Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Boz on January 15, 2013, 11:42:43 AM

Title: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: Boz on January 15, 2013, 11:42:43 AM
Has this ever been discussed on the Forum?

What class of player was he?

One version of events is that after enjoying a Sunday evening (11th November 1923) in the Church Tavern (Perry Barr) drinking with his wife Thomas Edgar Ball a 24 year old Villa player returned home and got into an argument with his landlord and neighbour George Stagg. Two shots were fired one proving fatal.  George Stagg escaped hanging but was locked up for life and eventually died in 1966 in a Birmingham mental home,,,,so far Thomas is the only English football player to be murdered.
 
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: peter w on January 15, 2013, 12:09:31 PM
it has been discussed. Was it Dave W or Percy who had a lowdown on him? I think Robbo saw him play...
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: Chico Hamilton III on January 15, 2013, 12:14:11 PM
Didn't one of Ball's relatives post a message on here many years ago?
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: bob rowe on January 15, 2013, 07:21:55 PM
One of my uncles got married at the church where Ball is buried. I remember seeing his grave with a stone football on the top.I didn't realise the significance until I read Dave W's article about Ball in Total Football a few years ago.
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: OzVilla on January 15, 2013, 09:35:26 PM
Great article in one of the early 90's edition of H & V about it.  I had no idea.
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: martin@ardenley on January 17, 2013, 08:46:52 AM
Article from Heroes & Villains Issue 6 (http://heroesandvillains.net/index.php?topic=31.0)
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: Ron Manager on January 17, 2013, 09:19:57 AM
One of my uncles got married at the church where Ball is buried. I remember seeing his grave with a stone football on the top.I didn't realise the significance until I read Dave W's article about Ball in Total Football a few years ago.

What church is that Bob?
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: bob rowe on January 17, 2013, 01:43:30 PM
This link will show Tommy Balls grave & some info below the photo. The church is St John The Baptist in Church Rd Perry Barr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58346221@N04/5482520544/
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: Ron Manager on January 17, 2013, 03:43:45 PM
This link will show Tommy Balls grave & some info below the photo. The church is St John The Baptist in Church Rd Perry Barr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58346221@N04/5482520544/

Thanks for that Bob.
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: eamonn on January 17, 2013, 05:05:01 PM
Article from Heroes & Villains Issue 6 (http://heroesandvillains.net/index.php?topic=31.0)

Is that a secret forum you've got on the go there Martin? As an aside, if all the past editions of H&V were made electronic I'm sure the Woodhall empire could make a mint.
Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: martin@ardenley on January 17, 2013, 07:36:35 PM
Article from Heroes & Villains Issue 6 (http://heroesandvillains.net/index.php?topic=31.0)

Is that a secret forum you've got on the go there Martin? As an aside, if all the past editions of H&V were made electronic I'm sure the Woodhall empire could make a mint.

No, it has always been there.

There is a link here under Heroes Links on the left. I try to update it as often as l can with links to topics here ( normally from the Memories forum ) as can be seen by the number of views on each topic, a lot of users still go there.

Title: Re: Thomas Ball (Aston Villa), only English Footballer to be murdered
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 17, 2013, 09:03:20 PM
Further reading:

http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=39388.0

http://thefootballadventurer.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/grizzly-tale-of-thomas-ball.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Ball

www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Tommy-Ball-Aston-Tragedy/dp/0948683260/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210717463&sr=8-1
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