David Prentice – Everton Heritage Society

Everton FC’s 1909 pre-season tour of South America, Edwardian style – David Prentice

October 21, 2019June 18, 2020 by David PrenticeNo Comments

Edwardian style Amazing story of Everton's pioneering 1909 tour of South America A contemporary cigarette card of Bert Freeman, the star of Everton's 1909 tour of South America. In the summer months of 1909 a 13-strong Everton FC playing staff led by two directors and a trainer, together with travelling companions Tottenham Hotspur, travelled 14,000 miles and spent more than six weeks at sea, visiting Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina – “to introduce and develop first class football.” Their story is a fascinating one – and thanks to the diligence of director E. Bainbridge and an exhaustive tour diary he produced for the Echo, the story of the ground-breaking tour can be retold a century later. So settle down with a cup of finest Brazilian and a corned beef sandwich, and enjoy the exploits of the Evertonian adventurers. Like many great Evertonian trips, the story began at Lime Street station. The Blues boarded a steam train to London Euston on Thursday...

Searching For The Blues Baseballers – Dave Prentice , Richie Gillham & Rob Sawyer

October 7, 2019November 5, 2019 by David Prentice Comment Closed

Everton baseball team circa 1945 Featuring Gordon Watson of EFC and Theo Kelly as trainer wearing hat The Everton team you've never heard of as Blues search for sporting pioneers Everton were once a leading name in trying to establish a popular American sport on Merseyside Because Everton have diversified into other sports in their long sporting history - and the Everton Heritage Society - the group of historians which seeks to research and chronicle all elements of the football club, is interested in discovering more about one particular diversion. Baseball. The Toffees have flirted with another sport with American roots, basketball, when the Toxteth based Tigers operated under the Everton brand between 2007-2010. However, six decades earlier Everton was a leading English name in another American sport – Baseball. Now, Richie Gillham of EFC Heritage Society is researching the rise of the sport on Merseyside and its connections to Everton. An Everton baseball team, with no...

Blue plaque unveiled at Dixie Dean’s primary school in Birkenhead

December 14, 2018December 14, 2018 by David Prentice Comment Closed

Legendary goalscorer's daughter and another Everton striking legend perform unveiling ceremony Everton legend Graeme Sharp, left, together with Barbara Dean, right, daughter of the club's goal-scoring legend Dixie Dean,pictured below the EFC Heritage Society plaque at Portland School in Laird Street, where the football hero first went to school in Birkenhead. Photo by James Maloney The EFC Heritage Society commissioned plaque at Co-Op Portland Academy in Laird Street, where Everton legend Dixie Dean first went to school. A blue plaque commemorating the site of the school where Everton and England legend Dixie Dean first studied has been unveiled. Dixie's daughter Barbara Dean, and the second highest goalscorer in Everton's history, Graeme Sharp, unveiled the plaque at the Co-Op Academy Portland on Laird Street. The unveiling ceremony was witnessed by pupils and staff from the Birkenhead primary school, Everton legend Derek Mountfield, officials from Conservation Areas Wirral and members of the Everton Heritage Society who commissioned the plaque. Everton legend Graeme Sharp, right, together with Barbara Dean, left, daughter of...

Dixie Dean’s most cherished medal comes home – David Prentice

May 6, 2018December 14, 2018 by David Prentice Comment Closed

Dixie Dean’s most prized medal came home at the weekend - and Everton have been given the opportunity to secure it for good. Famed memorabilia collector Gordon Wallis bought Dixie Dean’s 1927/28 League Championship winning medal - the season he set the Football League’s 60-goal scoring record - at auction in 1991. But to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Dixie’s remarkable achievement Mr Wallis agreed to bring the cherished medal back to its spiritual home. And at a special event organised by the Everton Heritage Society to celebrate the medal’s return, Mr Wallis hinted that it could one day enjoy permanent residence in an Everton Museum. © Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Speaking at the People’s Club Lounge on Friday night, wallis said: “Joe Mercer’s 1938/39 League Championship winning medal will be auctioned on May 22 - and it belongs here at Everton Football Club, where he won it. “If the Everton board could be persuaded to acquire that medal for its fan base, I think...