History of Vigoro

Vigoro has a history of over 50 years in Townsville. The sport boasts over 1500 players in Queensland from over 9 centres including Townsville, Cairns, Ayr, Mackay, Sunshine Coast, Fassifern, Ipswich, Harvey Bay and Brisbane.

It is believed that Vigoro started as a School sport from as far south as Victoria, however, now Queensland and Tasmania are the strongest centres for this sport.

Vigoro is very similar to cricket although with many subtle differences which make it a lot faster. A full game can be over in two and half hours or less. There are no overs as in cricket and two innings must be played before there can be a winner, unless time runs out.

Twelve players take the field instead of eleven. This is because in Vigoro there is an extra bowler. One bowler has a red ball and the other has a white ball. The balls are a lot lighter than a cricket ball and also smaller and the bowler pegs the ball instead of bowling it.

The bat is a unique shape with a long handle and a round, flat base about one and half inches thick. When batting players must be ready to run if they hit the ball in front of the crease because of the tipsy run rule. If the ball is hit in front of the batter’s crease you must run. This rule makes the game so much faster than cricket making it an easy way to get out quicker if you hit it straight to a fielder in front of you.

Fielding positions are very similar to cricket. The only other small difference is that the bowler that isn’t bowling must not touch the other ball, which is in play. A penalty of runs is awarded to the batting team otherwise.

A Townsville Vigoro Association and Queensland Life member, Dorothy Whalley can remember when she first started playing this fun and energetic game.

“I learnt how to play vigoro in primary school sometime before the war,” she said. “It was a lot bigger in those days and every team used to wear white uniforms with different coloured caps. We stopped playing during the war and then after the war in 1945 we started the Townsville Ladies Vigoro Association.” Mrs Whalley says that they used to play at the showgrounds because another sports club used Queens Park.

“It was a very popular sport back then,” commented Mrs Whalley who was the treasurer of the association for 25 years.

These days the game of Vigoro is popular, however not as much as the Townsville Ladies Vigoro Association would like it to be. This year’s President, Melissa Coulter, is inviting all past players to return to the sport and if you could bring a friend that would be even better.

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