Country trips were a feature of the Club’s program and in 1936 the team travelled to Bunbury to take on a Southwest team. After the match, an extensive drinking session took place at the Gordons Hotel, where they were being accommodated. A few players found a cow grazing contentedly in a paddock next to the pub. Legend has it that George Moloney took off his belt, put it around the animal’s neck and attempted to lead it up the stairs with the purpose of locking it in the bedroom of one of the early casualties of the drinking session who was snoring loudly in blissful ignorance of the dastardly ploy being hatched below.
Naturally the cow refused to be part of this prank until Stan Headon lifted its tail and whacked it on the exposed tender regions with a piece of wood. With a terrified bellow the startled animal took off up the carpeted staircase, leaving large steaming dollops as it went. The resulting uproar was enough to raise the manager who came out and when he saw the startled creature head into one of the bedrooms, and the volume of cow dung on his new carpet he was not impressed. From the flurry of curses and invective that flowed from the mouth of this usually placid manager the offending pranksters realized he didn’t share the enjoyment of the scene and they hastily led the bewildered animal back down the stars, where she continued excretions in a greater amount on the carpet. The little jaunt cost the Club 12 pound 10 shillings for a new carpet and a reputation amongst the locals.
Photos were taken by Jack Reeves and passed down to his daughter.
