Determined All-rounder Cashed In On His Talent

The Age

Saturday February 9, 2008

Leo Cash and Michael Cash

PATRICK CUSSEN CASH

LAWYER, FOOTBALLER, PLAYER ADVOCATE, TENNIS MANAGER

5-9-1928 - 28-1-2008

PATRICK Cash, a noted amateur and league footballer in the postwar years who guided his son named after him to a Wimbledon tennis title in 1987, has died from a rare heart disorder at Mitcham Private Hospital. He was 79.

At the height of the Depression and after 10 years of drought, Cash's family left Streaky Bay on the north-west coast of South Australia's Eyre Peninsula, where his family had farmed for generations. They moved to Melbourne to look for work, and Pat, the fourth of an eventual 10 siblings, was enrolled at St Joseph's Primary School, West Hawthorn.

The five-year-old "boy from the bush" lost no time in joining in the customary schoolyard kick to kick, only to draw howls of laughter as the ball dropped harmlessly to the ground. Spurred on by the derision of his playmates, Pat kept trying and by the end of that play period he was kicking the ball further than anyone else.

It was the fierce determination that was to remain a feature in his life and throughout his distinguished amateur and league football careers. Another early development was his lifelong devotion to the "mighty Hawks".

When his family moved to Kew, Pat carried on his education and sporting conquests, first at Sacred Heart School, Kew, then at St John's School, Hawthorn. From there he won a diocesan scholarship to St Leo's, Malvern, to prepare for the state scholarship exam, which won him entry into De La Salle College, Malvern. There, he excelled in his studies, and developed his lifelong love for literature, history and sport.

He matriculated in 1946 with honours in English and history, and was the winner of a university free place and a Newman College exhibition. In his latter years at school he captained the school senior football XVIII and handball team, and was vice-captain of the cricket first XI.

In 1945, he won the Combined Catholic Colleges open mile, and in the following year he won both the 440 yards and the 880 yards at the Combined Sports.

The handball courts, in particular, were a scene of many of his early sporting triumphs. Even the Irish brothers, for whom "handball was king", would book a contest with their fiercely competitive student. Pat went on to represent Victoria in the sport in 1946.

He studied law at Melbourne University in the postwar years. Law was in the family genes; he was a descendant of the eminent judge Sir Leo Cussen, who was also president of the Melbourne Cricket Club.

Pat entered fully into university life, developed a wide range of friends, and was active in the University Club. While a resident at Newman College, he played football for the college and at the same time he was a regular in the University Blacks football team, then a dominant force in the Amateur Association. He starred as a centre player and state representative for a number of years. Not surprisingly, he was awarded a university blue in football. His prowess was widely recognised and later he was selected in the Amateur Side of the Century.

Pat capped his university career by graduating with an honours degree in law in 1951, and set up practice in Footscray. He was to remain at this busy suburban practice until his retirement in recent years.

In 1951, Pat began his 58-game league football career as a forward and utility player with Hawthorn. In his first year he was the club's leading goalkicker, and played a starring role in the Hawks' first win since 1949. During his career he was also a special commentator on Norman Banks' football program on 3AW, where he would help to review games after play each Saturday evening.

Shortly after his retirement as a player, Pat became the first president of the Australian Footballer's Association in 1956, and sought its registration as a union. The then Victorian Football League opposed the registration, and as a fledgling lawyer, Pat found himself up against the senior counsel of the profession, who prevailed in their action.

On the home front, Pat, who had married Dorothy Hart in 1964, at an early stage recognised the ball skills and competitive instincts of his son Patrick, which he channelled into tennis. That he was to become the father of a Wimbledon champion was to be Pat's proudest and most cherished sporting memory.

During son Patrick's tennis career his father acted as his tennis manager; he was frequently a loyal defender of his son in moments of public controversy and conflict with authority.

Tennis fans will recall that memorable moment in 1987 when the 21-year-old Australian champion climbed into the stands at Wimbledon following his momentous victory over Ivan Lendl, to embrace his father. (He is pictured climbing towards his father in the white cap.)

Pat, who had earlier become upset with tennis officials, played a leading role in setting up MATCH (Make A Tennis Champion Here), a scheme that not only helped finance the early career of his son but those of other Australian champions such as Wally Masur, and Liz and Anne Minter, among others.

Pat's leisure interests were predominantly sport, music and reading, and he and Dorothy were long-time members of the Native Plant Society.

From a musical family, Pat possessed a fine tenor voice, and was a much loved member of his parish choir at North Ringwood. He took great delight in the musical career of his daughter Renee, a soprano and graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, who has sung with the Victorian State Opera and Opera Australia and is now a cabaret performer.

He is survived by Dorothy, daughter Renee, sons Patrick and Daniel, step-daughter Rosie and five grandchildren, as well as his remaining siblings Betty, Kathy, Leo, Mary, Michael, Brian and Francesca.

© 2008 The Age

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