With the 2012 Season Launch and Hall of Fame Induction presented by Caltex this Monday night, essendonfc.com.au is continuing to pay tribute to the 21 Legends that have been inducted.

 

On Monday, March 19 two new players or officials will be inducted to join the illustrious company as a Legend of the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame.

 

Tom Fitzmaurice was a superb ruckman and later a centre half-back, with remarkable marking ability and speed. Fitzmaurice debuted for Essendon in 1918 and within a year had been selected in the state side. In six seasons at Essendon he won three best & fairest awards and was a state representative five times. Fitzmaurice played a starring role in both the 1923 and 1924 premiership wins. Unfortunately, soon after the 1924 premiership win, Fitzmaurice left the club after accusing team-mates of not trying in a game against Footscray. He later played with both Geelong where he won a third premiership and with North Melbourne.

 

Few people have dedicated as much of their life to Essendon Football Club as Wally Crichton. Crichton served the club continuously, for an unbroken period of 34 years. He was wounded in the Great War and lost a leg ending any ambition of playing football. Crichton instead became a successful and long-serving club administrator. Wally Crichton joined the Essendon committee in 1926 and became the club’s vice-president in 1932, a position he held until 1940. He was appointed Essendon president 1941 and held the position until his death in 1959. As a mark of the esteem with which Wally Crichton is held, the Essendon Football Club’s best & fairest medal was renamed the Crichton Medal.

 

‘King Richard’, as Dick Reynolds was known, was voted Essendon’s best player of all time. At his career’s end no one had played as many seasons, played as many games, captained his team in more grand finals, or won more club best and fairest awards. Dick Reynolds was a local boy who was overlooked by Carlton whom he followed, so switched to Essendon and made his debut in 1933, aged 17. The following year at just 19 years of age, Reynolds won the first of his three Brownlow Medals. He is still the youngest man to ever win the coveted award. At 24 years of age, Reynolds was appointed joint coach at Essendon while he was playing, and continued to coach the club until 1960, a total of 22 seasons. Reynolds made an immeasurable impact on the club and is rightly regarded as an outstanding player, coach, gentleman and legend of the game.

 

When Bill Cookson retired as Essendon secretary after 29 years he had become the longest serving administrator in league football history. Cookson was the club’s chief administrator during the reigns of Reynolds and Hutchison, and it was his efforts that brought the great John Coleman to Windy Hill. Cookson had a modest playing career at Essendon in the 1920s. On retirement he became secretary of the second 18 from 1931-43, and then became club secretary in 1944. In 1957 he took on the role full-time, the first at Essendon to do so and remained in the position until his retirement in 1972. Such was Bill Cookson’s contribution to Essendon that at the last annual general he attended, club president Allan Hird was moved to say “I almost believe you are Mr Essendon.”

 

Bill Hutchison was described by his captain and coach Dick Reynolds, as the best Essendon player ever. There is no doubt he was one of the best the game has ever seen. Hutchison’s record is testament to both his ability and longevity. Over 16 seasons Hutchison played his football with courage, determination and fairness, winning every accolade the game can bestow. The key to his game was exceptional fitness, fine anticipation and skills, consistency and the ability to kick goals. Hutchison retired aged 34 with a swag of achievements including two Brownlow Medals, seven club best & fairest awards, All-Australian selection, 10 grand final appearances and 490 goals. ‘Hutchy’ later coached Essendon and served on the committee.