Arthur Pearce

For the Melbourne player born Arthur Pearce, see Joe Pearce (footballer).
Arthur Pearce
Personal information
Full name Arthur John Pearce
Date of birth (1881-01-01)1 January 1881
Date of death 8 March 1902(1902-03-08) (aged 21)
Place of death East St Kilda, Victoria
Original team(s) Wesley College
Height/Weight 179 cm / 66 kg
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1900–1901 St Kilda 27 (6)
1 Playing statistics correct to end of 1901 season.

Arthur John "Doc" Pearce (1 January 1881 – 8 March 1902) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Biography

Born on 1 January 1881, Pearce was the youngest son of Mr Thos G. Pearce and Mrs M. J. Pearce, from Bacchus Marsh.[2]

Pearce, known to everyone as "Doc", was educated at Wesley College where he was a leading schoolboy athlete.[3][4] He was captain of the school's boats, cricket and football teams in the period from 1898 to 1900.[5]

Athletics

Pearce won the Victorian Public Schools Mile Championship in 1900. His time remained Wesley College's one mile record for many years.[6]

In January 1901 he won the one mile cross country race at a "Commonwealth Celebration" championship competition on the Sydney Cricket Ground, held to mark the proclamation of the Federation of Australia.[7][8]

Football career

Pearce was one of five new players introduced by St Kilda in the opening round of the 1901 VFL season, a historic and controversial win over Melbourne at Junction Oval. Initially finishing as a draw, St Kilda lodged a protest as a behind scored by Melbourne's Dick Wardill had come after the three quarter time bell had sounded, which was not heard by the umpire.[9] The protest was successful and St Kilda, after 48 losses, won for the first time in the VFL.[9] Pearce was noted by The Argus as having played the best of all St Kilda players.[10]

For the remainder of the season he was a regular fixture in the team and ended the year with a total of 15 appearances.[11]

He played a further 12 games for St Kilda in the 1901 VFL season.[11]

In August 1901 he was an emergency in the Victorian side which played an interstate match against South Australia in Adelaide.[12]

Death

Pearce died at his home in East St Kilda of typhoid fever on 8 March 1902, aged 21.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  2. ↑ "Family Notices.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 10 March 1902. p. 1. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "College Sports.". The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 22 March 1919. p. 24. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "College Sports.". The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 3 May 1902. p. 24. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "College Sports.". The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 26 July 1924. p. 33. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  6. ↑ ""Old Boy's" Sporting Review.". The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 28 September 1940. p. 15. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "The Athletic and Cycling Carnival.". Evening News (Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia). 5 January 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Commonwealth Sports.". Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia). 12 January 1901. p. 51. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  9. 1 2 Ross, John, ed. (1996). 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL. Ringwood: Viking. p. 46. ISBN 0-670-86814-0.
  10. ↑ "Football.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 7 May 1900. p. 6. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  11. 1 2 "AFL Tables – Arthur Pearce – Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  12. ↑ "Inter-State Football.". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 3 August 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  13. ↑ "No Title.". The Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic.: National Library of Australia). 15 March 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 9 July 2015.

External links

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