Vale Eddie Kavanagh

By Ken Casellas

Eddie Kavanagh, a tenacious back pocket specialist for Claremont in the 1960s, died last week, and it is with sadness that the club extends its condolences to his family.

Kavanagh graduated from the local junior ranks and made his league debut alongside redoubtable full-back Mort Kuhlman in front of a crowd of 5738 on April 20, 1963 at Claremont Oval when the Tigers beat East Fremantle by 33 points.

He was a highly efficient defender in his eleven league appearances that year when his task was to keep the resting rover from the opposing team under wraps. For the following four seasons Kavanagh played mainly for the club’s second eighteen side and he retired at the end of the 1967 season with a record of 18 league appearances.

His final league appearance was at East Fremantle Oval on June 10, 1967 when he played in a forward pocket and shared the roving duties with John Parkinson. He kicked a goal, just his second in league ranks, the first coming against West Perth in a round seven contest at Leederville Oval that year.

Kavanagh finished fourth in Claremont’s fairest-and-best award in the seconds (now known as the reserves) in 1964 and was runner-up twice — to Ian Fisher in 1966 and to Warren Marshall in 1967.