History of the Gabba
The Woolloongabba Cricket Ground, aka The Brisbane Cricket Ground, THE GABBA, was established in 1895 , with a capacity of 37,000, lush grassy banks, and beautiful Moreton Bay fig trees for shade.
The first match was played on 19 December 1896 between Parliament and The Press, resulting in a tie with 61 runs each.
The first Test Match was on 27 November 1931 against South Africa. Here a huge crowd watches the game. Some of the business premises and surrounding area can be seen in the background over the stands of the sports ground (SLQ).
There have been many memorable moments at the Gabba over the years. One of the most significant was the famous 1960 Tied Test between Australia and the West Indies played 9-14 Decemberin which Richie Benaud was a stand-out.
You can read more about the test and get the full score-cards at; https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17375/scorecard/62888/australia-vs-west-indies-1st-test-west-indies-tour-of-australia-1960-61
In the article below, Ben Horne looks back at the Tied Test 70 years later. (The Daily Telegraph, 10 April 2015).
The grass and fig trees of the original Gabba ground have sadly been replaced by modern concrete stands and facilities – capacity has also been increased to 42,000. It is now officially known as the Brisbane Cricket Ground, but nostalgic cricket fans continue to call it The Gabba.
Classic Elegance at the Gabba ca. 1908
Mr J. K. Stewart exhibiting his 1908 Humber.
The Humber is a 1908, English-built vehicle, 15 -20 h.p. The headlamps are acetylene powered and the side lamps are kerosene. The horn is bulb-powered. Mr Stewart’s Humber was judged ‘best turned out car’ at the Brisbane Motor Gymkhana. Inset photograph 1 shows women having afternoon tea at the Motor Gymkhana. Mr Stewart is wearing a bowler hat and driving coat. His female passengers are wearing hats with veils. (State Library of Queensland)
Gilbert bowled out Bradman for a duck 1931
On November 6, 1931, aboriginal bowler Eddie Gilbert got Don Bradman out for a duck in the opening over when he played for New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at the Brisbane Cricket Ground. Not long after his record-breaking performances during the 1930 Ashes tour and the West Indies tour of 1930-31, the great ‘Don’ was knocked down by the fearsome bowling of Eddie Gilbert , who, like many indigenous Australians at the time, had been removed from his family and forced to live in an Aboriginal settlement. Bradman later said that Eddie Gilbert was the fastest bowler he ever faced.
Sadly it was at the time when racial discrimination was rife in Australia. There were none of the opportunities offered to indigenous players today.
While spectators loved, and batsmen feared his catapult-style of bowling, instead of being admired he was accused of cheating based on the perception that because he bowled so fast his action must be illegal and he was accused of chucking. Experts note that his powerful shoulders and wrists were most likely developed during years of boomerang throwing. He had a slinging action that enabled him to generate great pace off a very short run.
Eddie’s life off the field was also difficult. Many of his white fellow Queensland players gave him a hard time, some refused to share train compartments, hotel rooms or dining tables with him. The constant allegations of chucking and restrictions placed on him by the racist Aborigines Protection Act made his cricket career a nightmare. Every time he played for Queensland he needed to get written permission from his aboriginal settlement.
Despite his obvious skill Eddie was never selected for the national team. He finished his career in 1936 having taken 87 first-class wickets from 23 matches at a strike rate of 56.50 yet he never played for his country! He was eventually sent back to an aboriginal reserve and later a mental institution (Wolston Park) where he spent the last thirty years of his life battling alcohol addiction and dementia. He died on 9 January 1978.
Efforts have now been made to rectify the lack of recognition given to Eddie during his career. An annual cricket competition known as the Eddie Gilbert Perpetual Trophy is contested by teams representing the Wolston Park Centenary Cricket Club and the Queensland Police whose academy is now based on the site of the former hospital where Eddie died. In 2008, a statue of Gilbert was unveiled at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field.
Finally Eddie Gilbert has been acknowledged as one of Australia’s first great indigenous athletes.
(adapted from cricket.com.au/ Daily Mail/)
Frankfurts for Gabba Football fans 1950
‘Mr J. Etechells loads a stick of frankfurts into a van at the Redbank meatworks at South Brisbane. They are part of the 600 lb. of frankfurts which will feed hungry football fans in the form of hot dogs at the Gabba tomorrow.’
Cricket match 1962
The way it was: Relaxed spectators watching a tour game at the Brisbane Cricket Ground in 1962.
1962 tour game at the Gabba. (Cricket Monthly)
Cricket Match ca. 1970
The photo is taken from the Member’s Bar during a cricket match, looking out to the Clem Jones Stand, which is flanked by the scoreboard to the right, and the Greyhound Club area to the left.
Cricket Classic 1970
On 2 December 1970 the final day of the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) vs Australia test was played at the Brisbane Cricket Ground (the Gabba).
A memorable moment is shown here when ‘Lawry was dropped by keeper Knott off Shuttleworth at 50’.
50 Years of test cricket at the GabbaOn Friday 1 December 1978 a crowd of 14,026 turned out to the Gabba to watch the first day of the 1978 England vs Australia Test match. It was a hot and humid day, just like today with heavy cloud cover. It was also a celebration of fifty years of Test cricket in Brisbane. To mark the occasion, three skydivers landed on the ground carrying a specially struck coin for the toss. The Gabba was very different then, with spectators able to sit on the grass and enjoy cold beers etc while watching the game.
England won the test by seven wickets and went on to win the series 5-1. Australia’ s performance was affected by the defection of several players to Packer’s World Series cricket
Australia Post Special Gabba First Day Covers
On 24 January 1986 Australia Post released a special first day cover pictorial postmark featuring ‘The Gabba’.
Here are photos of two examples of unused envelopes with the special postmark and graphics relating to the Gabba which are part of a collection held at the Melbourne Cricket Museum.
The first has green and light brown printing. It features an outline of Australia and a map of Brisbane Cricket Ground. The unused envelope has green and light brown printing. It features an outline of Australia and a map of the Brisbane Cricket Ground.
The printed green text reads, in part, “Australia’s & World’s FIRST permanent (for daily use) / pictorial CRICKET postmark…”. Centenary Test (1977) postage stamp affixed, valued at 18c. “THE GABBA” postmark stamped twice. On reverse, printed text reads, “Of the 200 covers produced only 68 were in mint / condition. This is one of the 132 rejects because of postmark ‘ghosting'”. (Melbourne Cricket Museum, ID M5524.2)
The second envelope features a black and white cartoon of a young boy in front of fallen wickets.
The printed text in green reads, “THE GABBA / FIRST DAY OF USE / 24 JANUARY 1986”. Postage stamp valued at 18c and circular postmark stamp reads, “THE GABBA / 24 JAN 1986 / WOOLLOONGABBA Q.4102”. Numbered 165 of 300 issued.’ (Melbourne Cricket Museum ID M5525.1)
Two views of The Gabba in the early 1970s
The top photo shows an empty Cricket Ground in 1970 the bottom photo shows a cricket match in progress ca. 1970. 
Interstate Soccer at the Gabba
On 10 June 1950 the New South Wales soccer team beat Queensland 0-2. Apparently critics blamed selection errors for Queensland’s defeat.
