Lou Richards
Encyclopedia
Lewis Thomas Charles "Lou" Richards (born 15 March 1923) is a retired Australian rules football
er, who played 250 games with the Collingwood Football Club
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) between 1941 and 1955. Richards married Edna Lillian Bowie in 1948; the couple have two daughters.
, Richards' passion for Collingwood grew out of family connections – he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Charlie H. Pannam
(shortened from Pannamopoulos after migrating to Australia from Greece
), and uncles Charles
and Alby Pannam
, both former Magpie players. His brother Ron Richards also played for the club. The Richards/Pannam dynasty made Collingwood
the only club to have been captained by three generations of the one family. As a family they played over 1200 games between them.
Richards played as a rover, resting in the forward pocket
wearing the #1 guernsey.
The outstanding feature of Richards' play — apart, that is, from his propensity for kicking opponents in the shins that was common to all of the Pannams — was his extraordinary capacity to successfully and relentlessly rove to a losing ruck (which he did for most of his career).
He was captain for four years. He captained Collingwood
to the 1953 premiership, when the club had undergone its first ever flag 'drought' of 17 years.
. Ever at his side, Edna helped manage the hotel where 'journos' from the nearby Herald and Weekly Times
were regulars especially on Two-up
Tuesdays and for the infamous Phoenix Olympics.
Richards also began a long career in the media, beginning as a sport journalist for The Argus
and later The Sun News-Pictorial
where he gained the nickname of "Louie the Lip". He was a very popular commentator on both radio and television with his great mate Jack Dyer
. He also appeared on the popular World of Sport
program. In the 1990s and 2000s, he made regular appearances on both The Footy Show
and the Sunday Footy Show. He is currently involved in handing out sponsors' prizes and continues to liven up the set with his classic humour and running of "Lou's Handball", a handball game between two AFL players. Some running jokes on the show include his send up of Telefunken
electronic products.
As a football tipster, Richards was known as a Kiss of Death and regularly backed-up his tips with famous dares: "I'll cut Teddy Whitten
's lawn with nail scissors" or "I'll jump off St Kilda pier."
1972, saw Richards appointed Court Jester to King of Moomba
Johnny Farnham
; he followed this by becoming King of Moomba himself in 1981.
In 1996 Lou Richards was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
.
In 2004, due to his Greek heritage, Lou Richards was named captain of the Greek Team of Century.
Richards was devastated, in 2005, when his beloved Edna had to be admitted into care with Dementia
, "I miss being with my wife all the time. We went down the street together, went to the football together. I haven't got her now... I go and see her but its not the same."
On Saturday 8 March 2008, Lou's beloved wife Edna died. She was 87 years old.
Since he stopped hosting the handball segment on the Sunday Footy Show, he has spent a majority of his time out of the public eye with the exception of appearances on The Footy Show.
Richards appeared on the 2010 Grand Final Footy Show holding the 2010 AFL Premiership Cup.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er, who played 250 games with the Collingwood Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL) between 1941 and 1955. Richards married Edna Lillian Bowie in 1948; the couple have two daughters.
Playing career
Born in Collingwood, VictoriaCollingwood, Victoria
Collingwood is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
, Richards' passion for Collingwood grew out of family connections – he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Charlie H. Pannam
Charlie H. Pannam
Charles 'Charlie' Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football Association between 1894 and 1896 then in the Victorian Football League between 1897 and 1906. He then played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFA in 1907 then...
(shortened from Pannamopoulos after migrating to Australia from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), and uncles Charles
Charlie E. Pannam
Charlie E. Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood and South Melbourne in the VFL. He was the son of Charlie H. Pannam and the brother of Alby Pannam...
and Alby Pannam
Alby Pannam
Albert 'Alby' Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1933 and 1943 and then again in 1945 for the Collingwood Football Club. He then was captain/coach for the Richmond Football Club Seconds side from 1946 to 1952, leading them to the premiership in 1946...
