ISBN |
9781761420658 |
Author |
Betts, Eddie (author) |
Title |
The boy from Boomerang Crescent / Eddie Betts ; research & interviews, Ali Clarke ; cultural edit, Jack Latimore. |
Other title |
Eddie Betts the boy from Boomerang Crescent |
Publisher and/or associated date/s |
Cammeray, NSW : Simon & Schuster (Australia), 2023. |
©2022. |
Description |
xi, 289 pages, 24 unnumbered pages of plates : colour illustrations, colour portraits ; 24 cm. |
Note |
Cultural sensitivity advisory notice: Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other First Nations people are advised that this item may contain names, recordings, images of deceased people and other content that may be culturally sensitive. Please also be aware that you may see certain words or descriptions within this work which reflect the author's attitude, or that of the period in which the work was created, and may now be considered inaccurate, inappropriate or offensive. |
Summary |
"It's a long, hard road from the Nullarbor to the MCG. How does a self-described 'skinny Aboriginal kid' overcome a legacy of family tragedy to become an AFL legend? Eddie Betts grew up in Port Lincoln and Kalgoorlie, in environments where the destructive legacies of colonialism - racism, police targeting of Aboriginal people, drug and alcohol misuse, family violence - were sadly normalised. His childhood was defined by family closeness as well as family strife, plus a wonderful freedom that he and his cousins exploited to the full - for better and for worse. When he made the decision to take his talents across the Nullarbor to Melbourne to chase his footballing dreams everything changed. Over the ensuing years, Betts became a true giant of the sport: 300-plus games, 600-plus goals, multiple All-Australian nods and Goal of the Year awards, and a league-wide popularity rarely seen in the hyper-tribal AFL. Along the way, he battled various demons - gambling, alcohol, the paparazzi - before his turbulent youth settled into responsible maturity. Today, the man the Melbourne tabloids once dubbed 'bad boy Betts' is a dedicated husband and father, a respected community leader and an increasingly outspoken social activist. Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic and always honest, this is the inspirational life story of a champion in his own words." -- Back cover. |
Subjects |
Betts, Eddie |
Australian football players -- Victoria -- Biography |
Aboriginal Australians -- Biography |
Naarm / Melbourne (Vic SJ55-05) |
Port Lincoln (West SA SI53-11) |
Adelaide (SE SA SI54-09) |
Kalgoorlie map area (SE WA Goldfields SH51-09) |
Other Authors &/or Associated Persons |
Clarke, Ali (interviewer) |
Latimore, Jack (editor) |
Call number |
2023.121 |