In 1942, I was a member of a Melbourne school football team and invited to train at Toorak Oval with the club. (The Junction Oval had been taken over by the military during WW2). Kick to kick in the middle, a few laps of the oval, a lot of huffing and puffing and some memorable bruises are my strongest memories. This would seem incredible to today's list to be construed as a training program.
This is really leading me to the Hall of Fame. With a long continuous interest and support in and for the club, my memories go back a long way before 1966, which in turn is a long way back for today's generation.
I have no doubt that over that period of time, we have had great individual players at St kilda that were the equal of the best players in the VFL or AFL. We have every right to be proud of them.
But three players stand out in my memory not only for their individual skills but also their team skills; Robert Harvey, Darrel Baldock and Harold Bray. Harvey and Baldock are well remembered in everyone's mind for their sheer brilliance, but not so Harold Bray, the unluckiest footballer around not to win a Brownlow Medal. He was so close so many times.
He was everything we are proud of in a St Kilda player. He was silky smooth, fast, very skilful, went where angels feared to tread on the ground, had an incredible ability at all times to make the right decision in getting and disposing of the ball, and instinctively knew the best way to use his body at all times. All this in a flash; the eye of a needle was never any trouble for Harold Bray to negotiate.
Above all, he was always a humble man even if a bit tense at times.
I hope he is always remembered in the Hall of Fame as a great footballer, man, St Kilda and Victorian representative. The sooner the better before time and memories get completely beyond us.
John Pascoe
(Seventy years a St Kilda supporter and still greatful for the opportunity.)
