Liverpool Liverbirds
one of the four founder members of the Senior Gridball Championship, Liverpool were the first team to suffer demotion back down to the minors at the end of 1951.
Having won back their status at the first time of asking, they reached the Play-offs for the first time in 1953.
The Liverbirds started life at the Palace Ice Rink before moving to the Liverpool Stadium in 1954.
Their Liverbirds nickname comes from the fictional birds that sit atop the Liver building in the city.
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Arena: Liverpool Stadium - Capacity {2,500}
Previous Home - Palace Ice Rink {1951 & 1953}
Colours: Teal & Lemon
Coach: Wendy Jenkins {Rated 0} - {1953}
Previous Coaches Julia Starkey {1951}
Honours: Silver Bat 1951: Janet Camara
Most Appearances: 24 - Carla Tinsley {1951 & 1953}
Most Goals: 19 - Janet Camara {1951-1953}
In a Season: 10 - Janet Camara {1953}
In a Match: 7 - Janet Camara vs Glasgow 3rd November 1951 {Jt Gridball Record}
Oldest player: Diana Calve 30 Years, 125 Days vs Glasgow 21st November 1951
Youngest player: Norma Blower 16 years, 165 days vs Middlesex, 17th March 1951
Record Victory: 10-0 at Glasgow 3rd November 1951
Record Defeat: 2-7 vs Middlesex 17th March 1951
Record Attendance: 726 vs Birmingham 15th August 1953
Seasons:
1951 - 3rd - Demoted in Third Placed Play-off
1953 - 5th - Lost in Play-offs
Correct up to January 1st 1954
Paula Ohm
{Nee Melly}
Attacker {Rated 2}
Age 21 {18/02/32}
Born: Formby, Liverpool, England
Apps: 17
Goals: 4
Off court, she works as a stagehand at Liverpool Rep. She married actor Robert Ohm in 1952
Janet Camera
Shooter {Rated 1}
Age 19 {11/05/34}
Born: Messina, Sicily, Italy
Apps: 23
Goals: 19
Silver Bat 1951
Scored and then got Injured on her Debut 17th March 1951 2-7 defeat to Middlesex. Scored Liverpool's first ever senior goal. Born to an Italian mother and Irish father in Sicily but was brought up in the wealthy Whitestone area of Queens, New York until she was 16. Was visiting her maternal aunts family in Liverpool in 1950 when encouraged to try out for the Liverbirds, having played softball at school. Opted to stay, getting work as a model in England when still part time, earning a silver bat in her first season in 1951, despite Liverpool being demoted. Day job is training to be an optician
May 1954
Jean Olivier
{Nee Routledge}
Sweeper {Rated 1}
Age 24 {18/11/29}
Born: Litherland, Liverpool, England
Apps: 17
Goals: 1
Teen romance comic model in the 40s. Married Liverpool Footballer Roger Olivier in 1951. Her first senior season saw the Liverbirds finish fifth and qualifying for the Play-offs.
February 1954: Back to natural Jean. Liverpool's Jean Olivier tried being the blonde bombshell during 1953, but the army in Korea seem to approve of her natural look, which she has gone back to this season. They've asked if she can come out and meet the troops. With the season about to start, it might have to wait until Christmas said Jean.
Virginia Bloom
Centre {Rated 0}
Age 22 {19/04/31}
Born: Crosby, Liverpool, England
Apps: 17
Goals: 4
Studied ballet as a youth scored her first goal in a defeat at Middlesex in August 1953
Sheridan Marsland
{Sheridan Mary McKenna}
Right Guard {Rated 0}
Age 22 {03/07/31}
Born: Waterloo, Liverpool
Apps: 17
Goals: 3
Sheridan Marsland has become one of the more colourful characters in Gridball this season. The former glamour model made her Liverbirds debut in 1953, but was making the front pages when she and her husband were arrested for breaking out of a flat in Blackpool, having consumed a large quantity of alcohol. Ultimately the charges were dropped, although her husband was by that time in prison on other charges. Away from Gridball, Marsland has also appeared on Television this year in Cabaret and is known for the vintage Rolls Royce she drives. Spent her preseason on a promotional tour of Australia
May 1954
At home with Miss Marsland.
She sat on an antique chair stroking the stuffed head of a glass eyed lion. In her arms was a nervous siamese cat, teeth and claws bared. Her full moist lips were painted pink cavier and her long nails were tainted fatal apple. Sheridan Marsland, the torrid platinum haired, Liverpool Gridball star was at home to me for lunch. "All this, on three valuable dimensions - thirty five inchs {bust} twenty three inchs {waist} and thirty five inchs {hips} what merchandise, and boy how it sells.
July 1953
It's been a year for Liverpool Gridballer, Sheridan Marsland, cleared of braking out of a flat, yes out! in the summer, she's set to appear on TV tomorrow night, but not playing Gridball. Sheridan is going to be performing a dance number in cabaret. And when the Gridball season is over she's off down under for a month touring with the cabaret there too.
Zena McQueen
{Nee Messel}
Netminder {Rated 0}
Age 27 {26/09/25}
Born: Bootle, Liverpool, England
Apps: 17
Worked as a buyer and model for a department store in Liverpool towards the end of the war and also started work as a beauty columnist at the Liverpool Echo in 1951. Joined the Liverbirds as a minor in 1952 and helped them to promotion Married in 1951 to fashion designer Norman McQueen
McQueen was known for her flowing red hair before sporting a new shorter cropped style in a promotion campaign for the city of Liverpool with Reds Footballer Laurie Jackson
Appearing on Whats My Line in April 1954
Wendy Jenkins
Coach {Rated 0}
Age 41 {06/10/12}
Born: New York, USA
Wendy Jenkins is the grand daughter of the owner of the hugely wealthy Reventlow department store family who came to England to escape negative publicity during the depression in the thirties. Became a devout anglophile and keen financial backer of Gridball after the war but lacked the skill to play. Took the job of Liverpool coach when they were in the minors and heading for promotion. Has been married and divorced 4 times, to an Eastern European nobleman, a Count, an actor and a French Aristocrat. Brought in two time Wimbledon champion Baron Alexander Von Stienberg to help coach the Liverbirds in 1953. Announced she was engaged to be married for a fifth time in December 1953 to a diplomat
Liverpool coach Wendy Jenkins asks former German Tennis Champion, Alexander Von Stienberg to check out the Liverbirds in 1953
Former Players
Diana Calve - Netminder - {1921-} - Apps 7 {1951} - Former Liverpool goalie with a colourful off court life. Was in their side demoted in their debut season in 1951.