allow the banning of the Communist Party. The referendum was not carried. 4 October – Francis McEncroe sells the first Chiko Rolls at the Wagga Wagga agricultural show. 15 October – A De Havilland Dove aircraft crashes near Kalgoorlie killing all 7 on board. 13 November – William McKell is gazetted a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, becoming the only Governor-General of Australia to be knighted during their term. Arts and literature Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Laurie Thomas Justin O'Brien wins the inaugural Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work The Virgin Enthroned Sport Athletics 5 March – Gordon Stanley wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:59:44.6 in Hobart. Cricket Victoria wins the Sheffield Shield Australia defeats England 4–1 in The Ashes Football The 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand is conducted Bledisloe Cup: won by the All Blacks Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Souths defeated Easts 20-10 New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated Manly-Warringah 42-14 South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide Victorian Football League premiership: Geelong defeated Essendon 81-70 Golf Australian Open: won by Peter Thomson Australian PGA Championship: won by Norman Von Nida Horse Racing Basha Felika wins the Caulfield Cup Bronton wins the Cox Plate Delta wins the Melbourne Cup Motor Racing The Australian Grand Prix was held at Narrogin and won by Warwick Pratley driving a George Reed Special Tennis Australian Open men's singles: Dick Savitt defeats Ken McGregor 6-3 2–6 6-3 6-1 Australian Open women's singles: Nancye Wynne Bolton defeats Thelma Coyne Long 6-1 7-5 Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 3–2 in the 1951 Davis Cup final US Open: Frank Sedgman wins the Men's Singles Wimbledon: Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman win the Men's Doubles Yachting Margaret Rintoul takes line honours and Struen Marie wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Births 19 January – Charles Blunt, politician 20 January – Clyde Sefton, road cyclist 26 February – Wayne Goss, Premier of Queensland (died 2014) 29 April – Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the ACT 29 May – Don Baird, pole vaulter 4 July – John Alexander, tennis player and politician 6 July – Geoffrey Rush, actor 31 July – Evonne Goolagong Cawley, tennis player 5 August – John Jarratt, actor 6 August – Daryl