By David Nagel
When Berwick host Narre Warren in round one of the Dandenong and District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf-1 competition on Saturday – the teams will walk onto a ground named in honour of one of the great volunteer contributors in local sport.
Arch Brown was a legendary figure in these parts and died doing what he loved – being involved in football – when he passed away on September xxx, 1985, at age 84.
Below is an article that appeared in the Berwick Pakenham Gazette on xxxxxxxxxx, 1985,
The death occurred last Sunday of one of football’s greats.
Arch Brown, of Berwick, was ‘Mr Football’ when it came to his love and devotion of the game.
Arch died at the game he loved – as gatekeeper at the first semi-final between Cranbourne and Keysborough in the South West Gippsland Football League (SWGFL) at Hampton Park.
Kevin Allison, President of the SWGFL, said Arch collapsed while on the gate shortly after midday.
Attempts were made to revive him but without success.
League and club officials were shocked and saddened by the news and players will line up next week as a mark of respect to a man who has contributed so much to football.
“It was a very sad day for us,” Mr Allison said.
“But if he had wanted anything he probably would have planned it that way – while on the gate at the finals.”
Arch Brown’s contribution to football in the Berwick area spans 63 years.
He joined Berwick as a player in 1922 and was in the team until 1925 when he missed the grand final because of a jaw infection.
He was at the game however and saw Berwick defeat Mulgrave by four points after being five goals down at half time.
For the next 30 years Arch was goal umpire until he retired to being gatekeeper in 1956 – a job he kept until his death on Sunday.
Football, through and through, is how Kevin Allison described him.
“I can honestly say I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say a bad word about him,” Mr Allison said.
“He was also renowned for his expertise with repairing and doing up footballs.
“It was a skill he had – to bring up old footballs like new.
“I have often seen experienced players choose a used football that had been prepared by Arch over a new one.”
Arch Brown was a life member of two clubs, Berwick and Narre Hallam, and also of the SWGFL itself, and the Dandenong and District Football Association.
His name lives on in Berwick with the Arch Brown Reserve, present home of the Berwick Football Club (Juniors only now), although he never approved of the club’s move into the VFA.
Arch was born at Rushworth in 1901 but the family moved to a farm at Port Campbell three years later.
There he developed two great loves that stayed with him all his life – fishing and football.
Later he was to use the skins of eels as laces for the footballs he so expertly repaired.
In 1921, Arch was cleared from the Heytesbury League to play for Drouin, but only spent a year there before moving to Berwick.
In Berwick he met and married Daisy Anderson whose father was later to become president of the Berwick Football Club.
Daisy predeceased Arch by many years but they are survived by daughter, Joyce Minns of Berwick, and son, Bob.
He was a great family man and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Funeral services are to be held at the Uniting Church in Berwick.
