The Boy from Boomerang Crescent
Eddie Betts
![The Boy from Boomerang Crescent](https://thumbs.readings.com.au/kwbIWyy5Bfl_nm-L9AIMMiQ_y_c=/0x500/https://readings-v4-production.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/a52/8ab/dc1/a528abdc116e46f3064143bccaaf170f790ec9af/978176110239420230629-2-6zszw0.jpg)
The Boy from Boomerang Crescent
Eddie Betts
How does a self-described ‘skinny Aboriginal kid’ overcome a legacy of family tragedy to become an AFL legend? One thing’s for sure: it’s not easy. But then, there’s always been something special about Eddie Betts.
Betts grew up in Port Lincoln and Kalgoorlie, in environments where the destructive legacies of colonialism - racism, police targeting of Aboriginal people, drug and alcohol misuse, family violence - were sadly normalised. His childhood was defined by family closeness as well as family strife, plus a wonderful freedom that he and his cousins exploited to the full - for better and for worse.
When he made the decision to take his talents across the Nullarbor to Melbourne to chase his footballing dreams - homesickness be damned - everything changed. Over the ensuing years, Betts became a true giant of the sport: 350-plus games, 600-plus goals, multiple All-Australian nods and Goal of the Year awards, and a league-wide popularity rarely seen in the hyper-tribal AFL.
Along the way, he battled his demons before his turbulent youth settled into responsible maturity. Today, the man the Melbourne tabloids once dubbed ‘bad boy Betts’ is a dedicated husband and father, a respected community leader and an increasingly outspoken social activist.
Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic and always honest - often laceratingly so - The Boy from Boomerang Crescent is the inspirational life story of a champion, in his own words. Whether he’s narrating one of his trademark gravity-defying goals from the pocket, the discrimination he’s faced as an Aboriginal person or the birth of his first child, Betts’s voice - intelligent, soulful, unpretentious - rings through on every page.
The very human story behind the plaudits is one that will surprise, move and inspire.
This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in 10-14 days
Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.
Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.