A Walk-up start to 100 games

A Walk-up start to 100 games

Charlie Walker joined an exclusive club when he brought up his 100^th game for Moonee Valley on December 21. 

He joined Phill King as the only two 100-game Valley players who also have sons to have played 100 games for our Club. 

It was perhaps fitting that Phill took on the captaincy duties in our Sevenths for Charlie’s 100^th game, which was played at Poplar Oval against Royal Park Reds. 

It was Phill’s 110^th game, and he was joined by son Tom, playing his 129^th game. 

Charlie’s oldest son Murray played in the Fifths the previous day, taking his games tally to 107. Younger son Nigel is on 84 games. 

It’s fair to say that Club president Charlie has limped to his 100-game milestone in more ways than one. 

He tore his hamstring going for a quick single on November 29, on the first day of a two-day game in the Fifths. 

Charlie then stood at first slip on Day 2, then did the same in a Sevenths game on December 14 – standing like a statue as he was unable to chase. 

Pictured at right are Charlie Walker (far right) with Phill King.

At least in his 100^th game we had a squad of 13, after a couple of last-minute inclusions bolstered our player numbers. It enabled Charlie the luxury of limiting his time in the field to a handful of overs and he devoted most of his efforts to sitting at the scoring table. 

Charlie played his first game for Moonee Valley in 2003, aged 47. He flew to 55 games by the end of the 2006/07 season, when he was awarded Life Membership. 

Progress has been somewhat slower since then, but Charlie’s finally brought up his three figures.