Former Perth league player, Basil Rigg, was not only one of Western Australia’s most versatile sportsmen. He was also from a prominent sporting family which produced state representatives across three different codes.
Basil, who was aged 99 when he died on March 15, broke into the Perth side in 1942, and topped the team’s goalkicking in his second season. His career was interrupted when he enlisted in the Army during World War Two, and he retired from football in 1948 after 45 league games to concentrate on cricket.
But his link with football continued when he took up umpiring and was a long term member of the league’s umpiring panel. This included officiating at country games on Sundays, well into the late 1960s.
He was an allrounder in WA’s 1947-48 Sheffield Shield winning cricket side, and made 65 against an Australian XI which was en route to England.
Basil was an outstanding baseballer, representing WA in Claxton Shield games in the crucial short stop position, which also meant he was one of the sharpest fieldsmen in the Shield side.
Older brother Bert was also a state cricketer and long term captain of the Perth Cricket Club, including when it was based at Lathlain Park. Their sister Marjory was an outstanding hockey player, and captained the Australian team in the 1950s
The Rigg link with the Demons was maintained in the 1960s through Basil’s cousins, Eddie and Richard. Richard played 59 games between 1965-69, and was a back pocket specialist in the 1967 and 1968 premiership teams. Eddie played 83 games from 1962-65, mainly as a half forward and wingman.
The club extends its sincere sympathy to the extended Rigg family on the sad loss of Basil, who has left a considerable mark on three major sporting codes.
Peter Kennedy, March 2025
Basil, who was aged 99 when he died on March 15, broke into the Perth side in 1942, and topped the team’s goalkicking in his second season. His career was interrupted when he enlisted in the Army during World War Two, and he retired from football in 1948 after 45 league games to concentrate on cricket.
But his link with football continued when he took up umpiring and was a long term member of the league’s umpiring panel. This included officiating at country games on Sundays, well into the late 1960s.
He was an allrounder in WA’s 1947-48 Sheffield Shield winning cricket side, and made 65 against an Australian XI which was en route to England.
Basil was an outstanding baseballer, representing WA in Claxton Shield games in the crucial short stop position, which also meant he was one of the sharpest fieldsmen in the Shield side.
Older brother Bert was also a state cricketer and long term captain of the Perth Cricket Club, including when it was based at Lathlain Park. Their sister Marjory was an outstanding hockey player, and captained the Australian team in the 1950s
The Rigg link with the Demons was maintained in the 1960s through Basil’s cousins, Eddie and Richard. Richard played 59 games between 1965-69, and was a back pocket specialist in the 1967 and 1968 premiership teams. Eddie played 83 games from 1962-65, mainly as a half forward and wingman.
The club extends its sincere sympathy to the extended Rigg family on the sad loss of Basil, who has left a considerable mark on three major sporting codes.
Peter Kennedy, March 2025