Grange Cricket Club remembers Barry Fry as a passionate pioneer

GRANGE Cricket Club pioneer Barry Fry is being remembered for his passion for the Dolphins and his family, as well as his love of steak and brandy.

Grange Cricket Club legend Barry Fry (pictured here in 2014) has died, aged 84.

A STEAK-loving clubman whose one-eyed passion for the Grange Dolphins was surpassed only by his affection for his family.

That is how Grange Cricket Club president Dom Garuccio will remember one of the Dolphins’ pioneers, Barry Fry.

Fry died on February 17 after a heart attack. He was 84.

Fry started at Grange in 1949 as a left-arm paceman then left the next season for a nine-year stint at Grade club West Torrens.

He returned to the Dolphins in 1959 and stayed for the next six decades, playing in more than 300 games before becoming president, bar manager, junior coach, turf curator and a vocal supporter.

His two main loves – family and the club – intertwined because his wife May ran the canteen for 50 years and their sons and grandchildren later donned the whites for Grange.

Garuccio said Fry had “done everything” at the club and always put his hand up to help, even after starting to slow down in recent years.

“He’s been going to buy cricket balls for the club every second week, until last week,” Garuccio said.

“He couldn’t sit around and do nothing.

“He just loved his cricket and was a father figure to everyone.”

Barry Fry, pictured in 2010 after stepping down as Grange Cricket Club president.

Fry won six premierships at Grange, including as A-grade captain, before finally hanging up his bat during the 1990s.

Off the field, he helped establish juniors at the club and within both the Adelaide and Suburban and Adelaide Turf Cricket associations.

In 2011, Fry received a Medal in the Order of Australia for his services to cricket.

Garuccio could not recall Fry ever missing a Saturday senior home game at Grange Oval and said he only stopped going to Sunday junior matches about a year ago.

“Whether this is true or not, he told me when he got married he went to the church then came back and finished the cricket game off,” he said.

After his playing days ended, Fry was known to sit on a bench near the club bar then, following afternoon tea, would drink light beer and brandy and dry.

“He was a funny guy and whatever he thought of he said – there was no holding back,” Garuccio said.

“A couple of his grandkids play A grade and he’d put more pressure on them than any other player when they get out, saying (things like) ‘you could’ve batted longer’.”

Fry would also offer plenty of biased advice to the umpires.

“From where he was sitting, you couldn’t see if something was LBW or out, but he’d always yell out ‘that was a bit high’ or ‘that was too far forward’, even though he couldn’t tell,” Garuccio said.

Fry always stuck around the club for post-match dinner, usually a steak without gravy.

He even provided the steak – he was a butcher who ran Fry’s South Henley Meat Store until handing the shop over to his son, Kevin.

“The family still brings meat to the club and sponsors the club,” Garuccio said.

Grange’s under-23 award is named after Fry and the honourboard after him and May.

Garuccio said the club was considering putting a plaque in the spot where Fry sat.

“I’ll miss him,” Garuccio said.

“He’s been unbelievable to me and the club.”

Fry was also a premiership player with Henley Football Club in 1953/54.

He is survived by May, their children Kevin, Malcolm, Desmond, Michael and Sharon, and their extended families.