Pennant mystery solved

A MOORABOOL historical society has learned the origins of a mysterious pennant found in its collection, after a local woman came forward with information.

In April, the Bacchus Marsh & District Historical Society put out a call for information, regarding a framed pennant in its collection, with an emblem of crossed nibs and the word KEIO in the centre.

The Society had identified the pennant as being from KEIO University in Japan, but had no idea how it had entered its collection.

BMDHS President, John Spain, said the mystery had recently been solved, after a local woman recognised the pennant.

“In response to an appeal on social media and the Moorabool News for information about the banner, Carol Horsfield of Bacchus Marsh contacted Barb McMillan, who is the BM Historical Society Secretary, and provided information that enabled the Society to track down the details surrounding the banner,” Mr Spain said.

“The Society has placed details about the banner onto the Victorian Collections website.”

According to the historical information provided, the pennant is that of the Keio University Hawks, one of the first two Australian rules football teams in Japan, the other being the Waseda University Bombers.

“The teams were formed to play a warm-up game at Yokohama baseball stadium before an exhibition match between VFL teams Essendon and Hawthorn. The first visit by the Keio Hawks to Australia was in September 1988,” the archive reads.

“About 20 students from Keio and two or three from other universities made the trip. Their visit included training sessions at the Hawthorn and North Melbourne clubs.

“They then played Japan’s first international match against the Sunbury Football Club’s under-19 team. The following year they returned to Australia and during this visit played a match in Bacchus Marsh in September 1989.

“The Keio Hawks returned to Australia over subsequent years in the 1990s included some visits to Bacchus Marsh. During one of these visit a Keio Hawks pennant was presented to the Shire of Bacchus Marsh.”