Dick Vest Explained

Dick Vest
Fullname:Gregoria Richard Vecerina (born vest)
Birth Date:1897
Birth Place:Barmedman, New South Wales
Death Date:11 June
Death Place:Enfield, New South Wales
Club1:Western Suburbs
Year1start:1914
Year1end:23
Appearances1:85
Tries1:22
Goals1:8
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:82
Club2:Cootamundra
Year2start:1924
Year2end:??
Teama:New South Wales
Yearastart:1919
Yearaend:22
Appearancesa:9
Triesa:10
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:30
Teamb:Australia
Yearbstart:1919
Yearbend:22
Appearancesb:7
Triesb:4
Goalsb:0
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:12
Teamc:NSW City
Yearcstart:1920
Yearcend:22
Appearancesc:2
Triesc:4
Goalsc:1
Fieldgoalsc:0
Pointsc:14
Source:[1] [2]

Dick Vest (1897-1974) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s and 1920s . An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative three-quarter back, he played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership for Sydney's Western Suburbs club.[1]

Playing career

The son of a subject of the Austro Hungarian Empire (from Draga, Rijeka in what is now Croatia[3]) immigrant, Vest was born Gregorio Richard Vest (original father’s name- Francesco Vecerina)in the country New South Wales town of Barmedman. Following the death of his father in a mine accident, Vest and his two older brothers were sent to a boys home in the Western Sydney suburb Westmead, playing junior rugby league for local club Parramatta.[4] Vest commenced his New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership first grade career with Western Suburbs in the 1914 NSWRFL season.[5] [6]

During the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour Vest played in all three Tests for Australia as they won the Ashes for the very first time.He was later selected to go on the 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain.He played for West Wyalong and Barmedman in the Maher Cup.

Death

Vest died at Enfield, New South Wales on 11 June 1974.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org. rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2018. 1 January 2019.
  2. Web site: Statistics at nrlstats.com.au. nrlstats.com.au. 31 December 2018. 1 January 2019.
  3. probate and death records of Francesco Vecerina and book by IIija Sutalo (2004)Croatians In Australia- Pioneers, Settlers and their descendants
  4. Web site: Alan Whiticker. Dick Vest. rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. 4 September 2014. Alan Whiticker.
  5. Web site: Dick Vest. nrlstats.com. Sports Data. 4 September 2014.
  6. Web site: Western Suburbs Magpies First Grade Players. Wests Magpies.
  7. Sydney Morning Herald - death notice "Richard Vest" 13/06/1974