The Magpie logo

[nitric]

Thank you to all who contributed to my query on the history of the Magpie the other day. In addition to what was posted, I have discovered that the Port Adelaide Magpies (not the Power) did not even start in Black & White when they formed as a club in the SAFA, a forerunner of the SANFL.

When we formed as a club in the VFA, I believe we formed in Black and White. Heres what the Port team was running around in (thanx to Mark Beswick, a PAFC afficionado):

UNIFORMS - PORT ADELAIDE

1871 Blue & White
1873 Blue & White Rose Print Jackets
1878 Rose Pink Guernsey, Hose & Cap, White Knickerbockers
1883 Magenta Jersey, Blue Cap, Magenta Stockings
1901 Magenta & Blue
1902 Black & White

Also, the first SA "State" Game was 1879. Being before Federation, this was an inter-colonial match, and apparently no side in 1879 in the SAFA was wearing a black and white uniform. Pink was a trendy colour in the 19th Century and Port only changed colours because they had trouble getting their pink jerseys and the colour consistency of these outfits varied too much - hence they changed to the now infamous black and white guernsey!

(NB: This contradicts the statement on Page 9 of the book "Collingwood at Victoria Park" that WS Crawley was impressed by the B&W of the SA intercolonial team. But that is a small point really. Crawley is credited with suggesting both Black & White for club colours and the Magpie for an emblem.)

Meanwhile in Adelaide, the "magpie" term came within a year or so of the Port club wearing its new uniform although it had a variety of informal nicknames including:

Mudholians (Swamp Rats) Seasiders: Pinkeyites: Black & Whites:
Cockledivers: Magentas': Saltwaters: Portonians:
Wharfies: Seawaters: Freshwaters: Magpies.

The nicknames are only of interest in this search due to the late entry of "magpies".

And that set me to searching SA Government sites.

I discovered the SA State Emblem, the Piping Shrike (or white backed magpie) was not gazetted until 1904. The official sketch was not drawn until 1904.

So, "a year or so" from adopting B&W would see this SA team adopt the magpie around 1904. The same time as the State adopted it.

That was particularly interesting because it tends to discount the theory that we "pinched it" from the Cockledivers or whatever they were known as at that time.

In summary, I think there is much in the story that the magpie was adopted by Collingwood because of the flocks of these birds around Victoria Park. The link was forged by the sheer physical presence of these birds in numbers.

So thanx again to the contributors, especially Mike. I can now respond to these cretins with some real ammunition. The bonus in here was picking up the bit about the SAFA prior to the SANFL. You see, the other nauseating thing these so-called fans constantly throw up is the fact that Port have so much tradition and so much success while Collingwood ONLY have one AFL flag. The point here being that the AFL commenced in 1990.

But that is a debate for another day.

cheerz guys