Jockey's Twelve Smashes: Must Go To Camp

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 211, 6 September 1941, Page 6 (Supplement)

Jockey's Twelve Smashes: Must Go To Camp

VICTORIAN medical officers were not satisfied when ex-South Australian jockey K. J. Bird told them this week that he was unfit for military service. Bird has had 12 major race accidents in the last 13 years, apart from minor mishaps. But even that didn't prevent him from doing training. He has had almost everything from concussion to a broken leg. So, at Bird's request, the South Australian Jockey Club supplied this information about his" past injuries:— 1932 (Port Lincoln, S.A.\ concussion and fractured skull (12J weeks) 1933 (Victoria Park), traumatic naemothorax (nine weeks). 1933 (Strathalbyn), fracture of tibia and fibula (21 weeks). (On this occasion Bird had his leg broken in 11 places.) 1928 (Morphettville, S.A.), fractured clavicle (incapacitated for three weeks). 1928 (Gawler, S.A.), concussion (two weeks). 1930 (Clare, S.A.), lacerations and fractured skull (three weeks). 1931 (Morphettville. S.A.), fractured clavicle (four weeks). Since coming to Victoria he has been in hospital on five occasions, for the following injuries:—(1) Fractured hip, (2) broken hip, (3) broken ankle, (4) two broken collarbones (5) stitched ear. Bird also had slight concussion on two occasions, but as he did not enter hospital, he considered it "not worth mentioning." Bird holds a jockey's license, and is attached to T. J. Hayes, at Caulfield. Hayes will not be able to utilise him for some time, as he is at present doing his term for national military service at Colac ,