Ted's legacy
Mr Football, Footscray's finest,
E J Whitten, champion of the Big V,
figured early, smiling cheekily,
in Scanlens Football Cards.
Each year from 1964 to 68,
primary school collectors prized
Ted's kicking form and features,
decked out in banded blue, red
and white. By 1969,
he was a dye-cut legend,
image uprightly poppable
from a folded feature card.
Ted's death not coincidentally
marked the passing of interstate
footy. Before pegging out, he scored
one final limo lap of the MCG.
The Herald-Sun headlined:
E J Dies.
His clean cardboard image
mouldered in my briefcase
until 2015, when along with
300 odd mates from the old
twelve-team comp, Ted
got traded
to a spiky-haired collector
who knew value when he
saw it and touched it.
I'm not complaining.
I was paid well - and Ted -
will go on paying his way
no doubt. Laughing
all the way.
bw
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