Sergeant Ken Hodges
A Supporters Story
Bunnies TV has always published stories on great South Sydney players and officials. There is however, other tales to tell about of the legion of club supporters. Stories about great people who have undoubtedly made a difference in the lives of others in the South Sydney district.
One such person is retired Sergeant Ken Hodges.
The Sydney Morning Herald Article
I first came across Ken in an unusual place. Flipping through an old newspaper from 1967, I saw a picture and accompanying article about a group of aboriginal boys having fun at the South Sydney Police Boy’s Club in Redfern.
These pictures were posted on the South Sydney forum. A man replied and said that he was one of those boys. In those days Ken was Sgt. Hodges the policeman. He was a Sergeant at South Sydney Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) on Elizabeth Street, Redfern for many years.
With John ‘Pogo’ Morgan, Ken worked tirelessly to help young aboriginal boys get a good start in life. The man who replied to my post recalled that he and the other boys had full access to the club including boxing. “Sgt. Hodges helped out there and broke it up with a laugh when things got a little heated! They had a trampoline, gymnastics, roller skates, simple toys and things some of us poor kids could then only dream about.”
He said he will always love and forever respect Pogo Morgan and Sgt. Hodges. Both were equally fantastic men for their efforts to make life a little better. They set a great example to follow.
Just about all of the kids that were involved in that program went on to be very decent family men. Some went into government and also helped create community development programs.
The South Sydney PCYC
The South Sydney PCYC was across the road from Redfern Oval. Ken was then heavily involved in boxing. Boxing was a popular sport in the South Sydney Leagues Club.
Muhammad Ali even came to Redfern on one of his visits to Australia.
Wally Carr
Ken trained a number of young boys in boxing. One in particular was a young lad who became a champion boxer, Wally Carr. He is not as well-known as Lionel Rose but certainly held his own. Most of his early fights were at Souths. Wally is also the grandfather of NRL star Josh Addo-Carr.
Carr gave generous praise to Ken in his book MY LONGEST ROUND. Wally said that Ken gave the boys experiences that they had no hope of getting anywhere else, most coming from disadvantaged homes. Trips such as going to the snow.
One young boy was even terrified of crossing the bridge to North Sydney. He had never been out of Waterloo! The boys were so poor that when the PCYC all had to attend a march, the Redfern lads turned up with no shoes.
He said Ken treated them like he was their father. “He would give you a clip over the ear if you deserved it, but it was done in a fatherly way!” Wally said Ken was a real gentleman. “You wouldn’t think he was a copper!”
Pentathlon
Ken was also heavily involved in the training of pentathlon teams. He took rep teams away to international events. Often, he would train them at the South Sydney PCYC.
Connection With South Sydney Rugby League Club
Being so close to Redfern Oval, Ken and the PCYC had a close tie with the footy club. When it rained the players would often train at the club. Numerous players had a close association with Ken before they went off to play senior footy. When he retired from the Police force, the Rabbitohs football club gave him a sendoff.
Kens’ Other Achievements
Apart from Ken’s association with the South Sydney district he certainly achieved great things in other areas. In particular, he was a surf live saver in Sydney and Gerringong. Once he received a major bravery award for a dramatic rescue.
A Lifelong Souths Supporter
When talking to Ken the conversation will always invariably return to his favourite topic, South Sydney. His favourite all time player was Les ‘Chicka’ Cowie. Ken is now living in Gerringong on the N.S.W. south coast. He has unquestionably earned the respect of all who knew him. Especially those in the South Sydney area.
South Sydney PCYC Closes After 72 Years
A PCYC NSW media release in December 2024 stated:
“PCYC NSW has made the difficult decision to close the current South Sydney PCYC premises from 31 December 2024.
“The decision follows several operating extensions and ongoing positive collaboration with Homes NSW and Bridge Housing, who require PCYC NSW to vacate the site so that a critical social and affordable housing redevelopment project on Elizabeth Street can commence.
“For 72 years, PCYC South Sydney has been a cornerstone for youth and community services, and we deeply thank the South Sydney community for their unwavering support and understanding during this transition period. While this marks the end of an era for the current facility, it represents a generational opportunity to focus on the long-term, purpose-built new facility solution for the community.”
Sergeant Ken Hodges by Mark Emery for Bunnies TV.
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