IN the lead-up to Thursday night’s season opener with Sydney, and in the wake of the 80th anniversary of the infamous Carlton-South Melbourne “Bloodbath” Grand Final at Princes Park of September 1945, comes a fascinating family and territorial tale involving the two competing clubs.
The story surfaced at this writer’s recent powerpoint presentation of “The Bloodbath” at the narrm ngarrgu Library in Therry Street in the city – during which a slide featuring an image of the legendary South Laurie Nash co-incidentally appeared – primarily because he and Carlton’s feared captain Bob Chitty famously collided just prior to half-time of that contest, with Chitty concussed as a consequence.
Laurence John Nash, who died in July 1986 at the age of 76, remains one of an elite group of athletes to have participated in both Australian Rules football and cricket at the highest level.
Born in Fitzroy in May 1910, Laurie was the youngest of three children of Robert Nash, a gas stoker and 88-game Collingwood captain through the early 1900s, and Mary Nash (nee Ryan).
An inductee into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, Nash was a feted member of South Melbourne’s 1933 Premiership team. In 99 senior appearances through six seasons curtailed through wartime, Nash captained South and twice topped the Swans’ goalkicking honours.
As a fast bowler and hard-hitting lower order batsman, Nash, represented both Tasmania and Victoria in first-class cricket. He also turned out for Australia in two Tests, taking 10 wickets at 12.60, and scoring 30 runs at an average of 15.
An exuberant self-publicist, Nash would surely have concurred with the general view he was amongst League football’s true giants. As he once memorably declared when asked to volunteer the name of the greatest player he ever saw, Nash duly replied: “I just happen to see him in the mirror every morning when I shave”.
At the conclusion of the library powerpoint presentation, a member of the audience, Phil Duthie, advised that he and his wife Carol were the current occupants of a single fronted Victorian cottage within walking distance of the Carlton ground, which carried the name ‘Nashville’ – so named because it was previously owned by Nash’s grandfather Michael, a ruckman who represented the local Star of Carlton team and whose great-uncle Thomas represented the Carlton Football Club in 1877 (the season the club took out the inaugural Victorian Football Association Premiership), 1879 and 1882.
The quaint Hawthorn brick dwelling was built in 1884 - and if only the walls could talk.
“Carol had previously researched our house, and while we couldn’t source all of the material the following is what we do know,” Duthie said.
“Based on the postal address records from the old Sands and McDougall directories we know that Laurie Nash’s grandfather Michael owned our house from the early 1920s until his death in 1939.
“We also know that Michael did not leave anything in his will to Laurie’s father Robert because, according to records, ‘he had already helped Robert and his brother in a financially significant way’.
“Our unverified recollection of the info we had is that he may have helped with their move to Tasmania and perhaps funding the purchase of a hotel down there at Parattah.”
Duthie also indicated that Laurie’s father Robert probably spent time at ‘Nashville’ with his family - including Laurie - prior to the family’s relocation to Tasmania in the 1920s.
LJ Nash in Dark Navy? Carlton supporters can only ponder what might have been, had fate not intervened.
