Research Finding First Names for 1920's VFA Grand Finals - A Rant

[Michael Riley]

Yes a rant.. but if you can help....Please let me know

I have started adding VFA premierships and interstate matches to my website and trying to correctly identify each player. After a few weeks I have found it so frustrating. Most newspapers do not report the first name of the player, often neglecting even an initial. It is so time consuming to track people down.

I have added a number of VFA grand Finals to my website. If anyone can shed some light onto the identity of some of these mystery players please let me know.

http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Reference_+1924+VFA+Grand+Final
http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Reference_+1925+VFA+Grand+Final
http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Reference_+1926+VFA+Grand+Final
http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Reference_+1927+VFA+Grand+Final
http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Reference_+1928+VFA+Grand+Final
1929 - I have them all!!!!!

In the longer term I hope to add more games, through to the 1960s...so if anyone has info I would be most grateful.

Williamstown FC has their Premiership team lists at http://www.williamstownfc.com.au/history/ but does not list their losing grand final teams.

 

[killer]

This what your after?

Brunswick's 1925 team

backs Michael McMahon Frank Alessio Oswald Green
halfs Arthur Hart, Frank Raymond, lou bols
centre Cyril Bright, Billy Blackman, Jim "mac" Keddie
half Dick O'Connor, Tom Hassett, Anderson
forward Walter Raleigh, Leo McInerney Stewart McLatchie
foll Rupert Hiskens Morrie Ewans
rov John D "Frankie" Fitzgerald

coach was Walter Raleigh

 

[35Daicos]

Looking for the Williamstown 1924 players, The Williamstown Chronicle names a few who were playing late in that season:-
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/69511660 (GF report)
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/69511625
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/69511599
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/69511568

Syd Conlon, Monty Beer, Les Stone, Norm Macdonald played in the GF, of those you aren't sure about. Stan Mitchell, Jackie Munn, Vic Truman, Joe Stanford and Hughie Munro get a mention late in the season, so are almost certainly the ones in the team. Looks like Reg Ball (not Hall), Phil Lee instead of Lye.

I've had a pretty decent look through that paper from late March onwards that year and couldn't spot a first name for Holten or Blanche ("new from Port Melbourne juniors"). I think the rest you're looking for have been mentioned.

Edit:- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/6310237 (same paper, September 1923)

This has Aub. Holten, would have to be the same fellow.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/155759147 (The Age, June 1925)

Williamstown ~ "E. J. Blanche has also been granted a permit to play for Port Melbourne."

 

[Michael Riley]

This what your after?

coach was Walter Raleigh

I dont know what I was doing with the coach as my own website lists it as Raleigh! Duh!

You also have Raymond and Hassett switched around from the list reported before the game. (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164448748)

Thanks....I spent ages trying to get a first name for Alessio

 

[Michael Riley]

Looking for the Williamstown 1924 players, The
Syd Conlon, Monty Beer, Les Stone, Norm Macdonald played in the GF, of those you aren't sure about. Stan Mitchell, Jackie Munn, Vic Truman, Joe Stanford and Hughie Munro get a mention late in the season, so are almost certainly the ones in the team. Looks like Reg Ball (not Hall), Phil Lee instead of Lye.

I sorted the trove results by date and only looked at those the following day or so. I missed the Chronicle...
I will have to use Norman McDonald...as there is already a 'Norm McDonald' in my database. Vic Truman also played for Carlton and Fitzroy, and Stan Mitchell went to Brighton.

Thank you for the names and corrections. They are very much appreciated.

 

[killer]

Aubrey Holten

 

[35Daicos]

Brunswick 1925:- can't find the missing first name for Anderson, only "Anderson (a centre player from Ascot Vale)".

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/155765073

Port Melbourne 1925:- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/19807600 (1st 2 pages)

Great info here on the team named to play Brunswick the week before, when the game was postponed. Jim and George Styles were brothers. Would surely have to be Bill (W) Rudd, as W Rudd was named in The Age GF best players on your site. Fred Carpenter is the coach. Note his incredibly confident prediction on page 2!

 

[killer]

there were a couple of Andersons playing in the '30s but all to young

I find it odd that a team could have 4 emergencies

 

[royals1922]

there were a couple of Andersons playing in the '30s but all to young

I find it odd that a team could have 4 emergencies

I found a reference to a Syd Anderson in a reference from the Emerald in 1940 entitled like father like son.

 

[Michael Riley]

Aubrey Holten

I searched on trove for "Aubrey Holten" and it is obvious. It makes a big difference having a name to work with. Thanks.

 

[royals1922]

I searched on trove for "Aubrey Holten" and it is obvious. It makes a big difference having a name to work with. Thanks.

Aubrey was. a relatively common name pre world war 2.

