The first time club historian Russel Holmesby saw a St Kilda game was in 1960. As a six-year-old, he didn't realise what a historic game it would go on to be. 

Anzac Day football has become synonymous with the Essendon and Collingwood Football Clubs, but St Kilda figures in a key part of the day’s football history.

In 1960, the Saints took part in one of the two matches played on Anzac Day for the first time.

Prior to 1960, competitive football matches of any level of football were not permitted on Australia’s most solemn day, but following a vote taken among RSL members, the restriction was eased and the law modified to permit games to be played after 1pm.

The decision was made on the eve of the 1960 season and it was confirmed that two league matches – St Kilda versus Melbourne and Fitzroy versus Carlton – would go ahead on Monday April 25. Part of the gate money would be given to the RSL and used for the care of aged ex-soldiers in war veteran homes. The exact proportion of gate receipts was not disclosed.

The RSL lauded the decision and emphasised that it enabled the community to commemorate Anzac Day in the morning and enjoy entertainment in the afternoon, as no football was to be played before 1pm.

All seemed set for a good compromise until freakish weather conditions plunged the issue into controversy. On the Saturday before Anzac Day, the four games scheduled for the first part of the round had to be called off due to a record April rainfall. Non-stop rain over three days saw 152 millimetres fall up to midnight on Friday.

The VFL said that the four matches would be played the following Saturday despite calls for the matches to be added to the Monday Anzac Day. Newspapers accused the VFL of being greedy because they didn’t want to pay extra revenue to the RSL on all six games rather than two.

Lou Richards wrote: “Isn’t it time League football caught the Anzac spirit?”

The State government said it was willing to consider a proposal by the VFL, but the league wouldn’t budge.

And so, Victoria’s first taste of Anzac Day League football got underway at the Junction Oval and Fitzroy. 

Melbourne won a hard struggle against St Kilda in which its individual strength was crucial. Allan Rowarth, Ron Barassi and Clyde Laidlaw rammed home scoring opportunities whenever possible, whereas St Kilda’s kicking for goal was haphazard. The Saints should have had the game sewn up by three quarter-time if not for terrible kicking.

In the second half, St Kilda scored 1.11 including nine successive behinds during the third term.

Beaten in the ruck and in the air, Melbourne was lucky to be so close, and one of the main reasons was that Bob Johnson was pressured all day by St Kilda’s John McMillan.

Melbourne eventually ran out winners by 24 points, 10.12 (72) to 5.18 (48).

BEST

ST KILDA: Bill Stephenson, Verdun Howell, Bud Annand, Jim O’Brien, Alan Morrow, John Delanty.
MELBOURNE: Geoff Tunbridge, John Beckwith, George Milner, John Lord, Ron Barassi, Clyde Laidlaw.