Georgia Hardstark

Yeah.

Yeah.

There's also grandstands on the west side of the stadium where people can sit. And that's where Les and Kathleen Ratcliffe are sitting with their two children, David, who's 13, and Joanne, who is 11, on that August day in 1973. Here we are. The family are huge Red Legs fans, and they come to nearly every game.

There's also grandstands on the west side of the stadium where people can sit. And that's where Les and Kathleen Ratcliffe are sitting with their two children, David, who's 13, and Joanne, who is 11, on that August day in 1973. Here we are. The family are huge Red Legs fans, and they come to nearly every game.

There are a lot of regulars in the crowd, and the Ratclips soon connect with a woman named Rita Huckle, one of their friends who they see often at the games. And that day, Rita has brought her granddaughter along to this game. She's a four-year-old named Kirstie Gordon, and it's the first time she's ever brought her granddaughter to a game.

There are a lot of regulars in the crowd, and the Ratclips soon connect with a woman named Rita Huckle, one of their friends who they see often at the games. And that day, Rita has brought her granddaughter along to this game. She's a four-year-old named Kirstie Gordon, and it's the first time she's ever brought her granddaughter to a game.

So the game begins at 2.10 and even though there's an age gap between Joanne, who's 11, and Kirstie, who's four, they immediately take a liking to each other. Remember when you were like a preteen and a little kid thought you were the coolest?

So the game begins at 2.10 and even though there's an age gap between Joanne, who's 11, and Kirstie, who's four, they immediately take a liking to each other. Remember when you were like a preteen and a little kid thought you were the coolest?

And it just made you feel so good and like, you know, like babysitting. Yeah.

And it just made you feel so good and like, you know, like babysitting. Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, to this day, if a little kid likes me, I feel like special. Yeah. You know?

Yeah. I mean, to this day, if a little kid likes me, I feel like special. Yeah. You know?

So I think it was kind of that sort of thing. So they spend like most of the game playing together. Australian football games are played in four quarters and between the two halves, there's a longer break. And so Joanne, her parents totally trust her. She's a very mature 11 year old.

So I think it was kind of that sort of thing. So they spend like most of the game playing together. Australian football games are played in four quarters and between the two halves, there's a longer break. And so Joanne, her parents totally trust her. She's a very mature 11 year old.

And she's been to tons of games at the stadium before, so they let her go back and forth to the bathroom on her own, but only during the beginning of the quarters, not during the halftime when there's the big rush. Like, they have a sense of, you know, their 11-year-old in a crowd, and they're careful.

And she's been to tons of games at the stadium before, so they let her go back and forth to the bathroom on her own, but only during the beginning of the quarters, not during the halftime when there's the big rush. Like, they have a sense of, you know, their 11-year-old in a crowd, and they're careful.

So during the first quarter, Kirstie needs to go to the bathroom, and the Ratcliffs and Kirstie's grandma, Rita, agree to let Joanne take her. The bathroom's about 300 feet away from their seats in a concourse area under the grandstand. They go to the bathroom. They come back. It all goes well. No big deal. And they continue to play while their families watch the game.

So during the first quarter, Kirstie needs to go to the bathroom, and the Ratcliffs and Kirstie's grandma, Rita, agree to let Joanne take her. The bathroom's about 300 feet away from their seats in a concourse area under the grandstand. They go to the bathroom. They come back. It all goes well. No big deal. And they continue to play while their families watch the game.

So then about 3.45 in the third quarter of the game, Kirstie needs to go to the bathroom again. And there's still plenty of time before the break to go between quarters, so the families, you know, let the two girls go. This time, though, after 20 minutes, they're still not back yet.

So then about 3.45 in the third quarter of the game, Kirstie needs to go to the bathroom again. And there's still plenty of time before the break to go between quarters, so the families, you know, let the two girls go. This time, though, after 20 minutes, they're still not back yet.