The Boy From Birdum
The story of a humble achiever, and a true champion, the one and only Bill Dempsey, as told to Steve Hawke.
Publisher: Magabala Books
Paperback: RRP $32.95
Published 2021, PP 237
ISBN 978-1-925936-04-9
© Bill Dempsey
Bill Dempsey is a humble achiever. He is known primarily as a champion footballer with West Perth and the Darwin Buffaloes. A premiership captain who played over 400 games in 20 seasons in Perth and the Northern Territory, and a member of the AFL’s Indigenous Team of the Century, his record and his achievements compare with the very best. He is revered as a true legend at West Perth.
Bill has led a remarkable life. Born in the shadow of Japanese bombing raids in 1942. Forcibly removed from his mother after the death of his father and baby sister, he was a stolen child who never lost contact with his family and found a second family amongst his fellow inmates at the Retta Dixon home in Darwin. Brought to Perth at the age of seventeen as a ‘spare wheel’ to his mate Jim Anderson, he stayed on to become a football champion and a trailblazer as an Aboriginal entrepreneur throughout the 80s. In The Boy from Birdum, Bill tells his story frankly, courageously, and with the charismatic flair of a natural-born yarn spinner.
From the author
One of the most enjoyable and satisfying projects I’ve been involved in. Bill is a great yarn spinner, and just a champion bloke. Sitting with him to record his stories, and helping him shape them into the book he had imagined - and in the process becoming a mate - was a privilege.
Reviews
“Some books demand to be written and read. This book is one of those. Bill Dempsey writes about matters of consequence. His memory is vivid because he gives matters of importance a face … He had all the pieces a champion footballer needed to have.”
“Imagine you’re at a pub in the Australian outback. An older gentleman saunters over to the stool next to you and a few beers later, you know all about his life. His rough-and-tumble childhood, his footy days with multiple premierships, and where you can find him tomorrow … You’ve only just met the man, but you feel like you’ve known him your whole life. That’s what it feels like to read The Boy from Birdum: The Bill Dempsey Story.
To put Dempsey’s greatness into perspective, Steve Hawke, co-author of The Boy from Birdum, inserts a chapter of Bill’s fellow players and commentators reflecting on his footy days. Without this section, one might misunderstand the star quality Bill possessed on the field with his massive leaps and outstanding marks …
Bill Dempsey is not a literary novelist, but boy, is he a storyteller. He draws you in with his short stories. Each one is painted with emotions and feelings from that time, but not necessarily the hard facts of what was said or done. Much like the guy at that imaginary pub, you quickly get a sense of who Bill really is with his Australian slang, and the conversational ease with which he spins yarns … Grab Bill Dempsey’s book and enjoy. 5 Stars.”