The Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1994 to recognise Indigenous Australians (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) that have achieved at the highest level of their chosen sport. It was a joint project of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and Macquarie University, under the management of Colin Tatz. Inductees are sometimes referred to as "Black Diamonds", being the name of the first book of the project, published in 1996.

History

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Statue of boxer Lionel Rose at Warragul, Victoria

The Hall of Fame was an outcome of Chris "Honky" Clark, a director of Aboriginal-owned and -operated sports complex in Condobolin, New South Wales.[1] Clark saw the need to inspire indigenous youth through sports photographs. The costs of establishing a permanent photographic exhibition was too expensive. Musician and historian Ted Egan recommended a low-cost book. The outcome was the book Black Diamonds: The Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, published in 1996.[1]

The Hall of Fame was a joint project of ATSIC and Macquarie University, under the management of Colin Tatz with photography by Paul Tatz.[2]

The inaugural list of 129 members was determined by well-known Indigenous athletes: Mark Ella; Sydney Jackson; Faith Thomas; and Charlie Perkins. They were assisted by three non-Indigenous historians: Ted Egan; Colin Tatz; and Alick Jackomos.[1]

In 1999, the list of members was increased by 43. The 1999 selection committee comprised: Arthur Beetson; Evonne Goolagong Cawley; Lloyd McDermott; Mark Ella; Gary Ella; Charlie Perkins, Ted Egan, Ken Edwards, and Tatz. The committee was assisted by three statisticians/historians: Colin Hutchinson (Australian rules footballer), David Middleton (rugby league player) and George Bracken (boxing).[1] After the 1999 selection, the full list of 172 members with brief biographies was published in the book Black Gold : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame.

As of 2000 there was no permanent home for the Hall of Fame, but there had been several photographic exhibitions in Australia.[1] Colin and Paul Tatz donated 110 photographs from the Sports Hall of Fame to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).[3]

The 2008 selection panel included seven Aboriginal selectors: Arthur Beetson; Carl Currey; Gary Ella; Sydney Jackson; Lloyd McDermott; John Maynard; and Nova Peris.[4]

The 2018 selection panel comprised Gary Ella, Katrina Fanning, Gilbert McAdam, John Maynard, Nova Peris, David Middleton, George Bracken, ColHutchinson and Colin and Paul Tatz. In 2018, there were 276 members of the Hall of Fame.[4]

Selection criteria

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Giant tennis racquet commemorating Evonne Goolagong at Barellan, New South Wales

Members were selected if they met the following selection criteria:[1][4]

  • represented Australia or their state/territory
  • held a national or international record or title
  • achieved a notable first or distinguished performance
  • in the case of Australian football, were acclaimed senior players and/or medal winners
  • had notable success as referees or umpires
  • those who through their coaching, administration or organisation have helped create Indigenous teams and a space for them in competitions
  • person's contribution to Aboriginal or Islander identity

Members

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Inductees are sometimes referred to as "Black Diamonds".[5]

