A slice of Richmond footy history surfaced online this week – two colour photographic slides depicting the club’s involvement in the 1968 Moomba Parade.
The parade took place on March 11, 1968 - 53 years ago this week.
The images show four players from our 1967 premiership side in a car procession, making its way down Swanston Street in front of 300,000 spectators.
Behind them is the drought-breaking 1967 premiership cup, proudly being held aloft for all to see.
In the first vehicle is the premiership vice-captain Paddy Guinane, and the recently retired Neville Crowe (who missed the Grand Final due to suspension). There is an unidentified child sitting between them.
Above: Paddy Guinane and Neville Crowe
In the second vehicle is future club Immortals Roger Dean and Kevin Bartlett.
And behind them holding the premiership cup aloft is a yet-to-be identified woman, and passionate Tiger supporter Sam Arsenis who helped form the Richmond Cheer Squad in the early 1960s.
Above: Roger Dean and Kevin Bartlett, with Sam Arsenis holding the premiership cup
In a 2019 interview with club historian Rhett Bartlett, Sam vividly recalled his role in the Moomba parade:
“In 1968, Richmond were going to lead the Moomba procession and six of us kids were going to be next to the cars. I wanted to have the premiership cup there, so I said to Charlie Callander (the longtime club property steward) can we have the cup, it would be great to hold while we go down Swanston Street.”
Callander thought it was a great idea, however he wouldn’t be able to hand over the cup on the Monday morning, as it was a public holiday.
“So, he said here take the keys and come on Monday and take the cup!” a flabbergasted Sam recalled.
“So, on Monday before I went to the city, I went into the Punt Road Ground and let myself in. I went to the room with the big tiger skin in the middle, went to the cupboard and got the cup out, got a brown paper bag and put it in, and I went to the city. Can you believe that!”
The result is captured in these never-before-seen slides showing the clearly proud Sam Arsenis holding the cup aloft behind the motorcade.
The slides were first posted to the Richmond and Burnley Historical Society Facebook page by avid Tiger supporter Sally Russell (they are published in this story with her permission).
Her parents Alan and Pat Matthews snapped the images as part of their regular trip to the Melbourne festival.
“We would leave home early in the morning to get a good vantage point in front along St Kilda Road,” Sally remembered in an email.
“We would set up our picnic blanket and sit waiting for hours for the parade to start. Usually, some family would try and push in front of us or on our blanket and we would get a bit possessive of our great spot!”
It wouldn’t be the last time Kevin Bartlett appeared in the Moomba Parade.
16 years later he was appointed King of Moomba for 1984.
Should you have any hidden Richmond photos or footage of historical importance, please contact the club historian at rhettrospective@gmail.com
