Beginnings.
In 1891, members of the Ballarat Gymnasium Association would occasionally increase their fitness with a bit of cross country running. In May of that year, the Melbourne Harriers Club visited Ballarat by train, with a view to helping a harriers club form in Ballarat. They were hosted by the Ballarat Gymnasts, and conducted a joint paperchase around the town's precincts. It ended with a run-home race and entertainment at Lester's hotel. A decision was made that day to form a club and three weeks later, on 15th June, 1891, the Ballarat gymnasts met and formed the Ballarat Harriers Club, with John Duthie being the first president and all other office bearers being elected that night. For the remainder of that year, they conducted regular paperchases, but no races, because, after all, the old English sport of being a harrier is one of conducting "Hares and Hounds" events, or, in other words, paperchases.
In 1892, the first club 5 mile race, which included Lake Wendouree, was held and in 1893, the club entered the Victorian 10 mile Cross Country Championship (CCC) in Melbourne. Track could be said to start in 1894, with the holding of the first "Harriers Sports Day", an event conducted only once a year. However, the club members could run a bit more track than that because when each big Ballarat association, such as the Hibernian Club, ran a sports day, they would have one event on the program for Harriers. But in essence, the early years of the Harriers was essentially a winter program of alternating pack runs and paperchases.
Harriers dominate.
Over the next decade or so, more racing (mainly handicaps) and more track running crept in to the club. Then the club entered its most glorious period ever. In the 1890's and 1900's the club produced the following Victorian cross country and track distance running champions: Charles Herbert, Charles Bennett, Charles Suffren (also Australasian champion), George Richardson and Alex Richardson. These men and others helped the club become the first Victorian club to win the Victorian 10 mile CCC three times and hence secure for the club the magnificent Coldham-Cohen Shield, the club's most precious possession. On the track, Angus Greenfield, a founding 1891 member, became Victorian champion in shot put and pole vault, but also placed in hammer, long jump and high jump, was an Australian cycling champion, a champion rower and played football for Geelong. Maybe he was the club's greatest ever athlete. J.P. Maher and W.H. Doolan both won Victorian shot and hammer titles and alternated which they won. These and other champions helped Harriers three times take 2nd place in the State club aggregate at the Victorian track championships in the 1890's and actually win and become the states premier track club in 1909.
After this, the glory days were over, and Ballarat Harriers never won state senior team titles again, except for one memorable day in 1982, when a cross country team of Robin Sealey, Mark Stewart, Kevin Davies, Michael Nielsen, Ken Green and Brian Trower defeated Glenhuntly, led by Rob DeCastella, to win the Victorian cross country relay championship. This is arguably the greatest team and the greatest team achievement in the club's history. But it should be put in context by pointing out that Ballarat YCW Harriers have achieved similar victories many times, and this reminds us that the Ballarat Harriers Club has been a reasonable performer down through a century but not a powerhouse club like Box hill or Essendon or Glenhuntly. Our achievements on the State scene have been only modest, but occasionally spectacular.
Between wars.
War came to Australia in 1914, and most of the club enlisted in the army. The Harriers did not die. Through the wonderful efforts a young lad called Harold Wakeling, the club continued through the war without a break. Harold organised pack runs with usually only two runners, but Harold payed the affiliation fees himself with VAAA. After the war, the club struggled on, but only barely, with so many men killed or injured. Depression came in the 30's and fortunes slowly revived as men like Lew Zilles, Stan Nicholls and Len Evans not only kept up the cross country season, but organised the first proper regular track competitions every Saturday afternoon, on the High School oval. Several clubs competed for the Loughlin Shield for the first time in 1931. It's hard to believe that regular track did not exist for the first 40 years of the club's history. With so many men unemployed and real hardship that we do not comprehend today, Lew kept the club alive financially with many generous, but discrete donations. They were a close knit bunch in the 30's and this was the era Stan Nicholls became Victorian champion and Empire Games 3 mile representative. The club dominated Ballarat track, cross country, and the annual road relay, which went to Clunes in those days, before becoming the Daylesford relay. War came again in 1939, and Stan Nicholls recalls that virtually the whole club immediately enlisted to fight. Once again the club did not die. Races were suspended, but club veteran Les Diamond persuaded Norm Pinney's father, Bill, to put on some running shoes, and for the duration of the war, these two old veterans paid their fees, organised pack runs of two and kept the club's continuity. At wars end, a spirit of vitality and energy saw an immediate, strong revival of the club's fortunes. Frank Balmain, Norm Pinney and Bruce Wallace, were not only good runners, but great organisers. These men and others, along with the Ladies committee, started the fund which eventually resulted in the club purchasing our clubrooms. They re-vitalised track season in Ballarat and started taking cross country teams regularly to Melbourne again, a tradition which has continued since.