Athlete Sports Notes
1868 Aboriginal cricket team Cricket Toured to England
Des Abbott Field hockey Olympian
Willie Allen Australian football, shooting, soccer
George Ambrum Rugby league
Bob Anderson Athletics
Kyle Anderson Darts
Bob Appo Lawn bowls
Leo Appo Woodchopping
Georgina Archer Vigoro, Field hockey
Albert 'Pompey' Austin[6] Australian football, athletics
Ben Austin Swimming Paralympian
Lawrence "Baby Casius" Austin Boxing
Sam Backo Rugby league
Badger Creek team Australian football
Soli Bailey Surfing
Charmaine Barney Darts
Tracy Barrell Swimming Paralympian
Ray Barrett Athletics Paralympian
Ashleigh Barty Tennis
Kurtley Beale
Arthur Beetson Rugby league
Elliott Bennett Boxing
Eddie Betts Australian football
Lindsay Black Roughriding
Nathan Blacklock Rugby league
Adrian Blair Boxing Olympian
Steve Bowditch Squash rackets
Matt Bowen Rugby league
Patrick Bowman Athletics
George Bracken Boxing Born 1935. Australian Lightweight Champion. Active 1950s to 1960s.
Gordon Briscoe Soccer
Roger Brown Cricket
Peter Burgoyne Australian football
Shaun Burgoyne Australian football
Donna Burns Basketball Paralympian
Barry Cable Australian football
Johnny Cadell Roughriding
Jimmy Callaghan Show ring riding
Mabel Campbell Cricket
Preston Campbell Rugby league
Wally Carr Boxing
Joel Carroll Field hockey Olympian
May Chalker Golf
Tommy Chapman Boxing
Baeden Choppy Field hockey Olympian
Trevor Christian Boxing, Refereeing
Phynea Clark Field hockey
Mal Cochrane Rugby league
Louisa Collins Basketball, soccer, field hockey
Kevin Coombs Basketball Paralympian
Lynch Cooper Athletics
Reuben Cooper Australian football
Larry Corowa Rugby league
Gary Cowburn Boxing
Rohanee Cox Basketball Olympian
Edna Crouch[7] Cricket
Glen Crouch Rugby league
Justann Crawford Boxing Olympian
Robert Crowther Athletics
Tony Currie Rugby league
Nicole Cusack Netball
Johnny Cuzens Cricket
Laurie Daley Rugby league
Rose Damasco Basketball, netball, softball and field hockey
Tom Dancey Athletics
Bo de la Cruz Touch football, Rugby sevens
Bill Dempsey Australian football
Steve Dennis Boxing
Bernie Devine Powerlifting
Joseph Donovan Boxing, Judging Olympian
Leslie Duncan Judo
Caremelita Dunn Basketball, netball, softball and soccer
Jeffrey Dynevor Boxing
Leanne Edmundson Soccer
Joanne 'Jodi' Edwards Powerlifting
Gary Ella Rugby union
Glen Ella Rugby union
Mark Ella Rugby union
Marcia Ella-Duncan Netball
Steve Ella Rugby league
Katrina Fanning Rugby league
Polly Farmer Australian football
Jeff Farmer Australian football
Karl Feifar Athletics Paralympian
John Ferguson Rugby league
Sharon Finnan Netball
Sharon Firebrace Basketball, volleyball
Frank Fisher Rugby league
Eileen Foster Darts
Bianca Franklin Netball
Lance Franklin Australian football
Shane Frederiksen Touch football
Cathy Freeman Athletics Olympian
Daniel Geale Boxing Olympian
Ron Gibbs Rugby league
Eddie Gilbert Cricket
Jason Gillespie Cricket
Adam Goodes Australian football
Leigh-Anne Goodwin Horse racing
Evonne Goolagong Cawley Tennis
Jeff Goolagong Softball
Michael Graham Australian football
George Green Rugby league
Ivy Hampton Darts
Kenneth Hampton Athletics
Benn Harradine Athletics Olympian
Jack Hassen Boxing
Alec Hayden Rodeo
Maley Hayward Australian football
Alec Henry Cricket
Stephen Hill Australian football
Rollo Hinton Boxing
Percy Hobson Athletics
Donna Hunter Softball, Field hockey, netball, basketball
Felicity Huntington Soccer
Greg Inglis Rugby league
Frank Ivory Rugby union
Sydney Jackson Australian football
Des James Australian football
Glenn James Australian football
Kaylen Janssen Soccer
Nathan Jawai Basketball
Jerry Jerome Boxing
Allen Johnson Rugby league
Chris Johnson Australian football
Joe Johnson Australian football
Lindsay Johnson Rugby league
Patrick Johnson Athletics Olympian
Billy Jonas Showring riding
David Kantilla Australian football
Dale Kickett Australian football
Derek Kickett Australian football
Ted Kilmurray Australian football
Ian King Cricket
Shane King Softball
Robert Kinnear Athletics
John Kinsella Wrestling Olympian
Peter Kirby Athletics Paralympian
Jim Krakouer Australian football
Phil Krakouer Australian football
Lake Tyers Team Australian football
Julie Landy-Ariel Rugby league, Oztag
Steve Larkin Field hockey
Warren Lawton Athletics, goalball Paralympian
Joanne Leisputty Softball, indoor cricket
Bennie Lew Fatt Basketball, Australian football
Clifford Lew Fatt Basketball, Australian football
Terry Lew Fatt Basketball, Australian football
Chris Lewis Australian football
David Lilliard Rugby league, Youth sport
Michael Long Australian football
Kevin Longbottom Rugby league
Greg Lovell Woodchopping
Cliff Lyons Rugby league
Mallee Park Football Club Australian football
Brian Mansell Cycling
Jack Marsh Cricket
Anthony Martin Weightlifting Olympian
Andrea Mason Netball
Peter Matera Australian football
Merv Maynard Horse racing Son of Fred Maynard, father of John Maynard[8][9]
Gilbert McAdam Australian football
Wally McArthur Rugby league
Darby McCarthy Horse racing
Lloyd McDermott Rugby union
Norm McDonald Australian football
Robert McDonald Athletics
John McGuire Cricket
Kelly McKellar-Nathan Softball
Michael McLean Australian football
Andrew McLeod Australian football
Mal Meninga Rugby league
Karen Menzies Soccer
Stephen Michael Australian rules
Patrick Mills Basketball Olympian
Lionel Morgan Rugby league
John Moriarty Soccer
Lorrelle Morrissey Field hockey
Danny Morseu Basketball Olympian
Johnny Mullagh Cricket
Cheryl Mullett Badminton
Sandra Mullett Badminton
Anthony Mundine Boxing, Rugby league
Tony Mundine Boxing
Michelle Musselwhite (nee Cosier) Basketball
Phil Narkle Australian football
Narwan Football Club Rugby league
New Norcia team Cricket
Doug Nicholls Australian football
Jade North Soccer Olympian
Michael O'Loughlin Australian football
Bruce Olive Rugby league
Shane Parker Wrestling
David Peachey Rugby league
Robbie Peden Boxing Olympian
Nova Peris Field hockey Olympian
Brooke Peris Field hockey Olympian
Charlie Perkins Soccer
Byron Pickett Australian football
Stacey Porter Softball Olympian
Scott Prince Rugby league
Cecil Ramalli Rugby union
Chad Reed Motorcycling
Amanda Reid Swimming Paralympian
Steve Renouf Rugby league
Redfern All Blacks team rugby league
Frank Reys Horse racing
Ron Richards Boxing
Samantha Riley Swimming Olympian
Cyril Rioli Australian football
Maurice Rioli Australian football
Brian Roberts Boxing
Frank Roberts Boxing Olympian
Billy Roe Australian football
Lionel Rose Boxing
Josh Ross Athletics Olympian
Rovers Football Club Australian football
Ron Saddler Rugby league
Wendell Sailor Rugby league
Charlie Samuels Athletics
Dave Sands Boxing
Adam Schreiber Squash rackets
Colin Scott Rugby league
Horrie Seden Darts
Dean Semmens Water polo Olympian
Dale Shearer Rugby league
Eric Simms Rugby league
Matt Sing Rugby league
Bobby Sinn Boxing
Delma Smith Volleyball
Peter St Albans Horse racing
St Mary's Football Club Australian football
Bridgette Starr Soccer Olympian
James Swan Boxing Olympian
Timana Tahu Rugby league
Gordon Tallis Rugby league
Sam Thaiday Rugby league
Faith Thomas Cricket, field hockey
Nathan Thomas Water polo Olympian
Hector Thompson Boxing
Jonathon Thurston Rugby league
Mark Tutton Volleyball
Reg Tutton Volleyball
Steve Tutton Volleyball
Twopenny Cricket
Kyle Vander Kuyp Athletics Olympian
Billy Waite Horse racing
Ricky Walford Rugby league
Andrew Walker Rugby union
Andrew Walker Australian football
Lloyd Walker Rugby union
Shannon Walker Rugby sevens
Robert Wandon Athletics
Gavin Wanganeen Australian football
Jack Watson Roughriding
Daniel Wells Australian football
Darryl White Australian football
Dean Widders Rugby league
Bobby Williams Boxing
Claude Williams Rugby league, basketball First and only Aboriginal basketball coach, in 1987[10]
Gary Williams Boxing
Harry Williams Soccer
Jesse Williams American football
Jimmy Williams Rodeo
Jim Williams Rugby union
Lydia Williams Soccer Olympian
Mariah Williams Field hockey Olympian
Fred Wilson Roughriding
Nicky Winmar Australian football
Harley Windsor Ice skating Olympian
David Wirrpanda Australian football
Rebecca Young (nee Anderson) Rugby league, Rugby union

