LIAM PHILLIPS
MONDAY saw the launch of
the South Australian Cricket
Association’s 150th anniversary
book, titled SACA 150: A Celebration,
and it featured a local
touch as Robert Laidlaw was
asked to write the chapter on the
19th century Gawler sporting
sensation Joe Darling.
After setting the record for highest
batting total ever recorded in
an innings played in South Australia
at the time – racking up 252
runs for Prince Alfred College on
Adelaide Oval the day before his
15th birthday – Darling eventually
moved to Roseworthy College
where he became a Gawler legend.
Darling played for Gawler in the
South Australian Football Association
– the precursor to the SANFL
– but his real claim to fame was
his cricketing prowess, which saw
him go on to captain both South
Australia and Australia, playing
34 Tests in the baggy green.
Having previously explored
the history of Darling, Laidlaw
said he was a natural candidate to
write the chapter when the idea of
the 150 year anniversary was first
conceived. “When fellow sports
historian and good friend Peter
Cornwall first told me he was
writing the SACA 150 anniversary
book, he immediately asked me
to write the chapter on Joe Darling,”
he said.
“He knew I had done a lot of research
on him and that there was a
family connection via the football
field.
“While researching some family
history in the early 2000s, I discovered
that my mother’s grandfather,
Bert Shearer, had a sporting background
in Mundoora. I was given
the team photo from the 1890s of a
local football team, which had Joe
Darling and my great grandfather
in it.
“From there I did some further
research on Darling and discovered
his Gawler connection.”
While Laidlaw is extremely
well-read on the history, he said he
was still uncovering new nuggets
of information when going back
for more research on the topic.
“As a historian you actually find
something new every day, because
you learn to be flexible in what
you are researching, rather than
just look to confirm what you already
know,” he said.
“It opens up heaps of further
interesting information, and with
Joe, I’m always finding something
new – including recently, where
an article of the time (1894) said
he was interested in playing baseball.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t find
any evidence to support whether
he did play a game or not.”
As a sports romantic at heart,
Laidlaw said the book will hit
home with a wide range of readers.
“Most importantly, (the book is
for) people who like a good story,”
he said.
“It is also perfect for cricket lovers,
sports lovers, history lovers,
family historians with a connection
– the list is endless.”
As well as Cornwall and Laidlaw,
the book also features contributions
from former Test
off-spinner Ashley Mallett, local
journalists Mike Sexton, Andrew
Capel and Liz Walsh, together
with Steven Barrett, David Jenkins,
Denis Brien, Mike Coward,
Trevor Gill and Lawrie Colliver.
It is available for purchase only
to SACA members for the time
being, and for more information
visit (www.saca.com.au/membership/
saca-150/saca-150-book) or
call SACA Member Services on
8300 3232.