SOUVENIR-CHARTERS TOWERS, l872 TO JULY, 1950

Page 39

How popular were the Tourists, but unlucky as
	a team,
Yet a better and a stronger side, than what
	their record made them seem;
But the clash of Queens and Rainbows, with
	strong rivalry between,
Plus a little bit of feeling, made the struggle
	extra keen;	'
No quarter asked or given, from the time they
	started play,
And a ball that just bounced luckily, could
	make a winner either way;
How we watched them through the little gate,
	as a chorus rose around,
And we picked out all the players, as they
	spread across the ground;
Then an extra cheer for "Dandy," that you'd
	hear a mile away,
For "Dandy" was our idol, and we loved to see
	him play.
From the oldest grey-beard watching, to the
	youngest sporting kid,
There were few men won the Towers hearts,
	like "Dandy" Egan did.

Aud there he was with Cossack boots, and that
	cow-lick in his hair,
One eye half-closed against the sun, to shield
	a weakness there;
Alick Inch and "Sarp" are charging, as the
	kick-off whistle sounnds,
But a bit of fumbling near the line, and the
	ball is out of bounds.
Long George Bahr in line-out, tips the balls
	to "Ooler's" hands
But "Trixie" Lewis grabs him, as the "pill" just
	barely lands;
"Offside! Offside! Mr. Referee," we hear old
	"Sharkey" call.
But they're fighting in a scrimmage, for pos­
	session of the ball;
Then the grandest bunch of forwards, go down
	to a fierce scrum;
And even now their very names, can set my
	nerves a-strum.
Jack Skewes, George Bahr and "Tudgy," how
	they all roll off my tongue,
I feel I'd like to yell them now. as I did when
	I was young.

Jack and Big Jim Egan,-"Tiger" and Franky
	Lewis too,
The Davis' and the Hunters', to mention just
	a few;
Herb May thick and solid, with a bump to
	stop a horse,
His brother George and Barto, and Jack Ford
	with Queens of course,
Jim Brydon breaks right through there now"
	he's using all his pace,
But "Mighty Atom" Albert, is always in his
	place,
And he seldom failed in tackles, and he never
	missed a ball.
The smallest of our full-backs-but the daddy
	of them all;

Billy Beasley with the Rainbows, always solid
	as a rock,
Alert behind with "Trixie," and strong to meet
	a shock.
Remember him at Ravenswood, when his field­
	goal through the sticks,
Snatched us victory by a minute, when' we beat
	them seven six.

Just look at "Bully" Carrol, in the thick of
	changing scenes­
He stopped a solid rush there, that meant
	trouble for the Queens;
The final bell had sounded-the Queens were
	just in front,
The tired backs had held on well-now the
	forwards bore the brunt,
From a struggle, heaving mix-up, Qneens tried
	hard to get the ball,
But the Rainbows grimly
	wouldn't let it out at all;
The goal-line just two yards away, and with
	all their strength expended,
The Rainbows drained their last reserve, still
	the fighting Queens defended;
When a swift low pass from out the ruck to
	"Dandy" waiting near,
A few quick paces "Dandy" ran-then jumped
	just like a deer;
	silence snapped across the grounds, as
	though no souls were in it,
It seemed to last a long, long time, though it
	scarcely was a minute.
A spell-bound look of questioning, lit the face
	of everyone,
Asking dumbly "Did you see it?" "Did you see
	what "Dandy" done?"

And thus the games are over, and we've many
	roads to go,
We've had a quiet sitting, at Memory's pic­
	ture show;
Perhaps we've had some
	we've had sonne pain,
For there's grand men in those pictures, we
	cannot meet again;
But they've given us rich treasures, real heir­
	looms of the past,
To carry with us always, and to store where
	they will last;
And last they will, I fancy, till all our years
	are flown,
Till we answer each our summons, when our
	final whistle's blows.

I'll take my road through Carven's mill, past
	Craven's dam that's dry,
I'll note the rusted uprights, where the "flying­
	fox" swung high;
But as I pass through Carven's way, I know
	I'll pause to stare,
At where a cottage used to stand, ...to see
	if "Dandy's" there.