Blessed with a good spring and mobility, he was one of the unluckiest
footballers in League history, Crowe missed the 1967 premiership 
triumph because of suspension. He was found guilty of striking Carlton's
John Nicholls in the second semi-final - something which Nicholls
admitted years later was a staged performance purely to earn a
free-kick. It was the first suspension in Crowe's 10 year career which
ended on a truly sad note. The crunch moment came at the tribunal when
Nicholls was asked whether the fact that he didn't recall the incident
could have been because of the blow he suffered. Nicholls said nothing to
discard the suggestion and Crowe's fate was sealed. To add insult to
injury, Crowe had to miss a trip to the US and Ireland a few weeks later
when suffered internal bleeding in the leg.
The Tigers recruited Crowe from the State Savings Bank and he was a
tireless worker in the ruck. He had not been an attractive proposition as
a footballer in his early days, turning up at Ormond Amateurs in baggy
shorts and desert boots. His State Savings Bank coach, George Coates,
encouraged him to accept an invitation at Richmond believing it would
benefit him when he came back, but Crowe made the grade and never
returned.
He played for Victoria seven times including the 1966 carnival when
inspired by coach Alan Killigrew to play the best football of his career
which earned an All-Australian guernsey. He was club captaion from
1963-66 and won the Tigers' best and fairest in 1963-64 and 1966.
Perhaps his best football had been in 1961 when he had lead most media
awards before being injured in the 11th round. Even though he missed the
rest of the season he was only beaten in the best and fairest in the final
round and ran third.
He later became president of Richmond and guided it through troubled
financial times before standing down in 1993.
Russell Holmesby, Jim Main,
The Encyclopidia of LAFL Footballers
Every Richmond AFL Player Ever
(BAS Publishing 2004)