Felice Angelo "Felix" Russo (10 June 1926 – 15 February 2005) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He had a son, father-in-law, two sons-in-law and three grandchildren who have all played VFL/AFL football.

Felix Russo
Personal information
Full name Felice Angelo Russo
Date of birth (1926-06-10)10 June 1926
Date of death 15 February 2005(2005-02-15) (aged 78)
Original team(s) Elwood CYMS
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 76 kg (168 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1950–1951 St Kilda 14 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1951.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Biography

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Football

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Educated at De La Salle College, Russo captained his school to a premiership in 1944.[1] He was recruited to locally from Elwood. As well as playing for Elwood CYMS he also played some of his early football for Footscray Technical School Old Boys.[2][3]

Russo, who worked as a physical education instructor, debuted for St Kilda at the age of 23 in the 1950 VFL season.[3] Used as a wingman, he played eight games in his first season of VFL football.[3][4] In the 1951 season he made six appearances for St Kilda.[4]

Following his two seasons at St Kilda, Russo played with Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Sandringham. He won the club's best and fairest award in the 1953 VFA season.[5] Under the coaching of Tommy Lahiff, Russo captained Sandringham in 1954.[6][7]

Personal life

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Russo is of Italian descent. His father was born in Italy, as were his maternal grandparents.[8]

He is related to many past and present league footballers. His son, Peter Russo, was a member of two Hawthorn premiership teams and also played for St Kilda.[9]

One of his daughters, Bernadette, married Hawthorn player John Kennedy, Jr, who is the son of legendary Hawthorn coach John Kennedy Sr. John and Bernadette had a son, Josh Kennedy, who plays for the Sydney Swans.[10]

Another daughter, Jenny, also married a footballer, Richmond and South Melbourne defender Ray Ball.[11] Two of Ray's sons, Luke and Matthew, played in the AFL.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Sutherland has the Saints "Happy"". The Sporting Globe. Melbourne. 1 April 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 16 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  3. ^ a b c "League Footballers of 1950—Wing Men". The Argus Weekend Magazine. Melbourne. 17 June 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 16 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ a b "AFL Tables – Felix Russo – Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Russo Best at Sandringham". The Age. 7 September 1953. p. 13. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Honourboard". Sandringham Football Club. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  7. ^ Welch, Bruce (29 March 1954). "Williamstown to Get Young Centre Player". The Age. p. 13. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Italian Team of the Century – Player Details". Italian Team of the Century. Archived from the original on 27 February 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  9. ^ AFL Record, Round 14, 2011. The Slattery Media Group. 24 June 2011. p. 66.
  10. ^ Flanagan, Martin (29 September 2012). "A man's man and coach's coach". The Age. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  11. ^ a b Baum, Greg (18 June 2004). "Mum's the word as the Ball boys do battle". The Age. p. 14.
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