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Pitched battle: in the frontline of the 1971 Springbok tour of Australia
"In 1971, when the racially selected all-white Springbok rugby team toured Australia, we became a nation at war with ourselves. There was bloodshed as tens of thousands of anti-apartheid campaigners clashed with governments, police, and rugby fans : who were given free reign to assault protestors. Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen declared a state of emergency. Prime minister William McMahon called the Wallabies who refused to play 'national disgraces'. Barbed wire ringed the great rugby grounds to stop protestors invading the field. Pitched Battle recreates what became of the most rancorous periods in modern Australian history : a time of courage, pain, faith, fanaticism, and political opportunism : which ultimately made heroes of the seven Wallabies who refused to play, played a key role in the later political careers of Peter Beattie, Meredith Burgmann, and Peter Hain, and ultimately led to the abandonment of apartheid."
336 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 17, 2021
"There is no doubt that those who took a stand in 1971 were ahead of our time in this country. The intrinsic evil of apartheid was not yet widely appreciated and the polls of those days showed us to be very much in the minority. But while leadership, in part, is about listening, it is also by definition about leading and about fighting for principle. I was extremely proud to be head of an Australian trade union movement which widely supported this position." - Bob Hawke.
An inspiring book of courage, idealism and international solidarity during a period of Australian history that I knew nothing about.
Australia 50 years ago was a much more racist country than it is today. The police were incredibly brutal. The politicians (with a couple of honourable exceptions) were generally supportive of the South African government. The public were, at best, indifferent regarding the issue of apartheid and obsessed with sport.
Yet through a campaign of organising, explaining, building alliances and direct action a dedicated core of activists was able to build up a broad-based social movement that included Wallabies who refused to play against the Springboks, church leaders, students, trade unions and Aboriginal activists. They were pilloried in the press, denounced by the prime minister and state premiers, savagely attacked by the police, neo-Nazis and rugby fans, but they won.
The Springbok tour of 1971 was a disaster and in the same year Don Bradman cancelled his invitation to the South African cricket team to tour Australia, stating that racially exclusive teams were unwelcome. Opposition Leader Gough Whitlam was one of the few Labor politicians who supported the boycott (most of them thought it would lose them the support of sport fans and cost them the election) but most Australians supported him when, in the following year, he cut ties with South Africa - a policy that was maintained by governments of both parties for the next 22 years.
You won't find much critical race theory or performative anti-racism in this book, or any discussion of white fragility, allyship or white privilege. These were serious people living in a racist country who understood that fighting racism was about organising, building alliances, speaking to people where they were at, solidarity and direct action.
If you're a progressive Australian who is depressed about the state of this country's politics then this is the book for you. Buy it, read it, then lend it to your friends.
An inspiring book of courage, idealism and international solidarity during a period of Australian history that I knew nothing about.
Australia 50 years ago was a much more racist country than it is today. The police were incredibly brutal. The politicians (with a couple of honourable exceptions) were generally supportive of the South African government. The public were, at best, indifferent regarding the issue of apartheid and obsessed with sport.
Yet through a campaign of organising, explaining, building alliances and direct action a dedicated core of activists was able to build up a broad-based social movement that included Wallabies who refused to play against the Springboks, church leaders, students, trade unions and Aboriginal activists. They were pilloried in the press, denounced by the prime minister and state premiers, savagely attacked by the police, neo-Nazis and rugby fans, but they won.
The Springbok tour of 1971 was a disaster and in the same year Don Bradman cancelled his invitation to the South African cricket team to tour Australia, stating that racially exclusive teams were unwelcome. Opposition Leader Gough Whitlam was one of the few Labor politicians who supported the boycott (most of them thought it would lose them the support of sport fans and cost them the election) but most Australians supported him when, in the following year, he cut ties with South Africa - a policy that was maintained by governments of both parties for the next 22 years.
You won't find much critical race theory or performative anti-racism in this book, or any discussion of white fragility, allyship or white privilege. These were serious people living in a racist country who understood that fighting racism was about organising, building alliances, speaking to people where they were at, solidarity and direct action.
If you're a progressive Australian who is depressed about the state of this country's politics then this is the book for you. Buy it, read it, then lend it to your friends.
Read
September 22, 2021Superbly researched and told with deft style, this is essential reading for anyone with a passion for sport, politics, or history.
