Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Monday 26 April 1954, page 1


Young Footballer's Courage

Behind the bright and successful league football debut of 17-year-old chunky Haydn

Bunton, jun. as a North Adelaide rover on Satur-day lies an inspiring story If Bunton had not pos-sessed a grim competitive temperament, great cour-age and determination, he would never have played sport. Until he was 10 years of age he was a cripple and had to wear a leg iron and could walk only with the help of crutches. One morning in Perth, in 1939, Haydn, jun.—then three years of age and a healthy child—complained that his leg hurt. He was taken to hospi-tal and found to have a disease of the hip and a fractured pelvis. For the next two years he lay in a hospital bed unable to walk and, when discharged, he had lo wear an iron splint which he was not able to dis-card until he was 10. Haydn, jun., grew up in a home in which sport was a constant topic, because his father was champion rover Haydn Bunton, triple Brownlow and Sandover Medallist. His model was there, but the chance of emulating him seemed impossible. But the youngster never gave up trying and when his family moved to Ade-laide in 1945 he went to Blair Athol school. He kicked a football for the first time in 1948 and it was not long before he was in the school team. Later at Adelaide High School he won the Gosse Medal for the fairest and most brilliant player in the Students' Grade and last year was runner-up for the medal.

Haydn Bunton, sen., rubbing down his son at the City Baths yesterday morning.

Haydn Bunton, sen., rubbing down his son at the City Baths yesterday morning.

On Saturday afternoons he played with the North Adelaide Senior Colts, and during the summer proved to be an excellent cricketer. His good form in the pre-season's trial matches this year gained him a place in North's side against West.

"His first game in League company was a bet-ter one than mine," said his father last night. "I began with Fitzroy with a fanfare of trumpets, but hardly got a kick in the first match and no one in Melbourne would talk to me"—KEITH BUTLER.