1960's and after.
The 1960's saw Fred Luke, a Ballarat CC champion, begin his remarkable stint of 27 years as secretary. Tom Roberts, Brian McLennan and Vin Reynolds, possibly the club's fastest sprinter, were among a group who took the club to its most glorious era in track season, led by the wiliest of track captains, Graeme Alexander. Walker Graeme Nicholls won Australian championships and records. Javelin thrower Peter Donaldson set a Ballarat Javelin record which lasted for over 35 years. This generation won the Loughlin shield with monotonous regularity, being so powerful that the A grade track team had to be split into Black and Gold at one stage. Brian McLennan stamped his mark on the club in this era, giving a legacy which has lasted. He was arguably the first to train hard in the modern way, with weekly totals of maybe 100 miles, plus speed sessions and other features which were unknown in the 50's, at least at Ballarat. And he inspired the entire club to train like that, so that by the 1970's there were upwards of twenty or thirty runners doing big mileages, hill sessions, speed sessions and so on. Australian 800M champion and arguably the club's greatest ever athlete, Col McCurry coached so many in this 70's era and the club entered an era of cross country strength it had never known before, or since. Two men, Kevin Davies and Robin Sealey took turns to lead the club to victories in track premierships, cross country premierships and Daylesford relays. Brian Lewry became, in 1976, the first Victorian cross country champion since Stan Nicholls. And it was in this era that Willi Sawall became the club's first Olympian, placing 8th in Moscow in the 50 k walk. In 1976, the clubrooms were established, the building being the old Victoria Bowling Club rooms, transported to Young St on trucks and re-assembled.
1980's and after.
The 1980's saw the club's fortunes slowly dry up. Teams still trained hard and journeyed to Melbourne, and many good runners still persevered. However, the loss of Stephen Moneghetti to YCW saw Ballarat YCW assume such dominance, even over Melbourne clubs, that Harriers have had limited success in the last 25 years. Few men's team victories in A grade in Ballarat have materialised in the last 25 years, although there were 4 or so Ballarat CC team victories in the 90's. Numbers diminished in the 1980's and junior runners always seemed to go to other clubs. Bonnie and Ian Black and then Kevin Davies were stalwarts to keep the club going in difficult times, and then in the 90's, Harold Preston showed himself to be one of the most tireless of presidents, creating prosperity and a vitality for the club, and a belief in ourselves, even if YCW still dominated on the track. The 1990's saw a strong track and cross country team, but one never quite able to win an open men's track premiership. On the track, Josh Coull became maybe the fastest Harrier ever. There were many great juniors in the 90's for example, in the 90/91 track season, the junior boys won every under age premiership. Several won state under age titles. Paul Burge and Lee Troop, brought distinction to the club with Victorian open cross country titles. Lee went on to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games and would eventually compete at the Olympics. The women provided the only substantial team glory by winning the A grade track premiership in 1993/94. This outstanding team, the club's best ever, was spear-headed by Penny Gillett, Geraldine Riley and Lisa Bruty, who eventually brought distinction to the club and herself by making the Commonwealth Games team, where she was 4th in the high jump. By the late 90's things were tapering off again, and up to 2006, numbers and success were right down. It seemed like only the veterans kept the club going. Steven Jones began running track and almost single-handedly began a track revival, with his sprinting and jumping ability. Harriers were runners-up in 2007, premiers in 2008, runners-up in 2009, and premiers in 2010 and 2011. Three track premierships in 4 years see us enter the 120th Anniversary year as Ballarat's premier track club.
