Given the positive feedback on the recent news item on Charlie and Merilyn Fellows, it is intended to publish a series of similar items on other club identities.  Charlie is a member of the Club’s “Team of the Century”.  Future items will profile other members of that Team, initially Richard “Dickie” Dart.

Richard Dart played 221 games for the Club from 1966 – 1978, and won the Best & Fairest award in 1967.   He too is a member of our 1974 B Grade premiership team, and also played in a D Grade premiership in 1970.  We found him in Brisbane where he is National Business Development Manager for a company involved in swimming pool covers and vinyl liners.

30 years after retiring from football, Richard readily responds to questions about his playing days:

Most memorable moment:  B grade flag in 1974
Most memorable game:      B grade flag in 1974
Best player team mate:        Gary Fletcher (aka Spider)
Best coach played under:    Alex Gardiner
Best at anything else:           Graeme Alford (aka Tubby) – phantom race calling!
Home grounds played at:    Yarra Bend, Greythorn Park, Richmond, Leigh Park

Asked to nominate the funniest football incident in his time, he recalls a game against Reservoir Old Boys:

            “Peter Quarterman (aka Stink) and I were attacked by ten Reservoir players after the main game at our Richmond home ground.  The Reservoir boys had apparently taken offence to Pete calling their players “a bunch of pussies” from the sideline during the Reserves match.  The Darts being a very close knit family unit, father Jack came to the rescue using his brolly to good effect while brother Tony who loves a stoush ran 200 yards from the other end of the oval to lend a helping hand.  Pete and I left the ground with bloody noses and black eyes, marveling at how thin the skins are out Reservoir way”.

And as to memorable social occasions, Richard again takes up the story:

            “There are so many but to relate just a couple:

(i)                  Sunday morning at Alex Gardiner’s place after winning the 1974 grand final, drinking Bundy and orange juice, while George Fellows performed his “Evil Knievel” acts.

(ii)                Sunday morning “recovery sessions” at Leigh Park, arriving at the ground horribly hung over after a big night out, a slow lap of the oval, a short kick to kick session then off to the showers, Roberts (Moore) setting up the television for “World of Sport” and starting the BBQ, Tony Dart with his umbrella up, smoking under the shower, Denis Cox enjoying a flagon of red while the torrents of water poured over his mass,  ………..”

It seems the Dart family are all highly skilled users of the umbrella, and water restrictions were unheard of in this era! 

Richard is in good health and sends his best wishes to the Old Trinity community, and to our current players for a successful season.