See also

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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Tatz, Colin (2000). Black Gold: The Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 0855753676.
  2. ^ Vamplew, Wray; et al. (1994). Oxford Companion to Australian Sport (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. p. 2. ISBN 0195535685.
  3. ^ "Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame". Murri Views (11): 8. February 2005.
  4. ^ a b c Tatz, Colin (2018). Black Pearls : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press. p. 4.
  5. ^ Barton, Jacob (20 July 2010). "Claude Williams". Deadly Vibe. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Albert "Pompey" Austin is acknowledged as being the first indigenous Australian to play in an organised Australian Rules football game", which he did when he played for Geelong in a match against Carlton on 25 May 1872 (Dickman, Sharron, "The tale of 'Pompey' Austin", Geelong Cats, 28 May 2014) — the match report is at Football: Geelong v. Carlton, The Geelong Advertiser, (Monday, 27 May 1872), p.3. For more about Austin, see Hay, Roy, "Albert ‘Pompey’ Austin, 1846?–1889: A Man between Two Worlds", Sports & Editorial Services Australia, 26 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Mabel Crouch (Campbell) and Edna Newfong (Crouch). Queensland Women Cricketing Greats. | State Library Of Queensland". www.slq.qld.gov.au. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  8. ^ Callinan, Josh (13 April 2017). "Maynard remembered as trail blazing jockey of era". Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  9. ^ Goodall, Heather; Maynard, John (15 March 2021). "Maynard, Charles Frederick (Fred) (1879–1946)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  10. ^ Gorman, Joe (4 March 2015). "The Forgotten Story of … Claude Williams, former Souths player". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

Further reading

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  • Tatz, Colin (1987), Aborigines in sport, Australian Society for Sports History, Bedford Park, S. Aust.
  • Tatz, Colin (1995), Obstacle race : Aborigines in sport, New South Wales University Press, Sydney, ISBN 0868403490
  • Tatz, Colin and Tatz, Paul (1996), Black diamonds : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, Allen & Unwin, Sydney ISBN 1864480653
  • Tatz, Colin and Tatz, Paul (2000), Black gold : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra ISBN 0855753676
  • Tatz, Colin and Tatz, Paul (2018), Black Pearls : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra ISBN 9781925302950
  • Mabel Crouch (Campbell) and Edna Newfong (Crouch). Queensland Women Cricketing Greats.