First surf journalist - James Cook February 14 is most commonly associated with Valentine’s Day… or the day in which lovers declare their devotion to the special person in their life. To most of the population February 14 means red roses, chocolates and the baring of one’s soul to a secret beloved. To true sports lovers, however, February 14 is not a day of celebration, but … [Read more...]
Confessions of an addicted mungo – my love for League (and the Rabbitohs)
We’ve all heard the joke about the good ol’ boy from Bumcrack, Alabama, who likes two kinds of music - country AND western. Well, I am similarly mono-cultural in my appreciation of footy. Being born and bred in Sydney in that golden age before the AFL’s South Melbourne arrived in town to re-brand itself as the Swans (until they won the 2005 grand-final, whereupon coach … [Read more...]
A bad day at Palmy – surfies and clubbies at war!
Shane was stoked that Kiddies Corner at South Palm Beach was firing up after days of shitty southerly storm conditions making surfing impossible right up and down the Northern Beaches. It was 8.00 a.m. Sunday, November 1966. Things hadn’t been good in recent weeks for Shane and his mates with the local Warringah Council passing regulations that banned surfing at most of his … [Read more...]
Sophie Scholl – a little known adventurer… and fighter
Many adventurers become world famous. Some never get the chance. The memory of Sophie Scholl is revered in her birth country of Germany but she is barely known in other parts of the world. Tim Edwards explores the short life of one of the world's greatest unknown adventurers and describes how a tiny tomboy sports-lover stared evil squarely in the face and refused to be cowed by … [Read more...]
“Oy – are you looking at my bum?” – Segregation and the Australian swim centre.
The reason why we have segregated change rooms is so that we can boldly wander around naked without worrying that we are being stared at, isn’t it? It also prevents timid members of the opposite sex (and children) from being traumatized by our flaunting our natural assets, doesn’t it? Why shy? In the change-room we can drop out jeans without the crazy beach car-park ritual of … [Read more...]