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James Hird -
Living Legend
"Football isn’t James Hird’s chosen sport - it is his art. To watch him play is to see an exhibition in everything that makes Australian Rules great. The football field is his canvas, and the result is so often a masterpiece." – Champions of Essendon
Four years ago, an Essendon Football Club committee determined the Champions of Essendon, the best footballers that have ever played for the club. James Hird was ranked third with only Dick Reynolds and John Coleman ahead of him.
With Reynolds and Coleman now deceased, James Hird is the greatest living player in the history of Essendon Football Club.
Now in his 15th season, and with over 200 games to his name, two Premiership medals and a Brownlow medal, he is one of the Bombers most decorated champions.
This year, the club launches The James Hird Celebration – a tribute to the career of Essendon’s greatest living player.
The Exhibition
Honouring his remarkable career and outstanding contribution to the club and to football, an exhibition has been launched in the Essendon Hall of Fame.
James Hird – A Football Legend – includes a unique selection of objects and images that record significant moments in his life and career, from the Ainslie under-8s in 1981, to the pinnacle of achievement as a premiership captain, Brownlow Medallist, All-Australian, and four time club best & fairest.
The display includes objects from James’ own personal collection, as well as from his childhood, and from his junior club, Ainslie, in the ACT.
Included is his jumper from his first season of football, trophies and team photos from his from his junior years, his 1988 Report Card from the Kevin Sheedy football camp, Crichton and Anzac Day Medals and much, much more.
This is the first time such a collection of objects has been assembled in the one place and open to the public. The display will soon include painter Jamie Cooper’s unique tribute, an original painting celebrating Hird’s career.
The Painting
Jamie Cooper played AFL football at the highest level for Fitzroy, but walked away from sport in 1987 to travel the world and master his true calling, art.
The painting is Oil on Canvas, is 2.2metres x 1.5 metres and took approximately 200 hours to complete. Jamie sifted through hundreds of images of Hird searching for the “perfect pose”, but was unable to find anything that entirely captured all that is James Hird.
Cooper believed there were too many aspects that make the legend – his skill, his presence, his leadership, his success and his triumphs over adversity.
So Jamie chose the main image to reflect his presence on field – poised, balanced and searching for the best option, as any true leader does. The main image is based on a photo courtesy of the Herld-Sun. The crowd scene is made up of images that we all have of James Hird’s career, the moments that have created the legend.
It was a remarkable task for the artist to encapsulate a career such as this with one image, but we think Jamie’s done a superb job in capturing the spirit and the legend that is James Hird.
Memorabilia
James Hird Living Legend Fine Art Print - RRP $599 - Limited Edition of only 200
Comes personally signed by James Hird and artist Jamie Cooper, with a-tag microchip and certificate of authenticity
Quality framed fine art print of the original painting 'Living Legend' by the renowned artist Jamie Cooper. This outstanding collectible commemorates James Hird’s illustrious career by capturing moments in time that typifies the legend that is James Hird. Balance, poise, courage and success; attributes that all football fans have come to love and admire in James' game.
James Hird Living Legend Jumper - RRP $1,195 - Limited Edition of only 200
Comes personally signed, with a-tag microchip and certificate of authenticity
The signed jumper piece celebrates James' stellar career by capturing images from some of his most cherished moments. His two Premierships, Norm Smith Medal, Brownlow Medal and Anzac Day Medal are all represented with use of the medal images along with a replica medal of the Crichton Medal (Essendon Best and Fairest)
Celebration Dinner
Join James Hird’s family and fellow teammates, Sunday 20th August, to celebrate this Champion of Essendon. Hear tributes and tall tales from Essendon players and coaching staff. Enjoy a three-course, all-inclusive dinner at Crown, in esteemed football company. Dinner will be held at Crown Palladium for $160 per guest.
An exclusive VIP function, an hour before the main program is available for 100 people. You will have an opportunity to mingle with an exclusive list of guests, and get up close and personal with the champion himself.
A valuable commemorative gift will be presented to each VIP guest. Tickets are on sale for $750 which includes the one-hour VIP function, followed by three-course celebration dinner.
Bookings can be made online here or by contacting client services 9230 0390 for bookings and more information .
Best of Hird
In his 15 seasons, James Hird has produced some of the finest football the game has seen. It is a career filled with breathtaking highs delivered by a player who is seemingly a couple of seconds ahead of everyone else around him.
And in this – possibly his last season – Bomber.tv has dedicated the history channel to bringing you the best of James Hird. We will re-live his 10 greatest games for Essendon as voted by Bomber.tv members.
The “Best of Hird” has now started, as we will count down his 10 finest games, according to those that have sat in the outer and witnessed the genius of James Hird.
And from game five through to game one, Bomber.tv subscribers will be able to watch these games full screen thanks to Vividas technology.
This brilliant technology will give viewers a fantastic on-line experience as they watch the five most unforgettable games in the career of James Hird. Each Hird game can be watched individually for $1.99 or you can simply join Bomber.tv for $9.95 if you are a member or $19.95 for non-members. Click here to go to The Best of Hird.
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