rest!
S is for Siblings, Vin and Eileen,
T is for Tiger, the best ever seen.
U is for Umpire, if ya don’t mind please,
V is for Victory, accomplished with ease.
W is for “World of Sport”, sparring with Lou,
X is for X-rated, but he never worked ‘blue’.
Y is for Yarns, many tall tales to tell,
Z is for Zest, a life lived oh, so well.
