From: Alan and Carmel Brain <aebrain@w...>
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 00:10:03 +1000
Subject: Re: [OT]Aussie Colours Explained
From: <KH.Ranitzsch@t-online.de> > The sports dress of most nations' teams include the color of their Green and Gold, (Or heraldicly, Vert and Or). Short answer: it's been traditional since just after the country was founded, but only made official in 1984. Long Answer: The Aus flag's colours are red, white and blue, just like a dozen other nations. The Unofficial story is that it's originally based on the colours worn by Irish Convicts playing Gaelic Football in the early 1800s, many of whom had been arrested and transported for various political offences. The Irish Nationalist flag of the time is shown on http://flagspot.net/flags/ie-green.html Note that the pre-1800 flag was the same design, but with a blue background. http://www.irishclans.com/flags/green.html Blue-and-Gold was tried as the first 'official' colour scheme, but didn't catch on. The Official story is that the Green is for Gum trees, the Gold for Wattle. > From the Sydney Morning Herald: http://smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/11/1086749885653.html?oneclick=true It was not until April 19, 1984, that green and gold were officially declared Australia's national sports colours by the then Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen. The combination was, however, used in the jumpers, blazers and caps of the Australian cricket team to tour England in 1899, but was not ratified by the Australian Cricket Board until 1908. It was also worn by the Australian Olympic team in that year, while the Australian Rugby League adopted the colours in 1928. Green and gold were the popular choice to represent Australia internationally because the colours closely resembled those of our national emblem the golden wattle. > From RL1908.com While Australia's official sporting colours were adopted as blue and gold before the end of the 1800s, none of its sporting teams adopted the colours - or few perhaps even gave it a thought. Scarcely any Australian sports of the late 1890s took up the colours of the approaching Federation. In 1897 when Harry Musgrove's troubled Australian Baseball Tour of America arrived in Pittsburgh, they were welcomed at the Duquesne Theatre which was 'decked out in blue and gold bunting for the Australians'. [ Ref: http://www.australianbaseballhistory.webcentral.com.au/ ] The uncertainty of the willingness of the New Zealand colony to be part of the coming Federation may have contributed to the lack of any embracing of recognised 'Australian' symbols. As the 19th century closed an entirely new Australian colour scheme made its first appearance - green and gold. In 1899 Joe Darling's Australian cricket team adopted the use of (gum) green and (wattle) gold. The team which toured England had green and gold integrated into their blazers, caps and jumpers. While this is cited as Australian sports first use of these colours, it would still be another 20 - 30 years before other sports followed. Even Australian cricket's Board of Control did not itself ratify use of the green and gold colours until 1908. Also in 1908 the green and gold colours were used by some members of the Australian Olympic team - although the Wallabies played their one-off game for the "gold medal" in blue NSW Waratahs jerseys with the word 'Australia' under the floral emblem. > From The Dept of Foreign Affairs section on Australian Symbols (Flag, http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/coat_of_arms.html For many years, the motto 'Advance Australia' appeared on unofficial Coats of Arms, even before the Federation of the States in