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Tony Greenberg
richmondfc.com
9:34:38 AM Thu 12 December, 2002
It was my Uncle Harry who set the standard for Yellow and Black devotion among the Greenberg clan.
As a lad growing up in Richmond, Uncle Harry was passionate about the Tigers, with one player in particular capturing his imagination – legendary spearhead Jack Titus.
So besotted was Uncle Harry with the on-field exploits of the man they called ‘Skinny’ that he once souvenired a piece of orange peel the champion goalkicker had discarded during the three-quarter-time huddle of a match at Punt Road Oval!
Seems young Harry had kept his eyes on Titus even throughout the ‘orange break’, as it was known back then (perhaps to pick up a pointer or two on how to dissect and devour an orange). Anyway, when he saw Titus leave this piece of peel on the hallowed turf, he knew what a priceless little collector’s item it was.
Uncle Harry kept his focus on that peel right throughout the last quarter, and when the final siren sounded, he made his move.
Sadly, I never got to see this famous piece of Tiger memorabilia, as it decomposed many years before I arrived on the scene. But I am reliably informed that Uncle Harry was the proud owner of the Titus peel for many football seasons, although I’m not sure if he ever tried to get the great man to ensure its value increased by signing it.
No matter. It’s a nice, little yarn regardless – and a rather fitting lead-in to this historical feature on William John Titus, who holds Richmond’s all-time goalkicking record of 970, in 18 seasons from 1926-44 and was the Club's leading goalkicker a staggering 11 times (including nine years in-a-row, from 1934-42)!
Having done a bit of research into Titus’ amazing career (courtesy of the Club’s wonderful museum archives), I can tell you I’m more than a tad envious of Uncle Harry and those Tiger supporters of that era who were fortunate enough to watch the ‘jockey-size’ sharpshooter in action.
At the peak of his career, Skinny Titus was 5ft 91/2in and weighed a fraction over 10 stone. Think about that for a moment . . . he was slightly shorter than Clinton King -- and over a stone lighter! That, however, didn’t stop him from putting his remarkable stamp on the game as a full-forward.
Titus more than made up in courage, speed and skill, what he lacked in size. In his playing days he was constantly buffeted by bigger men, but very rarely beaten.
He headed the league goalkicking in 1940 with 100 goals, which was a Club record for 40 years, until Michael Roach kicked 112 in 1980. Another long-standing league record he held was for consecutive games -- 204 in all, from 1933-43. That record wasn't broken until Round 9 of the 1996 season, when Melbourne ruckman Jim Stynes played his 205th consecutive game.
Of course, what made Titus' achievement all the more incredible was the fact that he was built like a whippet! But despite being so small of stature for a key league forward, Titus had very strong fingers and a great spring for his size, which enabled him to take terrific marks. To cap it all off, he was a deadly accurate kick for goal.
Titus was recruited from Castlemaine and started his career at Tigerland with the Richmond Cubs (the reserve-grade team). He played at centre half-back, centre half-forward, wing and half-forward, before carving his niche at full-forward.
When he arrived at Punt Road Oval, Titus had two ambitions -- to win a dancing championship and to become a regular member of the Richmond senior side. He had built quite a reputation as a budding Fred Astaire, before his football prowess caught the eye of the Tiger selectors.
It transpired that when he got his big senior chance with the Tigers, he put in a shocker. The crowd even gave him the 'bird' and advised him to: "Go back to the Green Mill" (a popular Melbourne dance hall of the day)!
But Titus persisted and eventually (he was dropped back to the Cubs twice) those same critics became his biggest fans as he led opposition defenders a merry dance each Saturday afternoon during the season.
richmondfc.com
9:34:38 AM Thu 12 December, 2002
It was my Uncle Harry who set the standard for Yellow and Black devotion among the Greenberg clan.
As a lad growing up in Richmond, Uncle Harry was passionate about the Tigers, with one player in particular capturing his imagination – legendary spearhead Jack Titus.
So besotted was Uncle Harry with the on-field exploits of the man they called ‘Skinny’ that he once souvenired a piece of orange peel the champion goalkicker had discarded during the three-quarter-time huddle of a match at Punt Road Oval!
Seems young Harry had kept his eyes on Titus even throughout the ‘orange break’, as it was known back then (perhaps to pick up a pointer or two on how to dissect and devour an orange). Anyway, when he saw Titus leave this piece of peel on the hallowed turf, he knew what a priceless little collector’s item it was.
Uncle Harry kept his focus on that peel right throughout the last quarter, and when the final siren sounded, he made his move.
Sadly, I never got to see this famous piece of Tiger memorabilia, as it decomposed many years before I arrived on the scene. But I am reliably informed that Uncle Harry was the proud owner of the Titus peel for many football seasons, although I’m not sure if he ever tried to get the great man to ensure its value increased by signing it.
No matter. It’s a nice, little yarn regardless – and a rather fitting lead-in to this historical feature on William John Titus, who holds Richmond’s all-time goalkicking record of 970, in 18 seasons from 1926-44 and was the Club's leading goalkicker a staggering 11 times (including nine years in-a-row, from 1934-42)!
Having done a bit of research into Titus’ amazing career (courtesy of the Club’s wonderful museum archives), I can tell you I’m more than a tad envious of Uncle Harry and those Tiger supporters of that era who were fortunate enough to watch the ‘jockey-size’ sharpshooter in action.
At the peak of his career, Skinny Titus was 5ft 91/2in and weighed a fraction over 10 stone. Think about that for a moment . . . he was slightly shorter than Clinton King -- and over a stone lighter! That, however, didn’t stop him from putting his remarkable stamp on the game as a full-forward.
Titus more than made up in courage, speed and skill, what he lacked in size. In his playing days he was constantly buffeted by bigger men, but very rarely beaten.
He headed the league goalkicking in 1940 with 100 goals, which was a Club record for 40 years, until Michael Roach kicked 112 in 1980. Another long-standing league record he held was for consecutive games -- 204 in all, from 1933-43. That record wasn't broken until Round 9 of the 1996 season, when Melbourne ruckman Jim Stynes played his 205th consecutive game.
Of course, what made Titus' achievement all the more incredible was the fact that he was built like a whippet! But despite being so small of stature for a key league forward, Titus had very strong fingers and a great spring for his size, which enabled him to take terrific marks. To cap it all off, he was a deadly accurate kick for goal.
Titus was recruited from Castlemaine and started his career at Tigerland with the Richmond Cubs (the reserve-grade team). He played at centre half-back, centre half-forward, wing and half-forward, before carving his niche at full-forward.
When he arrived at Punt Road Oval, Titus had two ambitions -- to win a dancing championship and to become a regular member of the Richmond senior side. He had built quite a reputation as a budding Fred Astaire, before his football prowess caught the eye of the Tiger selectors.
It transpired that when he got his big senior chance with the Tigers, he put in a shocker. The crowd even gave him the 'bird' and advised him to: "Go back to the Green Mill" (a popular Melbourne dance hall of the day)!
But Titus persisted and eventually (he was dropped back to the Cubs twice) those same critics became his biggest fans as he led opposition defenders a merry dance each Saturday afternoon during the season.
