The First Match

On a crisp Wednesday on the 14 July 1920 amongst the poplars, at the foot of the Snowies, the people of Tumut, along with folk from Gilmore and Adelong and footballers from Gundagai, headed for the racecourse, in sulkies, on horseback, by bike, and by shanks’s pony. A few well-heeled citizens went out in their motor cars.   Some would have come in to Tumut on the train. The talk of the town was the O.Beegling vs J. Lawson scratch footrace of 120 yards, scheduled for 2pm.  Connections had placed £10  on each athlete. The winner was going home with 20 quid, at least four weeks wages for the average punter. Continue reading