Ray Montgomery (umpire)

Ray Montgomery (1929 – 1 August 2009) was an Australian rules football umpire. Montgomery umpired in the West Australian National Football League (now known as the West Australian Football League) and the Victorian Football League.[1][2]

Ray Montgomery
Personal information
Full name Raymond Montgomery
Date of birth 1929
Date of death (2009-08-01)1 August 2009
Other occupation Railway worker
Art teacher
Umpiring career
Years League Role Games
1952–1964 WANFL Field umpire
1965 VFL Field umpire
1966–1972 WANFL Field umpire

Working life

He began his working life as a coach builder for the Western Australian Government Railways at the Midland Railway Workshops. After going to teacher's college he became an art teacher, becoming an Arts Master at Churchlands College.[3][4]

Playing career

Montgomery played football at school and in the Temperance League before playing reserve grade for Swan Districts. His playing career was brought to an end by a cracked vertebra.[4]

Umpiring career

Montgomery commenced umpiring football with Metropolitan Juniors in 1949.[1]

WANFL

Montgomery joined the WANFL umpiring panel in 1950 and was soon umpiring league football, making his debut in a match between East Fremantle and Swan Districts at Fremantle Oval in Round 4 of the 1952 season.[5]

In 1959 Montgomery officiated in his first grand final, between East Perth and Subiaco at Subiaco Oval.[6]

During Round 1 of the 1956 season Montgomery reported Jack Sheedy for using abusive language towards him, to which Sheedy responded at the tribunal by swearing on a bible that Montgomery had reported the wrong player. Despite the theatrics, Sheedy was found guilty of the charge.[7][8]

In 1963 he made a complaint to the WANFL over an incident that occurred after he had umpired a match between East Fremantle and South Fremantle at East Fremantle Oval. He alleged that as he was walking out of the ground, a player drove a car toward him, attempting to run him over.[9][10]

He retired in 1972 having umpired 308 WANFL league matches including five grand finals.[1][11]

VFL

While studying art at the Melbourne Technical College Montgomery umpired two league matches during the 1965 Victorian Football League season.[12][13]

Later life and legacy

Montgomery was responsible for redesigning the Swan Districts logo after Swans coach Haydn Bunton, Jr. suggested it needed livening up.[4]

After retiring Montgomery took up bowls and was a member of the Manning Bowls Club for over three decades.[4]

The award for best WAFL field umpire is named the Ray Montgomery Medal in his honour.[1]

In 2002 Montgomery was named as one of three field umpires in the WANFL Umpires Association Team of the Half Century.[14]

In 2004 he was inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame.[15][16]

References
  1. "Football community mourns Montgomery". West Australian Football Commission. 5 August 2009. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  2. O'Donoghue, Craig (6 August 2009). "Monty a great of umpiring". The West Australian. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  3. Davidson, Ron (2008). Fremantle Impressions (2nd ed.). Fremantle Press. pp. 186–189. ISBN 1-921361-47-6.
  4. Head, Ron (5 August 2009). "Vale Ray Montgomery". Memory Lane. Footy Goss. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  5. "Montgomery". WAFL Online. West Australian Football Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  6. "Grand Final Umpires 1953-1959 |". www.wanflua.com.au. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  7. "East Perth - Part One: 1902 to 1960". Full Points Footy. Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  8. Devaney, John (2008). Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion. Lulu.com. p. 84. ISBN 0-9556897-1-6.
  9. "'Hit Run' Attempt - Car Claim By Umpire". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 April 1963. Retrieved 24 March 2010 – via Google News Archive.
  10. "Umpire Seeking League Ruling". The Age. 18 April 1963. Retrieved 24 March 2010 – via Google News Archive.
  11. "300 Club". www.wanflua.com.au. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  12. "Montgomery New Umpire". The Age. 20 May 1965. Retrieved 24 March 2010 – via Google News Archive.
  13. "Career Field". Australian Football League Umpires Association. Archived from the original on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  14. "WANFLUA - Team of the Half Century". West Australian Football Commission. Archived from the original on 6 May 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  15. "Hall of Fame Inductees". West Australian Football Commission. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  16. "Raymond Montgomery". WA Football Hall of Fame. West Australian Football Commission. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
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