Frederick John Finch (6 October 1895 – 18 April 1952) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[2]
| Fred Finch | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Finch in May 1925 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Frederick John Finch | ||
| Nickname(s) | Snowy | ||
| Date of birth | 6 October 1895 | ||
| Place of birth | Brunswick, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 18 April 1952 (aged 56) | ||
| Place of death | Prahran, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Burwood Football Club | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 1925, Hawthorn vs. Richmond, at Glenferrie Oval | ||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 84 kg (185 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | centre | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1922–1924 | Hawthorn (VFA) | 49 (5)[1] | |
| 1925–1927 | Hawthorn | 37 (10) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1927. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Early life
editThe son of George Fagan and Ellen Berry, Frederick John Finch was born at Brunswick on 6 October 1895.
Fred Finch enlisted to serve in World War I in late 1914 and served until the end of the war.[3]
Cricket
editFinch was an accomplished cricketer and played for Northcote Cricket Club in the Victorian District cricket competition from 1920 to 1922. He was a fast bowler and took a hat-trick against Fitzroy in the 1920–21 season.[4]
Football
editAfter a stint with Burwood Football Club, Finch joined Hawthorn at the start of the 1922 season when Hawthorn was in the Victorian Football Association.[5] He earned the nickname "Snowy" from his very fair hair and had a reputation for never missing a night's training. He played mostly in the centre, and won Hawthorn Football Club's best all-round player in their first season of VFL football.[6][7] From 1927 to 1929 he played predominantly in the Hawthorn reserves team before retiring to football administration roles within the club.
Later life
editIn 1924 Finch married Dulcie May Jones (née Stokes) and they lived in Glen Iris, Victoria with her two children from her first marriage.
Fred Finch died in 1952 at the age of 56.[8]
Honours and achievements
editIndividual
- Hawthorn best all rounder: 1925
- Hawthorn life member
References
edit- ^ Gordon, Harry & Michael. One For All: the story of the Hawthorn Football Club. p. 377. ISBN 978-1-921332-83-8.
- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
- ^ "Frederick Finch – Discovering Anzacs". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "HAT-TRICKS IN DISTRICT CRICKET" (PDF). Cricket Victoria.
- ^ "GEELONG'S FIRST GAME". The Argus. Melbourne. 8 May 1922. p. 7 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Peter Crimmins Medal Winners". Hawthorn Football Club.
- ^ "HAWTHORN". The Age. Melbourne. 16 February 1926. p. 7 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Family Notices". The Argus. 19 April 1952. p. 16.
External links
edit
- Fred Finch's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Fred Finch's playing statistics from The VFA Project