I attended the funeral of my Corrigin cricket team mate Wayne ‘Changa’ Connelly on Saturday 11 December. Changa was a hard-hitting batsman who once shared in a 200-plus opening partnership in 20 overs for Corrigin. It turns out he was born in Beverley so I took a detour on my way home to Freo.
The scoreboard at Beverley is a beauty with a unique cage holding the digits and it’s all about the Redbacks – no advertising. However right next to the real board is one of those electronic things so I fear that’s where the score is posted these days.
Some great footballers have come out of Beverley – Perth’s 1955 grand final hero Bert Wansborough returned home in 1959 as captain-coach and led the Redbacks to the premiership in 1960 and also won the Avon Football Association fairest and best award. Claremont and St Kilda champion John McIntosh first played senior football with Beverley as a 16-year-old. Dale Edwards, a Claremont premiership player in 1964 and fairest and best winner in 1965 was from Beverley – his son Scott Edwards played in four premiership teams for Claremont and played 15 AFL games for Fremantle while another son Mark was the AFA’s fairest and best winner in 1994 and 1996 playing for Beverley. John Doyle, member of Perth’s premiership team in 1977 was a Beverley local and won the AFA fairest and best award in 1974.
RIP Changa. Well played.
Scoreboard pressure 
Actually the old scoreboard is still being used, except of course this year. The electronic scoreboard is used to promote Beverley Redbacks Football and Netball Sponsors. Terry Ware has volunteered to do the scores for years and years and the club did not want him to lose his voluntary job. He loves it and he is probably the only scoreboard “operator” in the Avon who does the scores in hail, rain and shine.
Thanks Sera. That is very good news. When the world returns to normal we’ll get to Beverley and see Terry in action.