 

[Michael Riley]

Port Melbourne 1925:- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/19807600 (1st 2 pages)

I have added the quotes from the Record to each of the player pages. I had done so for a few other years, but missed this one. Thanks

 

[35Daicos]

Brighton 1927:- Should be Maurie De Araugo. This article mentions a clearance from Bendigo (Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers says "ex-Sandhurst") and that he played for South Melbourne in 1924:-
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/453640
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Maurie_De_Araugo.html

 

[royals1922]

Brighton 1927:- Should be Maurie De Araugo. This article mentions a clearance from Bendigo (Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers says "ex-Sandhurst") and that he played for South Melbourne in 1924:-
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/453640
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Maurie_De_Araugo.html

Just on a pop culture level is maurie related to the failed Australian idol winner, now advertisement for weight loss , Kate.

 

[Michael Riley]

Thanks - So many of the VFA Grand Final players also played in the League. It is exciting for me, once I add the first name, the link on my page changes from a question mark to a real link which tells me I already have a player page for that player.

Yep Sandhurst, listed as one of their best players -

BENDIGO LEAGUE. (1926, July 24). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), p. 35 Edition: METROPOLITAN EDITION. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142160116

 

[Michael Riley]

Kate DeAraugo - Born in Bendigo .... So you never know

 

[Michael Riley]

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/155759147 (The Age, June 1925)
Williamstown ~ "E. J. Blanche has also been granted a permit to play for Port Melbourne."

Association Permit - EJ Blanche from Port Melbourne to Williamstown
Argus 28-Apr-1927 p7 - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page443976

Fawkner Cemetery has an Edward James Blanche who died 04 Dec 1978
Trove has a number of theft, and other charges related to Edward Blanche 1924, 1927-28..but no football references
Edward Blanche was a resident of Collingwood

Seems like our man though

 

[35Daicos]

Yep Sandhurst, listed as one of their best players -

BENDIGO LEAGUE. (1926, July 24). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), p. 35 Edition: METROPOLITAN EDITION. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142160116

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3884121 (Sandhurst supports Brighton)

Arthur (Brighton 1927) also came from Sandhurst. That should make him a bit easier to track down, through a permit or whatever. Alan Arthur (father of Graham) from Sandhurst joined Essendon in 1928, however it looks like he's a different player.

It's probably S. Arthur as he was playing finals for Sandhurst in 1926.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/115131453

Your "rant" is perfectly understandable. The newspapers can't even give star footballers in Grand Final teams an initial, let alone a first name, yet there are full names and addresses for suicides and insolvents!

 

[Michael Riley]

The newspapers can't even give star footballers in Grand Final teams an initial, let alone a first name, yet there are full names and addresses for suicides and insolvents!

Local papers are better than the big papers... but most of those are not on trove ... and I won't be going to the microfilm to get a first name.

One problem is the lack of VFA Recorders and club databases. They would make a big difference....ahhh dreams, dreams, dreams

 

[royals1922]

Local papers are better than the big papers... but most of those are not on trove ... and I won't be going to the microfilm to get a first name.

One problem is the lack of VFA Recorders and club databases. They would make a big difference....ahhh dreams, dreams, dreams

I did and will do again. It's pot luck but you also get the AGMs and other days.

 

[royals1922]

If you want to look at the Brunswick team look at a Brunswick newspaper. Most papers were once or twice a week at most and the footy season was short so you look a month either side of the football season.

 

[35Daicos]

If you want to look at the Brunswick team look at a Brunswick newspaper. Most papers were once or twice a week at most and the footy season was short so you look a month either side of the football season.

If there was a Brighton area paper available from around 1926-27 it would be very handy, but I don't think there is one.

Brighton 1926:- Looks like Les Boyd. "Les Boyd has been cleared to Port Fairy, where he has been appointed coach."

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3854306
http://demonwiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=Les Boyd
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/L/Les_Boyd.html

Atkinson:- "Atkinson, who is a police constable, has been transferred to Port Fairy".
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3848086

 

[killer]

yes
Les Boyd
leo Carroll
Ivor Aldridge

 

[35Daicos]

Ivor Aldridge

This is the ex-Saint? I looked at that possibility but decided it probably wasn't him for some reason. But this confirms his first name:- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3834539

He went to Northcote as coach (and player) in 1928.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3922333
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3922068

Some records suggest Bill Adams was coaching Northcote in 1928, but he was also supposed to be coaching Preston.

And, thanks to killer, here's Leo Carroll:- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3836983
named at the Annual Meeting.

 

[royals1922]

If there was a Brighton area paper available from around 1926-27 it would be very handy, but I don't think there is one.

Brighton 1926:- Looks like Les Boyd. "Les Boyd has been cleared to Port Fairy, where he has been appointed coach."

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3854306
http://demonwiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=Les Boyd
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/L/Les_Boyd.html

Atkinson:- "Atkinson, who is a police constable, has been transferred to Port Fairy".
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3848086

In answer to this query, there was a local newspaper in Brighton called the Sandringham Southern Cross. The war years of this are on Trove but the newspaper in fact went to 1935. A search of the 5 years of Trove of the Sandringham Southern cross indicated detailed reports on Brighton Football Club. The post World War 1 version of this newspaper is apparently available for inspection at the State Library.