Footy fanatic Alice celebrates her centenary in style
It wasn’t Alice Prigg’s first rodeo tossing the coin at a Rochester home game – she made her pre-match debut for the Tigers last year.
To mark her 99th birthday.
So on Saturday she was back to toss the coin again at the club’s annual sponsors’ day – and a showdown with cross Campaspe rival Kyabram.
To mark her 100th birthday.
Which fell officially on Monday, July 6.
Alice, a lifelong Tigers girl, admits being “chuffed” about her latest moment in the sporting spotlight.
The centenarian, who still lives independently in her own home – although she does get a bit of help with the gardening – can also still be seen driving around town going about her daily business.
Son Mark says although his mother was born on a farm near Elmore, she has been in Rochester for 80 years and counting.
“She has been tied up with the club forever, I played there and she was president of the women’s committee and is the GVL’s oldest league life member,” Mark says.
“And while she doesn’t go as far these days, she never misses a home game and now I am retired from the plumbing business, maybe I’ll have time to not just get to more home games with her, we’ll get to a few away ones as well,” he says.
“The win on Saturday was especially big – at half time it looked as though we might be doing it tough but a seven-goal third quarter wrapped it up.”
Ironically, Alice is a long-term Essendon fan – which is the fault of former Richmond player and Rochester coach Kevin Shinners – he would win a Michelsen Medal for Rochy in the Bendigo League in 1970.
Turns out he had a good mate called Kevin Sheedy, who used to come up to some of the club functions, and Alice got on with him and followed his career and the club from then on.
But Mark says his mum was doubly happy with the 24-point win.
“She also has John McGrath, a son-in-law, who lives in Ky, so apart from the win she gets bragging rights as well,” he laughs.
With the GVL bye next Saturday, Alice’s family plans to throw a 100th birthday party at the football/netball clubrooms at 1pm.
