A house in Hatfield Street, Blakehurst, currently being demolished has been reported to be the former home of famous Australian cricketer Bill O’Reilly.
Nicknamed Tiger, Bill O’Reilly was rated as one of the finest bowlers in the game and played in the Australian test side during the infamous Bodyline series of 1932-33.
He died in 1992 and was posthumously inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 1996.
While Mr O’Reilly, had not lived in the Blakehurst property, on the corner of Hatfield and Stuart Street, for many years, his former neighbours remembered and had fond memories of him.
Stuart Street resident Theo Comino said he was saddened to see a house, with historical significance attached to it, in the process of being demolished.
“The house was lived in for many years by cricketer, Bill O’Reilly, who was rated as one of the finest bowlers in the history of the game as well as a very competent left hand batsman,” Mr Comino said.
“Bill O’Reilly lived decades before the advent of professional cricketers, and therefore needed to supplement his limited income from cricket with income from other sources,” he said.
“He was a school teacher, teaching English, Latin, History, Geography and Business.
“At one stage he was a teacher at Kogarah Intermediate High School. He later became a broadcaster and was a cricket writer for the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He played cricket at the same time as Donald Bradman and played regularly on Hurstville Oval.
“Some residents of Blakehurst who were neighbours of Bill O’Reilly or lived close to him have said he was a very nice man.”