Peter Fitzsimons
Artful in its arrangement and humane in its spirit … Honouring the moral actions of its protagonists, it also confirms the efficacy of determined and creative resistance to social wrong.
Sean Scalmer, The Saturday Age
It was frightening and chaotic, but we knew we were right. This is exactly the way it happened. Larry Writer takes us into the heart of the great human-rights campaign of the era.
Meredith Burgmann
A remarkably detailed and wonderfully enthralling account of Australian sport’s bloodiest confrontation. Larry Writer expertly skewers the lingering myth that politics and sport don't mix.
Richard hinds
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Writer’s work is the picture of Australia during that time, an isolated nation still under the long post-war Liberal reign that ardently clung to an innocent hope in the separation of sport and politics.
Inside Sport
A fascinating account of important Australian sporting and political history.
Nick Goldie, Queenbeyean Bulletin
Larry Writer tells this amazing story with aplomb, showing admirable balance as he weaves together rugby, politics and social change. This is much more than a sports book and will appeal to all lovers of good Australian social and political history.
Dave Martus, Books+Publishing
A vivid story of the men and women who took a stand when sport mixed with politics In 1971 … Pitched Battle recreates what became one of the most rancorous periods in modern Australian history — a time of courage, pain, faith, fanaticism, and political opportunism — which … ultimately contributed to the abandonment of Apartheid.
Chain Reaction
Peter Fitzsimons
Artful in its arrangement and humane in its spirit … Honouring the moral actions of its protagonists, it also confirms the efficacy of determined and creative resistance to social wrong.
Sean Scalmer, The Saturday Age
It was frightening and chaotic, but we knew we were right. This is exactly the way it happened. Larry Writer takes us into the heart of the great human-rights campaign of the era.
Meredith Burgmann
A remarkably detailed and wonderfully enthralling account of Australian sport’s bloodiest confrontation. Larry Writer expertly skewers the lingering myth that politics and sport don't mix.
Richard hinds
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Writer’s work is the picture of Australia during that time, an isolated nation still under the long post-war Liberal reign that ardently clung to an innocent hope in the separation of sport and politics.
Inside Sport
A fascinating account of important Australian sporting and political history.
Nick Goldie, Queenbeyean Bulletin
Larry Writer tells this amazing story with aplomb, showing admirable balance as he weaves together rugby, politics and social change. This is much more than a sports book and will appeal to all lovers of good Australian social and political history.
Dave Martus, Books+Publishing
A vivid story of the men and women who took a stand when sport mixed with politics In 1971 … Pitched Battle recreates what became one of the most rancorous periods in modern Australian history — a time of courage, pain, faith, fanaticism, and political opportunism — which … ultimately contributed to the abandonment of Apartheid.
Chain Reaction
May 14, 2017
The year was 1971, and South Africa began to feel the pressure caused by their adherence to Apartheid system. Already a pariah state, diplomatically isolated and economically sanctioned, South African government used international sporting activities to advance their cause. They would send white-only teams around the world, and their victory would be used to vindicate the superiority of Apartheid system. However, around that time, the world was embroiled in great social changes caused by the ongoing Vietnam war. This was certainly a ripe time for any kind of social activism.
It was around these turbulent times that South African rugby team, the Springboks, regarded as one of the best in the world, even under the sports boycotts, toured Australia. Against it were people from CARIS, and its more radical offshoot, the AAM. Together, they must've had put the rugby players into some kind of living hell. However, what amazes me that besides all the predicaments, the Springboks managed to not losing a single match.
It was against this tour that Australia became politically polarised. On one side was the people who tried to stop the tour for it represented the racist regime back in Pretoria, set against people who wished to watch rugby matches in peace, supplemented with anti-communist conservatives like Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the Hillbilly Dictator.
In the end, the tour went on as scheduled, albeit with many distractions. However, the anti-apartheid groups won in the long run, for another visit to Australia by South African Cricket team scheduled later that year was cancelled, and succeeded in raising awareness about the apartheid and condition of Aborigines in Australia. I think these are real activism, unlike what we have today.
It was around these turbulent times that South African rugby team, the Springboks, regarded as one of the best in the world, even under the sports boycotts, toured Australia. Against it were people from CARIS, and its more radical offshoot, the AAM. Together, they must've had put the rugby players into some kind of living hell. However, what amazes me that besides all the predicaments, the Springboks managed to not losing a single match.
