Portrait – Moomba King – Paul McNamee 1987

VAN DER TOORREN, Bob

Registration number

1284039

Artist/maker

VAN DER TOORREN, Bob

Title

Portrait – Moomba King – Paul McNamee

Production date

1987

Medium

photographic paper

Dimensions (H x W x D)

55 x 44.5 cm (framed)

Inscriptions

Lets make Moomba / a big hit, Paul / McNammee / 1987 / Vander Tooreen / 1987

Credit line

By courtesy of Bob VAN DER TOORREN Hon. L.M. A.I.P.P. A.R.M.I.T. of Block Arcade Studios
City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection

Keywords

Moomba, King, Portait, Paul McNamee, Bob Van der Toorren, 1987

Summary

Framed colour studio portrait of 1987 Moomba King, Paul McNamee. McNamee, born in 1954, was the last king to be crowned before the concept of the Moomba King and Queen was renovated, transformed into the royal system of Moomba Monarch. McNamee’s celebrity was gained through his tennis prowess, playing in both singles and doubles competition and becoming Australia's top-ranked player in 1985. The following year he gained his highest singles ATP ranking, at No. 24; in 1981 he was ranked No. 1 as a doubles player. McNamee was the Australian Open tournament director from 1994 to 2006, transforming the tournament into an equal of its grand slam partners. Having proven his talent in sports administration, he moved from tennis to Golf Australia for two years, raising the profile of that sport. In March 2008 he turned his skills to Australian Rules, leading the Melbourne Demons. In 1986, he was made Member of the Order of Australia.