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SKAAC History Index
Authors' Preface to 1994 and 2004 Editions
Formation of the Club
The Forties - Rise and Fall
The Fifties - Glory Days
The Early Sixties - Decline and Drift
The Late Sixties and Early Seventies - J D Noonan and Marathons
The Mid to Late Seventies - The Times They are a Change'n
A Brief History of the Club - 2nd Edition
On the eve of the Club's 60th anniversary it is a pleasure to present an updated version of "A History of the St Kevin's Amateur Athletic Club".
The 1st edition, written by Luke Travers, is a hard act to follow but I hope that the last ten years of the Club's history has been as truly represented as the previous fifty years was.
Included in this edition is the full 1st edition except that the Club records have been updated and some of the photos are different.
Special thanks must be given to the following people for their help in putting this second edition together:
Sandor Kazi
1st Edition Introduction
It is my proud duty to introduce the written history of the St Kevin's Amateur Athletic Club on the attainment of its 50th anniversary.
As you read of the Club's difficult birth in 1944 and the ups and downs of the following fifty seasons, which on at least two occasions took it to the brink of extinction, you will come to appreciate the significance of the 1994's celebrations. Formed during the Second World War, without the imprimatur or co-operation of the V.A.A, denied some of its best athletes by a recalcitrant opposition Club delegate, representing a small school only twenty-six years old, and with an athletic tradition of nine years, the Club's sheer foundation is amazing enough. To put the achievement into further perspective only twenty-five other Clubs have longer continuous affiliation with the V.A.A. The Club is one of eight Old Collegian Athletic Clubs in the V.A.A of which only four are older. Schools of larger student populations, better athletic traditions and longer histories have either been unable to form Old Collegian Clubs or sustain them. St Kevin's A.A.C has seen the passing of Old Trinity, Old Caulfield, Melbourne High School Old Boys, Old Carey, North Old Boys, St Bede's and University High School - all schools, one would think, with greater credentials to keep an alumni athletic Club going. The Club is the Oldest of St Kevin's Old Boys sporting clubs; in fact it predates the formation of the Old Collegians Association.
Of course the Club has never been restricted to Old Collegians and indeed the backbone of the Club has at times been composed and indebted to members who did not receive their education at St Kevin's.
The Club and its members have shown an indomitable spirit over fifty years to overcome all the obstacles and trials that could have finished St Kevin's A.A.C many times.
This book records the achievements and the low points of the Club. It puts on record those that have made St Kevin's A.A.C the proud organisation it is today. It is my way of thanking the Club for my own twenty year enjoyable association with St Kevin's A.A.C. Turn the pages and come celebrate our milestone.
Luke Travers
1st Edition Acknowledgments
This text has been prepared with the assistance of many people and the use of several sources.
Notes on the Text
Every effort has been made in the preparation of the book to ensure the accuracy of the details. Inevitably some details may be open to question as there are gaps in the Club's history through the passage of time and the deaths of former members. Any additional material about the Club's past should be forwarded to the Club Secretary, C/O the College, who will include it in the Club's History of 2044.
The following Standardisation's of names has been used in the text:
Imperial distances were used in V.A.A competition up to and including the 1969-70 season. In A.P.S.O.C competition metric distances were used in 1974 for the first time. Only when comparing imperial distance event performances with metric distance event performances in the records and ranking's lists have conversions been made. Field games performances have throughout the book been expressed in metric distances. The following is a guide to comparison of imperial and metric events:-
The book covers all details of the Club's activities up to March 31st 2004.