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The Ted Anderson Story

History of Ted Anderson and his involvement with the Kedron District Football Club and Queensland AFL

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The Ted Anderson Story

1934 

Chosen to represent Queensland in the State Schoolboys' team that competed in a Carnival in Melbourne.

1935-1936  

Foundation member of the Kedron Australian Rules Junior Football Club.  Kedron delegate to Queensland Australian National Football League Junior Committee.

1937  

Foundation member of the amalgamated Kedron/Wooloowin Australian Rules Football Club to be known as Kedron District Football Club.

1937-1939  

A Grade player for two seasons — a fractured wrist put an end to playing career at the end of the 1939 season. Team Vice-Captain.

1939-1962  

Held all positions at Kedron DFC including President

 

1949-1959  

Delegate to QANFL at various times during this period.  Life member and Trustee of Kedron DFC

1957  Appointed state selector by QNAFL. Organised exhibition matches with Brisbane clubs outside of Brisbane area at Dalby (3), Gympie (2), Southport (2) and Cooroy (2) at a time when Australian Rules was not played outside of Brisbane.  Pioneer of the game of Australian Rules in Queensland.

Worked closely with Bruce Andrew (Secretary, AMT.) who was sent to Queensland to assist QNAFL establish Australian Rules in Queensland.

Awarded a trip to Hobart with the Queensland team by the QNAFL to the All-Australian Carnival for services to Australian Rules in Queensland.

1966

Awarded the Merit Award by the Australian National Football Council for "Long and Valuable Service to Australian Football" on 17th June 1966.

1985

The Kedron Districts Football Club committee named the E.K. (Ted) Anderson oval after him for his invaluable contribution to the club. Dedicated 1986.  

Players' pavilion also named the E.K. (Ted) Anderson Pavilion.

1985 — 1995

Patron Kedron Districts Junior Football Club

1987 — 1990

AFL Interchange Steward for Brisbane Bears home games at Carrara.

1990

Congratulated by Robert Anderson, AFL Umpires Manager, for outstanding service to the Kedron Football Club, QAFL and Australian Football for the past 55 years.

E.K. "Ted" ANDERSON

From the Australian Rules Football Record 1966....

"What else can you have but pride when your club has bestowed on it an honour never before accorded to any Australian Football Club anywhere in the Commonwealth of Australia? I refer, of course, to the Merit Certificate Awards made by the A.N.F.C. (Australian National Football Council) to Ted Anderson and Jack (Sandy) McMahon for their services to Australian Football."

"Ted Anderson is the "Quiet Man". Ted never advertises what he does, has done or is doing. Outside the club he has probably never been heard of. We all go to the games on Saturdays or Sundays and after the game we have a ball at Mercer Park. We train there, Senior and Junior, a couple of nights a week, we have meetings there, we have Ladies' Nights, Old Boys' Nights, Gala Nights and we have fixtures played there. But does anyone spare a thought of who is responsible for all this? Ask Mrs. Anderson, she can tell you! She can tell you of Ted's before-breakfast visits and his late night check-ups at Mercer Park to say nothing of his through-the-day visits. Mercer Park has been one of the big contributions to Australian Football in this State and the man behind it all is Ted Anderson. By the way, all grades played football over the weekend, but who cares. We won our greatest honour at Hobart."

(by Ed Keogh)

E. K. (Ted) ANDERSON TEAM SPIRIT AWARD — BACKGROUND

 

From the Australian Rules Football Record July 28, 1951 UNUSUAL DOUBLE

When the late Ted Harkness resigned as coach of Kedron through ill-health, the club surprised many followers of the game by appointing its President, E.K. "Ted" Anderson, to fill the position.

It is an unusual double for a high official and is probably unique in first-class Australian football, but to those who have been closely associated with the Kedron club over the years, Ted's appointment was "almost automatic".

As a member of the Kedron school team, Ted, who was then a rangy lad, looked like he was going a long way in the game.

When still at school he was tall enough to sneak into the past pupils' team at Kedron. After two years in this competition, Ted, who at that early age showed a liking for administrative positions, was prominent in their move to unite the Kedron Past Pupils and the Wooloowin Past Pupils.

From this amalgamation came the formation of the Kedron Districts Football Club, with Jack Henderson, Clem Ryan and Ted's former school teacher, Mr. Bayliss, giving the new club a kick along.

Ted was only sixteen when he first played an "A" grade match. The fans were naming him as a certainty for selection in the State team when a serious accident not only ruined his chance to represent his State, but put "paid" to a promising football career. A badly smashed wrist which failed to heal kept him out of all sport for nearly three years and several bone grafts were needed to regain the use of his hand.

But Ted loved his football and particularly the Kedron club where he became a leading figure in all phases of its administration. Social secretary, trainer, committeeman, selector, treasurer and secretary were positions occupied by him until at the age of twenty-nine, he was appointed president. That was two years ago.

Now as president-coach, he controls the destiny of the club and players both on and off the field. Discussing Kedron's prospects with him this week, he said: "We have had some bad patches this season. Unacceptable lapses of form which I would not attempt to explain away; but we also have the potential and the ability to rise to the occasion. We missed out on the Grand Final last year and decided to build the side by introducing as many local juniors as possible. This policy is paying dividends as the lads brought up are improving every week and if we make it to the finals you can take it from me, we will worry the best opposition offering."

Now there's Kedron's threat to the leaders — and Ted Anderson's not one to offer idle boasts.

Before his passing in 1995, Ted said:

"In my 60 years as a member of the Kedron Club and a worker for Australian Rules in Queensland, I have so many happy memories of my association with so many people — to name a few, Jim Nision, Joe Grant (QNAFL Secretaries) G.Healy, Don Eggleton, Mr. Bottimer, Ted Coombs, Noel Crimmins (QNAFL Presidents), Harry O'Callaghan (ANFC delegate), Bruce Andrew (ANFC Secretary) and many, many committee members and players of the Kedron club and other Brisbane clubs".

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