History of the Tigers
On Sunday morning, 18 January 1948, a meeting was called for the purpose of forming a new hockey club to play in the A Grade competition. Mr A.M. (Mort) Littleford presided. Those present were G. Hislop, N. McDonough, N. Clark, G. Hardie, M.E. Littleford, S.C. Fullelove, M. Werder, A. McAlister, C. McDonough, J. Smith, R. Windsor (Apology – K. Pedley).
Mr Tom Hislop was unanimously elected Patron of the Club and Mr A.M. Littleford accepted the position of President. Mr Clark was elected Vice-President and Mr Graham Hislop and Mr Alaister McAlister were elected Secretary and Treasurer respectively. Mr Mal Werder was then elected Team Captain. Club Delegates were Mr M. Werder and Mr K. Pedley. A motion was moved by G. Hislop and seconded G. Hardie that the Club was to be called “The Eastern Suburbs Hockey Club”.
The first Eastern Suburbs team to take the field in 1948 consisted of N. Clark (G/Keeper), A. McAlister & M. Werder (Fullbacks), N. McDonough, G. Hislop & K. Pedley (Halfbacks), S.C. Fullelove, R. Windsor, G. Hardie, C. McDonough & M.E. Littleford (Forwards) and J. Smith.
Although a young club, five members of the team represented Ipswich in the Powell-Heuer Cup Intercity Competition in the Club’s first year of hockey. During the season S.G. Fullelove was invited to join the Club and become a valuable addition to the Club.
True to the Hockey Motto “The Game That Grows”, the club added a Reserve Grade team in the 1949 season. The 1950 season saw our Senior team relegated to Reserve Grade and it is pleasing to report this team had the honour of winning our first Premiership. Also during this season, we fielded our first junior team. The “A” Grade team had to wait until 1953 to claim their first Senior Premiership.
It is a matter of record that this club has participated in 49 A Grade competitions during its first fifty years of existence. The personnel of the Club have contributed heavily to both Ipswich and Hockey Queensland administration in fulfilling positions such as Officials, Coaches, Selectors, Umpires and Managers.
2000 was the beginning of a new era for the Eastern Suburbs Tigers when they entered their first female team in the Ipswich competition - it was an Under 11 team. In 2001 the female ranks grew further when an Under 13 team was added. 2002 saw the Club reach a ‘pinnacle of achievement’ with the forming of an A Grade Ladies side. 2003 saw Easts female ranks grow further with the addition of 3 new ladies teams, Reserve grade, A2 grade and Under 15 girls. The inclusion of these new teams saw Easts fielding a team in every grade of the Ipswich Hockey competition.