It was against this tour that Australia became politically polarised. On one side was the people who tried to stop the tour for it represented the racist regime back in Pretoria, set against people who wished to watch rugby matches in peace, supplemented with anti-communist conservatives like Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the Hillbilly Dictator.
In the end, the tour went on as scheduled, albeit with many distractions. However, the anti-apartheid groups won in the long run, for another visit to Australia by South African Cricket team scheduled later that year was cancelled, and succeeded in raising awareness about the apartheid and condition of Aborigines in Australia. I think these are real activism, unlike what we have today.
November 21, 2018
Interesting description of circumstances which lead to the ban of the rugby matches between south Africa and Australia. The book provides us with many arguments ‘Pro-and-Con’. Ultimately the right decision was taken but against a big price, especially for all talented rugby players at either side. A price a sportsman should not be paying.... politics interfering with sport is never a good thing. Sport should be conducted in the most equal-way possible. The apartheid regime made that impossible for many years. Wearing a springbok jersey is now possible for all South African rugby players, black or white, black and white. Let’s celebrate that and salute the rugby-seven for initiating the series of events as described in this book.
February 4, 2018
A good historical look at the anti-apartheid movement of the 70's. Also provided a valuable insight into (the never changing) conservative reactions to the progresive youth culture, the use of such perennials as; get a haircut, get a job and have the bath are still heard today and were heard by the activists in the 70s. It also mention the effort s of people such as Bob Hawke, Hollow's and Peter Bettie and the parts they played in this important historical event.
November 5, 2021
Engaging and thorough account of events that, as a casual fan of rugby at best, I'd never even known occured. Eye opening.
January 4, 2024
Well researched and articulated. A terrific read.
September 30, 2018
I can’t decide whether to give this three or four stars. So much about this book is excellent, but so much is also bad.
I’ll start with the bad stuff, because I want to finish on the good.
The author is painfully moderate and centrist. Even though he clearly sides with with the anti-apartheid protestors, his dedication to showing both sides of the argument, and criticising the tactics of both the pro- and anti-apartheid forces often leaves you wondering. And while the whole point of the book is making the case that politics and sport do mix, the author clearly thinks that politics is a separate realm to nearly everything else. He seems in two minds about trade unions being involved in politics. (His anti-trade union feelings come through most strongly when he presents multiple quotes critical of the Bjelke-Peterson government’s State of Emergency laws being enacted to protect the football matches, but which argue that they would be perfectly fine to be implemented to chit down a strike). He also repeatedly claims that while right-wing figures are politically objectionable, they are personally lovely, wonderful, great chaps and top blokes. This becomes absurd when he claims that the Springboks were all lovely, defending them against accusations of racism (apparently calling Springboks racist is as bad as a police chief calling all protestors unwashed louts and professional paid agitators), and describing their behaviour on and off field as perfect—despite not all of them opposing apartheid, one of them punching an antI-apartheid activist, and a number of them being involved in on-field punch-ons with Australian players. Apparently a Springbok punching a protestor is fine, but damaging property is indefensible violence!
The other unfortunate aspect of the book is that only the high-profile (and politically moderate) protestors are interviewed, most of whom later became right-wing Labor politicians and union bureaucrats. It is mentioned that more radical protestors existed (usually listed as ‘anarchists and Trotskyists’), but they are condemned by the author as not really caring about apartheid and just wanting to use the protests for their own conspiratorial ends. At one point, an ASIO report is quoted which claims as much, and the author agrees with it. Aboriginal activists are tarred with a similar brush. The author makes it clear that he believes that the best sort of activist is one who chooses a single issue, protests very quietly about it for a while, then gets a respectable job and doesn’t ever protest again.
Lastly, there is never a good political response to a number of questions which are brought up. The worst of these is “why protest South Africa and not Communist Russia?” The answers which a number of figures in the boom give are basically “well, there is no racism based on skin colour in Communist countries” or “Jews can still play soccer in Russia”. This is basically apologising for the horrors of Stalinism. Instead the answer should be “because Black South Africans are calling for international solidarity, so we are supporting them.” This is the same answer that needs to be given when people ask why Israel is being targeted with boycotts: because Palestinians are asking for Israel to be boycotted, and we should stand with them.