, both former Magpie players. His brother Ron Richards also played for the club. The Richards/Pannam dynasty made Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
the only club to have been captained by three generations of the one family. As a family they played over 1200 games between them.
Richards played as a rover, resting in the forward pocket
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
wearing the #1 guernsey.
The outstanding feature of Richards' play — apart, that is, from his propensity for kicking opponents in the shins that was common to all of the Pannams — was his extraordinary capacity to successfully and relentlessly rove to a losing ruck (which he did for most of his career).
He was captain for four years. He captained Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
to the 1953 premiership, when the club had undergone its first ever flag 'drought' of 17 years.
Post-playing career
Once Richards retired from football he began managing Melbourne hotels of which the most famous was the Phoenix Hotel in Flinders StreetFlinders Street
Flinders Street, named after explorer Matthew Flinders, may refer to:*Flinders Street, Adelaide*Flinders Street, Melbourne*Flinders Street Station, a railway station in Melbourne*Flinders Street Viaduct, a railway bridge in Melbourne...
. Ever at his side, Edna helped manage the hotel where 'journos' from the nearby Herald and Weekly Times
The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd
The Herald and Weekly Times Limited is a newspaper publishing company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned and operated by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited, who purchased HWT in 1987.-Newspapers:...
were regulars especially on Two-up
Two-up
Two-up is a traditional Australian gambling game, involving a designated 'Spinner' throwing two or three coins into the air. Players gamble on whether the coins will fall with both heads up, both tails up, or with one coin a head, and one a tail...
Tuesdays and for the infamous Phoenix Olympics.
Richards also began a long career in the media, beginning as a sport journalist for The Argus
The Argus (Australia)
The Argus was a morning daily newspaper in Melbourne established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left leaning approach from 1949...
and later The Sun News-Pictorial
The Sun News-Pictorial
The Sun News-Pictorial, commonly known as The Sun, was a morning daily tabloid newspaper in Melbourne, Australia established in 1922 and closed in 1990.It was part of The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd stable of Melbourne newspapers...
where he gained the nickname of "Louie the Lip". He was a very popular commentator on both radio and television with his great mate Jack Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
. He also appeared on the popular World of Sport
World of Sport (Australian TV series)
World of Sport was an Australian sports program that was broadcast live by HSV 7 in Melbourne from 1959 to 1987 on Sundays between 11am and 2pm...
program. In the 1990s and 2000s, he made regular appearances on both The Footy Show
The AFL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award winning Australian sports television program, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates.This show, which is dedicated to the AFL and Australian rules football, made its debut on 24 March 1994 at the same time as the other version which relates to the NRL and rugby...
and the Sunday Footy Show. He is currently involved in handing out sponsors' prizes and continues to liven up the set with his classic humour and running of "Lou's Handball", a handball game between two AFL players. Some running jokes on the show include his send up of Telefunken
Telefunken
Telefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
electronic products.
As a football tipster, Richards was known as a Kiss of Death and regularly backed-up his tips with famous dares: "I'll cut Teddy Whitten
Ted Whitten
Edward James "EJ" Whitten was an Australian rules football player and media personality. He played a then-record 321 Victorian Football League games for the Footscray Football Club between 1951 and 1970...
's lawn with nail scissors" or "I'll jump off St Kilda pier."
1972, saw Richards appointed Court Jester to King of Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
Johnny Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
; he followed this by becoming King of Moomba himself in 1981.
In 1996 Lou Richards was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
.
In 2004, due to his Greek heritage, Lou Richards was named captain of the Greek Team of Century.
Richards was devastated, in 2005, when his beloved Edna had to be admitted into care with Dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
, "I miss being with my wife all the time. We went down the street together, went to the football together. I haven't got her now... I go and see her but its not the same."
On Saturday 8 March 2008, Lou's beloved wife Edna died. She was 87 years old.
Since he stopped hosting the handball segment on the Sunday Footy Show, he has spent a majority of his time out of the public eye with the exception of appearances on The Footy Show.
Richards appeared on the 2010 Grand Final Footy Show holding the 2010 AFL Premiership Cup.