2017 marks the 60th anniversary of the annual Good Friday Appeal to raise funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital. It began in 1931 as a sports carnival for charity but has grown into a beloved yearly appeal!
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For the history of the appeal visit the following link: Good Friday Appeal History
“On the 3rd of September 1931, a small group of journalists from The Sporting Globe organised a sports carnival for charity.
The afternoon commenced with a Cobb & Co carriage procession followed by the competing jockeys and veterans as they wound their way through the streets of Melbourne to the MCG. In front of a delighted crowd of 20,000 people, the sports carnival began with a football match involving Victorian jockeys – Flemington verses Caulfield, where Flemington came out as the victors.
This was followed by a football game of old Veterans’ representing the North and the South of the Yarra. Any retired players from World War One onwards were encouraged to put their name forward with a call out through The Sporting Globe. North of the Yarra were the clear winners of the Veterans’ match, 10: 6 to South’s 6: 7.
During the intervals The Sporting Globe journalist Dave McNamara, who also held the record for long distance football kicking, gave an exhibition of drop kicking and a fancy dress sprint event was also included as part of the Carnival program. A total of 427 pounds was raised to support the Alfred Hospital Appeal.”