But I would still recommend reading the book, because if you read it critically, there is much to be gained out of it. Despite the obvious biases of the author, the lessons to be learned are clear. If it were not for the radical politics and organisation of the most left-wing protestors, arguing that the Springboks should be relentlessly protested, that games should be interrupted, pitches invaded, goalposts sawed down, etc, the tour would have gone on with no problems, South Africa would have continued having Australia as a political partner, and the huge blow to apartheid that this tour represented would never have happened.
There are so many wonderful stories of heroism and solidarity in this book which should be emulated today in the campaign of boycotts against Israel.
Lastly, there is much amusement to be made from listening to the hilarious and hysterical reactions of right-wing scumbags as they attempt to defend apartheid, or at least to defend their opposition to protesting against apartheid. It’s the exact same arguments that right-wing scum make these days when they argue against protestors.
It really shows the need for radical change to he system we live in, because as long as the capitalist system exists, those in power will keep oppressing us, and we will have to keep fighting back.
I’ll start with the bad stuff, because I want to finish on the good.
The author is painfully moderate and centrist. Even though he clearly sides with with the anti-apartheid protestors, his dedication to showing both sides of the argument, and criticising the tactics of both the pro- and anti-apartheid forces often leaves you wondering. And while the whole point of the book is making the case that politics and sport do mix, the author clearly thinks that politics is a separate realm to nearly everything else. He seems in two minds about trade unions being involved in politics. (His anti-trade union feelings come through most strongly when he presents multiple quotes critical of the Bjelke-Peterson government’s State of Emergency laws being enacted to protect the football matches, but which argue that they would be perfectly fine to be implemented to chit down a strike). He also repeatedly claims that while right-wing figures are politically objectionable, they are personally lovely, wonderful, great chaps and top blokes. This becomes absurd when he claims that the Springboks were all lovely, defending them against accusations of racism (apparently calling Springboks racist is as bad as a police chief calling all protestors unwashed louts and professional paid agitators), and describing their behaviour on and off field as perfect—despite not all of them opposing apartheid, one of them punching an antI-apartheid activist, and a number of them being involved in on-field punch-ons with Australian players. Apparently a Springbok punching a protestor is fine, but damaging property is indefensible violence!
The other unfortunate aspect of the book is that only the high-profile (and politically moderate) protestors are interviewed, most of whom later became right-wing Labor politicians and union bureaucrats. It is mentioned that more radical protestors existed (usually listed as ‘anarchists and Trotskyists’), but they are condemned by the author as not really caring about apartheid and just wanting to use the protests for their own conspiratorial ends. At one point, an ASIO report is quoted which claims as much, and the author agrees with it. Aboriginal activists are tarred with a similar brush. The author makes it clear that he believes that the best sort of activist is one who chooses a single issue, protests very quietly about it for a while, then gets a respectable job and doesn’t ever protest again.
Lastly, there is never a good political response to a number of questions which are brought up. The worst of these is “why protest South Africa and not Communist Russia?” The answers which a number of figures in the boom give are basically “well, there is no racism based on skin colour in Communist countries” or “Jews can still play soccer in Russia”. This is basically apologising for the horrors of Stalinism. Instead the answer should be “because Black South Africans are calling for international solidarity, so we are supporting them.” This is the same answer that needs to be given when people ask why Israel is being targeted with boycotts: because Palestinians are asking for Israel to be boycotted, and we should stand with them.
But I would still recommend reading the book, because if you read it critically, there is much to be gained out of it. Despite the obvious biases of the author, the lessons to be learned are clear. If it were not for the radical politics and organisation of the most left-wing protestors, arguing that the Springboks should be relentlessly protested, that games should be interrupted, pitches invaded, goalposts sawed down, etc, the tour would have gone on with no problems, South Africa would have continued having Australia as a political partner, and the huge blow to apartheid that this tour represented would never have happened.
There are so many wonderful stories of heroism and solidarity in this book which should be emulated today in the campaign of boycotts against Israel.
Lastly, there is much amusement to be made from listening to the hilarious and hysterical reactions of right-wing scumbags as they attempt to defend apartheid, or at least to defend their opposition to protesting against apartheid. It’s the exact same arguments that right-wing scum make these days when they argue against protestors.
It really shows the need for radical change to he system we live in, because as long as the capitalist system exists, those in power will keep oppressing us, and we will have to keep fighting back.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews