A Sporting Pioneer: Helping to Establish a Country’s Paralympic Movement
By: Shotaro Honda Moore
Tags: Paralympics, Australia, Tokyo 2020, Athletics, Sports

Work Life & Discovering a Passion

Bill headed to Melville, where there was a rehabilitation center that helped train people with disabilities to find jobs. Despite experiencing some of his limitations on the farm, he was still convinced that the bush life was for him, applying to some jobs that would reunite him closer to nature. That dream came to a crumble after a trip outdoors with some friends. A couple of long nights out in the wilderness, sleeping on the ground and shivering from the cold night’s air, made Bill realize that maybe a domesticated life was not so bad after all.

Bill would find himself working as a switchboard and two-way radio operator for the Swan Taxi Company. This would later turn into a job as a switchboard operator with Wesfarmers Co-operative at their wool store. He would then use that as a platform to get a job for the Chanel Seven television station.

Bill hard at work, operating the telephones at his job.

“ In Australia we have a pretty good system, if you want a job and are disabled the employment agency will find you a job. You don’t have to go out and meet many people on your own. I was fortunate in this way.” — Bill Mather-Brown

While given plenty of opportunities in various fields of work, Bill did feel discrimination from those who disregarded his abilities due to an ableist mind set. When applying to a job as a recreational officer many years later, he was overlooked due to the principal of the school assuming that Bill didn’t have any sensation in his legs. This would have caused problems while driving a bus, which was a job requirement. If it were true.

Not one to get extreme joy or satisfaction out of his work life, Bill worked as simply a means to an ends. Bill had other interests and dabbled in the media, thanks in large part to his brother Dibbs who was well versed in the industry. While Bill never fully committed to becoming a sports reporter, deciding to give it the old go would turn out to be one of the most influential decisions in his life.

Bill’s older brother Dibbs interviewing The Beatles when they came to Australia.

One day, Bill was called in to see Monty Menhennett at the 6IX studio where he was employed part time. Menhennett directed Bill to go cover the disable sports day being held at the Infectious Diseases Branch of Royal Perth Hospital at Shenton Park. At first Bill was reluctant to go, telling his employer he had no interest in anything to do with the disabled. Menhennett made it clear that if Bill wanted to keep his job, this wasn’t a choice.

Bill was bitter that he got stuck with this assignment, but begrudgingly headed to Shenton Park anyways. He began writing his story about “their crummy sports day”, before even arriving at the event. With claims of their “bravery”, combating the world in a highly patronising manner.

“The reason I was so reluctant at first was, at that time everyone was playing on the sympathy side of it (disabled sports) and I didn’t want to be involved with (facilitating) it.” — Bill Mather-Brown

Much of the morning, Bill’s skepticism remained unchanged. The events were archery and track, neither so much as a sparking an interest. Come afternoon however, Bill would — as he put it — “come face to face with his destiny”. He observed for the first time, the sport of wheelchair basketball. While the chairs were not in tip top shape, and the competitors even less so, Bill was enthralled by the action he saw. This was all the way back in the September of 1955, eighteen months after the establishment of the Spinal Unit at the Royal Perth Hospital.

Joining the Squad & the Early History of Competition

The Spinal Unit at the Royal Perth Hospital was still very much in its infancy phase when Mr. Mather-Brown joined. For a long time, those who suffered from spinal damage would often be left uncared for, resulting in many premature deaths.

It was through the effort of some special individuals that the attitude towards treating spinal patients quickly changed. Sir Ludwig Guttman, Dr. Ernie England, Sir George Bedbrook and Johnno Johnston were instrumental to the success of The Unit. They are those who helped establish the basis for paraplegic sports to prosper both globally and in Western Australia. But more importantly, they greatly helped to improve the quality of life for paraplegics and quadriplegics.

Sir George Bedbrook, Founder of the Spinal Unit of the Royal Perth Hospital.

The Likes Of Me The likes of me must take some time To think on the likes of you For the conscience heart that govern us Proclaims that a debt is due And it pains the thoughtful who dwell on it With some sadness, I’m afraid — The account that we find owing Is one that can’t be paid.

- Bill Mather-Brown’s poetry

Sports for these founding fathers were not originally meant to be something competitive in nature. Sports were simply seen as a tool for rehabilitation and recovery. However, don’t tell Bill Mather-Brown that. For him, winning was often the ultimate goal.

“ Being disabled you are confronted with challenges everyday. You get on a bus, off a bus, climb a tree, etc. All those things are challenges. My family always supported me when I wanted a go at anything, which resulted in becoming very competitive.” — Bill Mather-Brown

,Avion Paras team, in 1956. Left to right: Roy Murgatroyd, Kev Cunningham. Frank Ponta, Cosmo Torquatro, Alan Quirk, Bill Mather-Brown

Bill would have his first competition in 1956, competing at the same sports day he so reluctantly went to a year prior. Participating in a variety of sports: javelin, fencing and even winning the weightlifting event. But for Bill, the real “belle of the ball”, was wheelchair basketball. He loved the physicality, team cohesion and competitiveness.

The Spinal Unit at the Royal Perth hospital was the premiere program in all of Australia, with plenty of willing staff. The unit benefitted from this sense of community and they became more than simply a team.

Establishing Wheelchair Basketball

In 1957 when Bill joined the Paraplegic unit, the sport of wheelchair basketball was rather new for everyone involved and at that time, there were only two teams in the area: The Para Swans and the Avion Paras, named after their sponsors. They both however were practicing out of the Royal Perth hospital and were really almost one team. While the resources were limited, this was a time Bill reflects on fondly, as the “Unit”, was really where the enthusiasm of Paralympic sports in Australia took seed and would grow into what we see today.

“The enthusiasm was high in the unit, because for the first time, people were getting the treatment they needed. Before patients didn’t last long, and would often die due to being left on their own. All of a sudden people realized they had a life to live.” — Bill Mather-Brown

While spirits were certainly high from the beginning, the man power and monetary funding were not all there. The first issue they ran into was the relative lack of competition. The players were committed to train for hours on end, but they simply didn’t have anyone to play against besides each other in 1956-57. It wasn’t until the Churches of Christ basketball competition decided to send their bye team each week to play Bill’s squad. Despite finally having a real opponent for the para-squad, the opposing teams all being comprised of able-bodied players, had little experience using chairs and never once bested The Unit.

The badge of the Swan Paras Western Australia team.

It wasn’t just the competition that was underdeveloped, but the singular most important piece of equipment. The chair.

Back then, the chairs were a collection of anything the players could get their hands on. The hospitals had some of their own chairs, but they were “shockers” as Bill puts it. They had three wheels instead of four, with two large wheels in the front and a small wheel at the back, often resulting in some tumbles by players.

“The chairs we used compared to what they use today are completely different. They can be lightweight material and can turn very easily. We had a guy by the name of Mr. Gill Ford try his best to make suitable wheelchairs for us. Even then they were heavy and difficult to turn.” — Bill Mather-Brown

Despite these shortcomings, what The Unit lacked in resources, they made up for with grit and enthusiasm. This passion and dedication for the newfound sport came to fruition in 1957, when Sir Ludwigg Guttmann, the grandfather of para-sports made a guest appearance during a sports day. He informed the athletes while handing out trophies that enough money had been raised to travel abroad. Australia could send an official national team to the Mandeville Games that year. This officially made Bill and his teammates the first wheelchair sports team to ever represent Australia at an international competition. A truly proud moment.