Footy facts

A great entry on the Boyles Football Photos website on local footballer Eric Zschech.

Charles Boyles was a professional photographer in Melbourne who took football photographs - player portraits and team photos, from the 1920s through to the 1960s. Many of these then appeared as collectible cigarette cards.
Eric Zschech was born in Minyip. His parents - Paul Zschech and Laura Peucker - were part of the wave of German migration from South Australia when the Wimmera was opened up for selection. His father was a produce merchant in town.
Eric attended Minyip Primary School till he was 15 years old when he began work at the Minyip Post Office. A keen sportsman, he played football, cricket and tennis for Minyip, during this time he played with and was coached by Roy Cazaly of 'Up there' fame.
After winning the Best & Fairest in 1928, Eric left to work in the telegraph branch of the GPO in Melbourne, and began playing for the Post & Telegraph XVIII, and the Richmond Football Club in 1929.
With Richmond he was part of their Premiership side in 1932 and 1934, he played in the Victorian state side. 
In 1936 Eric moved to Tasmania to become coach for Lefroy Football Club . He played and coached the club till 1939, with a premiership in 1937. He was Best & Fairest in 1936, 1937 and 1939, and played in 2 interstate and 7 inter-league matches.
During World War II Eric joined the R.A.A.F. and was based in Northern Australia. He married Dorothy Anderson in 1945.
In 1946 Eric was playing for Sandy Bay when they won their inaugural premiership. The next year he transferred to Snug as coach. Eric was inducted into the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame in 2005. 
Eric Zschech died in 1981 and is buried in the Fawkner Cemetery. The full story is in "Eric Zschech : the Minyip Tiger".