Oh, baby, take a look at your trophy again now

Alex de Vos
When Torquay’s Eileen Igoe sold her 75-year-old trophy at a garage sale, she never thought it would be back on her shelves within two years.
But with the help of a persistent friend-of-a-friend and his historian offsider, the boomerang of all trophies has been reunited with its owner.
Following a whirlwind tour of Victoria’s Western District antique shops, the 1935 Maryborough Star Baby trophy was discovered under a pile of junk at a collectable store in Penshurst, just outside Hamilton.
Adelaide historian Russell Smith, who stumbled upon the rusty and dusty, aged relic late last year, passed on the trophy to friend George Dellar, who tracked down Ms Igoe.
“We came from Maryborough, so he called us and I told him to buy it – it was $20,” Mr Dellar explained.
“We were at a school reunion in Maryborough and I put the cup on the table with a note asking if anyone knew the winner and their whereabouts.
“The next day we got a phone call and this lady knew Eileen’s sister and it went from there – it’s the most fascinating story.”
Ms Igoe struggled to comprehend the discovery.
“I couldn’t believe it – it’s incredible,” she said.
“We haven’t seen it for about 18 months.”
Ms Igoe said the trophy brought back fond childhood memories.
“I can still see it in Maryborough – mum had it in the lounge room on the mantelpiece.
“I used to call it my Melbourne Cup and pestered mum because I wanted to drink lemonade out if it.
“In the end she said ‘All right, you can have a lemonade’ but it’s never had anything stronger in it.”