it’s Kevin
It’s Kevin Bishop... this born and bred local is a legend in our neck of the woods.
By the way... not too many people can say Russell Ebert shows up to celebrate your Birthday with you... but Kevin can.
Kevin has led a life full of amazing highlights and has rubbed shoulder with absolute champions, but the great thing about Kevin... he seems to just take it all in his stride.
Kevin remembers, “in 1970 I went around to Alberton Oval (the home of our Port Adelaide Football Club) and someone gave me a free ticket to go in and watch the second half of a game between the Magpies and North Adelaide... the Magpies won.”
That sparked something in Kevin and only a few years later he was back at the club asking officials if there were any jobs he could do. Before he knew it he was employed as a member of the Port Adelaide Football Club support staff ... with the title as ‘Light Stewart’... he was in charge of turning the lights on before training nights and would be one of the last to leave turning them off before heading home. Because he had some down time in between his job he would help out where he could and he got to know everyone really well. Kevin was engrained in the culture of the Port Adelaide Football Club and was one of the team and became a vital cog in the success of our great football club.
Asking Kevin about any great Grand Final memories, one springs straight to mind, “one of my favourite wins was the 1994 grand final against the Eagles. We kicked 9 goals to 1 in the final quarter and came back and won. Scott Hodges was great, he kicked 5 goals in the last quarter.”
Then when Port Adelaide went into the AFL, Kevin got a huge surprise, he remembers, “I got asked if I’d like to go to Melbourne as part of the team for the first ever game at the MCG against Collingwood.” Of course he went and he still has the Power tracksuit and jumper from way back then, but he reckons, “they are getting a bit old and falling to bits.”
Although Kevin was meant to go to the Power 2004 premiership victory, he decided not to go and spent the day watching the game with his Mum in her nursing home.
Kevin has fond memories of his recent milestone birthdays when Margery medalists, AFL Stars, SANFL multiple premiership players and coaches showed up to celebrate him on another decade reached. It’s a reflection of how much Kevin is thought of within the walls of the Port Adelaide Football Club... not too many people can say Russell Ebert shows up to celebrate your Birthday with you... but Kevin can.
Having seen so many talented players over the years, he often gets asked who do you rate as the best player you’ve ever seen? Kevin’s quick to reply “Russell Ebert and Brian Cunningham in the SANFL and Gavin Wanganeen in the AFL.”
Kevin has one of the best memories of all time, he recalls great memories of Fos Williams and Jack Cahill, “I got on really well with them.”
As a integral part of the teams success, Kevin was one of the privileged few that would be present within important team meetings, coaches pre-game addresses and he was one of the first to greet the players in the change rooms after a win, loss or draw. As an extremely loyal team member you could always count on Kevin to never repeat anything he heard at the club... the stuff he knows, would blow your mind.
Kevin has never driven a car, but has been bike riding for over 60 years....It was just the way that he got around. You’d often see him riding to training on his trusty old bike. He still rides his push bike to this day. Although he has gone a little high-tech as it’s an electric one these days.
Speaking of his bike, Kevin recalls, “ one time Darrrell Cahill and Greg Phillips snuck my bike out from where I would park it at the club, and they were riding it up and down in front of the old grand stand at Alberton Oval. They stuffed it up and buckled the wheel. So the following week the club took the money for a new wheel out of Greg Phillips match payment. I was that rotten with Greg I punched him in the guts a couple of times,” very brave Kevin!!
At our club there was always a bit of friendly banter and if Kevin was getting a bit too much attention from a player he would put a ‘hex’ on them for the coming week’s game. Without doubt if you got a ‘hex’ from Kevin, that week’s game would be a shocker... we had ‘hexed players’ loose their false teeth, forget how to mark the football, unable to kick straight. As soon as the player apologised to Kevin he would remove the ‘hex’ and everything would be back to normal!!
Amongst a long list of honours Kevin has received, including becoming a life member of the PAFC in 2010, what very few people know is that he is a gun at ten pin bowling. Friday nights was bowling night and he and his team mate even took out the B grade state championships way back in 1977. With a best game score of 245 out of a possible 300, it’s no surprise he has a state championship to add to his trophy cabinet.
Kevin lives at home with his old buddy ‘Kirra’ (a 10 yr old kelpie/red heeler cross) and a few chooks that lay the best eggs. So, he’ll often be out on his pushy dropping of eggs to his friends which is a great chance to catch up and have a chat.
To the great man ‘Kevin’ who learnt to swim and has water skied in the Port River, to being a vital cog in the Port Adelaide Football Clubs history, to a real loyal friend to many. Our whole community simple says ‘Thankyou!!’