Two Essendon greats will join past and present champions when they are inducted as Legends into the Essendon Hall of Fame on Monday March 19.

 

With the 2012 Season Launch and Hall of Fame Induction presented by Caltex this Monday night, essendonfc.com.au will over the next few days pay tribute to the 21 players and officials already inducted as Legends.

 

We begin with Alex McCracken, Albert Thurgood, Bill Busbridge, Frank Reid and Tom Fitzmaurice.

 

McCracken was still a teenager when the Essendon Football Club was formed. He became the club’s first secretary and treasurer, while his father became the first president. Land behind the McCracken family home became known as McCracken’s Paddock and was the club’s first ground. The club’s current colours of black and red are thought to have been chosen by McCracken. Alex played for the club from 1873 to 1878, he then became President in 1887 and in 1896 led a breakaway group to form the new Victorian Football League. He was the new competition’s first president, a position he held until his death in 1915. Alex McCracken is regarded as the founding father of both Essendon Football Club and the AFL competition we know today.

 

Albert Thurgood was the greatest footballer of his era, and among the best of all time. The powerfully built Thurgood had no weakness to his game, could play in any position, and was a phenomenal goal kicker in an era of low scores. Thurgood’s 56 goals in his debut season, 1892, was a record for the time. He bettered this with 63 goals in both the following seasons, and was a key player in the club’s premiership wins in 1892, 1893 and 1894 and 1901. Thurgood retired after the 1902 but returned part way through 1906 playing just eight games before finally succumbing to an ankle injury.

 

Bill Busbridge established himself as an Essendon champion despite retiring at aged 25 because of a recurring injury. In 103 games over nine seasons, Busbridge was widely acknowledged as the best centre half-back in the game. Busbridge was a local boy who made his league debut in 1904 at 16 years of age. In the first game of 1905, Busbridge injured his knee and missed the entire season. It was an injury that was to dog his career. He returned the following year and continued his marvellous form. In early 1910 Busbridge’s knee again gave way, forcing his retirement. He was persuaded to make a comeback and returned late in 1911 to help Essendon win that year’s grand final. Busbridge was back in 1912, but injured his knee again, and retired for good.

 

Frank Reid was a tireless and unassuming servant of Essendon who was secretary of the club for 28 years. He was also the club’s delegate to the Victorian Football League, and later the VFL’s vice-president. Over a period spanning four decades, Reid’s skill, tact and temperament were the characteristics that saw him make a huge contribution to the club’s management. Reid was at the helm when Essendon withdrew from the league in 1916-17 because of the First World War, and also when the club moved its home games from the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, to Windy Hill in 1922. This move that prompted Reid to relocate his own family to Essendon to ensure he was close to both the club and home. During Reid’s time at Essendon the club won four premierships.

 

Few men can match the contribution that Allan Hird has made to Essendon Football Club. From 1940 to 1975, Hird served the club as a player, coach, committeeman, treasurer, vice-president and president. Hird played 102 games for the club as a speedy half back flanker. Upon retirement he coached St Kilda for two seasons before returning to captain-coach the Bombers’ reserve side. He joined the committee in 1955 where his foresight, skill and commitment laid the foundations of the successful business that Essendon is today. Allan Hird is the grandfather of James Hird.

 

Click here to purchase your tickets to the 2012 Season Launch and Hall of Fame Induction for your chance to a win a double pass to the Crichton Medal.