And in the 120th anniversary year the club is secure, financially and in terms of membership. In the last two decades, hard working presidents like Peter Jones, Michael Hart and Matthew Gibney had guided the club through some difficult times and are still contributing to the success we are now enjoying. Great runners like Paul Burge, Nathan Hartigan, James Attard and Peter Eason still train hard and achieve high placings at state level in cross country, although team strength is a little lean and has been for several decades. Geraldine Riley has probably achieved the most success to date as a distance runner with numerous club records and 3 wins in the Ballarat Lap of the Lake as well as state placings. Rachael Gibney is one of the strongest distance runners in the club's history, with two Lap of Lake wins, club record times and placings in State titles. Lisa Bruty has made the Commonwealth Games in high jump. Anne Rutherford is probably the best female all-round athlete of all time, holding the 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump, and hurdles record and was also an outstanding high jumper. Kelly Ruddick has won several state championships in the walk and held Victorian country records in junior running. Another highly decorated athlete is Jodi Willis-Roberts who has represented Australia in discus at the Para-Olympics winning medals including gold.
It's also worth mentioning that the women are often the most vibrant, outgoing and dynamic part of the club. Some of the club's most memorable and loyal women, such as Arlie Nicholls and Bernie Brooks made their contributions through many years of hard work and service as well as having a run.
Conclusion:
Throughout the last 120 years of history, many great athletes and great committeemen and women have done much for the club and not been mentioned. To get the bigger picture, you can read the Harriers history "Always Striving" published in 1991 on the occasion of the club's centenary. But perhaps we will close with a mention of a few who have been typical of our club's proud century plus of history. Willi Sawall, is the only club member to ever make the Olympics as a Harrier, with numerous Australian and even world walk records to his credit. Tom Roberts, a Ballarat champion middle distance runner, holds over 8 world veteran records, such as an amazing 4:05 for 1500m at age 51. Barry Brooks held the club's marathon record and has run at competitive cross country levels longer than any other runner, having competed with distinction in ultra marathons, such as Sydney to Melbourne. Ken and Joan Hall are probably the longest serving Harriers with Joan's efforts for fundraising being instrumental in us getting our clubrooms and Ken's 50 plus years of committee work being unrivalled. So many more wonderful people who have given years of loyal service to the Ballarat Harriers should be mentioned. Even when success eludes the Harriers, you still know that you are proud to be in one of Australia's oldest and best sporting clubs.
Australian Champions.
Charles Suffren, Graeme Nicholls, Willi Sawall, Lee Troop.
Open State Champions.
Charles Herbert, Charles Bennett, Charles Suffren, George Richardson, Alex Richardson, Stan Nicholls, Graeme Nicholls, Brian Lewry, Lee Troop, Paul Burge, Kelly Ruddick.
Under age State Champions.
Angus Greenfield, Peter Donaldson, Graeme Nicholls, David Farquhar, Paul Burge, Aaron Sawall, Mark Sawall, Heath Gillett, Daniel Carman.
Stawell Gift Winner.
Len Sprague.
Representation at Commonwealth Games.
Stan Nicholls, Willi Sawall, Lisa Bruty, Lee Troop.
Representation at Olympic Games.
Willi Sawall, Jodi Willis-Roberts (Paralympian gold medallist)
Distinctions while registered at other clubs.
Steve Moneghetti, (Olympic Games, with YCW) Col McCurry, (Australian champion, with Box Hill) Lee Troop, (Olympic Games, with Geelong.)
Please note: If you know of any additions to this list, or any mistakes, please contact Kevin Ruddick at
kevruddick@giant.net.au