Longstanding Kardinia Park curator Fred Morris remembered
He lived on site and saw the biggest moments in Geelong sport over a 45-year career and former Kardinia Park groundsman Fred Morris has been remembered
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A groundsman for 45 years who saw it all, including fist fights and apprentices who would go on to greatness, Fred Morris has been remembered as “Mr Kardinia Park”.
Morris passed away on December 27 at the age of 91, the head of a family that included four children, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A continuous presence at Kardinia Park – where he worked as curator from 1947-92, the only job he held in his working career – Morris and his family lived in the northwest corner of the precinct in a house on the old Kilgour St.
Living so close to the ground, he found himself on call at all hours over the years as Geelong players left things behind.
“He would often get a call at 10pm at night from (the football club) saying that they left something in the rooms and he would go down and get their gear,” son-in-law Mark Browning said.
“He always said John Scarlett was the worst at that. Once a fortnight he would be ringing up saying ‘I’ve left something in the rooms, can you let me in?’.
“He never moved from (the job), he was ‘Mr Kardinia Park’ if you like.”
Morris was a career-starter for country players recruited to the Cats, who would spend time as their first job in town working at Kardinia Park.
Browning said greats like Garry Hocking, Billy Brownless and even Gary Ablett Sr worked under Morris in their early days at the club.
“I think Fred said Ablett Sr was there, but didn’t do much work,” Browning laughed.
From his customary position in the player’s race at all home Geelong games, Morris saw the greats in action and even a notorious punch-on.
Cats ruck Geoff Rosenow and North Melbourne coach Alan Killigrew came to blows there in 1964, with Morris the closest man to the bout.
“I think Fred almost had to be the referee between them, he was right there on the scene,” Browning said.
Morris also looked after the cricket pitch at Kardinia Park, rolling a batting paradise year after year.
The surface was so reliable, Sheffield Shield games were transferred down from the MCG in the early 1980s.
“It was more of a road than anything else because he liked to roll and roll and roll and continue to roll,” Geelong Cricket Club legend Philip Marshall recalled.
“The sides that could bat, they used to love coming down to Geelong.
“He was very conscientious, he enjoyed his job. He became a member of the club like any curator.”
Morris lived as a type-1 diabetic for his entire adult life, with Browning recalling he would carry jelly beans at all times, leave a cold piece of Vegemite toast in his car’s glove box in case of an emergency and his wife of 68 years, Joan, would help weigh all his meals to stay healthy.
Originally published as Longstanding Kardinia Park curator Fred Morris remembered
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