You recollections regarding Billy O'Leary have prompted me to relate a story that begins in 1931 and ended in 1982.
Back in 1931, as Scissormeister correctly points out changing hands from "throw to throw" was legal. In fact it was commonplace and no Australian Championship Final, from 1922 to 1936,was ever won by a monohander.
Barry 'Bazza' Moulden, in 1931, took out his first state title, the Tasmanian Invitational.
Bazza then, was considered an unremarkable monohander who had had a little bit of luck and was not expected to go far.
Over the next three years Bazza maintained steady results eventually resulting a entry in the 1935 Australian Open. He was still not considered a challenger.
To everyones surprise Bazza made the final on the strength of a string of unconvincing wins and two forfeits.He was matched against Ian "Double Trouble" Davis who was posted at 4:1 on to win.
Bazza rose to the occasion and incredibly scores were locked at the end of the tenth round.
Davis' first throw was a left handed paper easily accounting for Bazza's Rock. Bazza countered with unconventional paper return taking Davis by surprise. Still locked with one throw left.
Newsreel footage from the time clearly shows the bravery and audacity of Bazza"s last move.
Davis can be seen concentrating intensly on Bazza's right hand as they count down, looking for that one signal that makes all the difference.
Analysis of the footage by facial, body language and, recently muscular experts all agree that Davis was primed for a Paper throw. Bazza, however, and for the first time in his life threw with his left. Davis faltered, you can see his muscles tightening in the footage, and a small crease across his brow, and in that split second of indecision, or was it an uncontrollable reaction to tension, threw Rock.
The rest is history.
Bazza became a hero of the working class and papers put him forward as an example that any body can make it to the top.
In 1982 I was at Bazza's bedside as he lay dying of cancer in Royal Hobart.
I asked him about those heady days and this is what he told me.
" People thought I was just a jerk that got lucky. What you dont hear is that I first practised that left handed throw in 1929 and spent no less than six hours per week, EVERY week up until that Final. And I was patient. I probably could have made the Aussie open in 1930 but I knew I hadn't perfected the throw. I knew the minute I exposed myself as an ambidextrous thrower Everyone would have been covering me.
And, the adulation of the working class, well, that was a bonus I hadn't expected. I certainly didn't consider myself working class but i didn't mind it."
I later confirmed with his widow that Bazza had indeed practised that throw incessantly while they were dating.
Bazza also told me that that day was the happiest day of his life for two reasons.
" Not only did I win the Aussie open that day, that night I proposed to my wife and she accepted" he told me.

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Comments:: You recollections regarding Billy O'Leary have prompted me to relate a story that begins in 1931 and ended in 1982. : Back in 1931, as Scissormeister correctly points out changing hands from "throw to throw" was legal. In fact it was commonplace and no Australian Championship Final, from 1922 to 1936,was ever won by a monohander. : Barry 'Bazza' Moulden, in 1931, took out his first state title, the Tasmanian Invitational. : Bazza then, was considered an unremarkable monohander who had had a little bit of luck and was not expected to go far. : Over the next three years Bazza maintained steady results eventually resulting a entry in the 1935 Australian Open. He was still not considered a challenger. : To everyones surprise Bazza made the final on the strength of a string of unconvincing wins and two forfeits.He was matched against Ian "Double Trouble" Davis who was posted at 4:1 on to win. : Bazza rose to the occasion and incredibly scores were locked at the end of the tenth round. : Davis' first throw was a left handed paper easily accounting for Bazza's Rock. Bazza countered with unconventional paper return taking Davis by surprise. Still locked with one throw left. : Newsreel footage from the time clearly shows the bravery and audacity of Bazza"s last move. : Davis can be seen concentrating intensly on Bazza's right hand as they count down, looking for that one signal that makes all the difference. : Analysis of the footage by facial, body language and, recently muscular experts all agree that Davis was primed for a Paper throw. Bazza, however, and for the first time in his life threw with his left. Davis faltered, you can see his muscles tightening in the footage, and a small crease across his brow, and in that split second of indecision, or was it an uncontrollable reaction to tension, threw Rock. : The rest is history. : Bazza became a hero of the working class and papers put him forward as an example that any body can make it to the top. : In 1982 I was at Bazza's bedside as he lay dying of cancer in Royal Hobart. : I asked him about those heady days and this is what he told me. : " People thought I was just a jerk that got lucky. What you dont hear is that I first practised that left handed throw in 1929 and spent no less than six hours per week, EVERY week up until that Final. And I was patient. I probably could have made the Aussie open in 1930 but I knew I hadn't perfected the throw. I knew the minute I exposed myself as an ambidextrous thrower Everyone would have been covering me. : And, the adulation of the working class, well, that was a bonus I hadn't expected. I certainly didn't consider myself working class but i didn't mind it." : I later confirmed with his widow that Bazza had indeed practised that throw incessantly while they were dating. : Bazza also told me that that day was the happiest day of his life for two reasons. : " Not only did I win the Aussie open that day, that night I proposed to my wife and she accepted" he told me.

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