BIO

Forry Andrews was a fiery wingman with a problem.  His hail-fellow-well-met personality did not translate to the football field, where he was quick to anger.

Born at Wirrealpa in the Flinders Ranges on 13 May 1871, he showed a sign of things to come in a match against Port Adelaide in September  1892.  According to The Advertiser: "Andrews threw ('Tick') Phillips most unfairly, which was recognised by the spectators who shouted to the umpires to award a free which was soon forthcoming."  Phillips passed to Port skipper Ken McKenzie, who goaled.  Port won the match 8.15 to 5.10.

On 27 May 1893 Forry kicked two goals against Adelaide in a farcical match at Adelaide Oval.   Several Adelaide players did not turn up because of a false story that the ground was a quagmire and the match had been abandoned.  Adelaide began with 12 men, which grew to 14, against Norwood's 18. After 50 minutes of complete domination, Norwood agreed to play out the match with only 14 men - but still won 30.11 to 0.1.

Forry played on the wing as Norwood beat a weakened South Adelaide team 8.11 to 5.5 at Adelaide Oval  before a crowd of 7,000 in the Monday holiday match of 3 September 1894.  He was not, however, selected for the crucial matches against Port and South that clinched the premiership for Norwood that year.
'Onlooker' summed it up in The South Australian Chronicle of 20 October 1894:  "There was something wanting in Forry Andrews's play which was disappointing to his friends, and which at one time led to the contemplation of his being committed.  That he has the strength and pace no one will deny, and in the face of his fine games last year it was peculiar how quickly he deteriorated.  He is unfortunate in possessing a hot temper, which once or twice got him into trouble, and a severe accident to his knee made him quit the arena permanently."

Forry was a fine athlete in his younger days and became a prominent figure in sporting circles.  He was auditor for the Port Adelaide Racing Club and Adelaide Racing Club.  He was secretary for the Victoria Lodge No 30 UAOD and also a member of the RAOB. As a man of figures he had few equals. 
Forry was secretary to and traveller for the Federal  Co-operative Mineral Waters Company.  Aged only 46, he collapsed and died at his Toorak Gardens home on the night of 14 January 1918 while his wife and daughter were visiting Sydney.

P Robins Sept 2017