Frederick Charles Ball (1 September 1868 – 4 September 1902) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) and in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]
| Fred Ball | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Frederick Charles Ball | ||
| Nickname(s) | Snowy | ||
| Date of birth | 1 September 1868 | ||
| Place of birth | Vaughan, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 4 September 1902 (aged 34) | ||
| Place of death | Islington, London, England | ||
| Original team(s) | Scotch College | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1888-96 | Essendon (VFA) | 158 (29) | |
| 1897 | Essendon (VFL) | 5 (1) | |
| Total | 163 (309) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1897. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Family
editThe son of Charles Ball (1818-1876),[2] founder of Ball & Welch, and Tabitha Ball (1842-1919), née Reardon,[3] Frederick Charles Ball was born at Vaughan, Victoria on 1 September 1868.
Fred Ball is in the middle row, fourth to right of team captain, Alick Dick (holding the football).
Education
editHe was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne.[4][5]
Football
editHe was recruited from Scotch College;[6] which, at the time, was located in East Melbourne, within easy walking distance of Essendon's home ground, the East Melbourne Cricket Ground.
- "Having many influential patrons and supporters, [Essendon] was in a good financial position and was able to call upon all the leading Public School and College boys and leading junior players by holding out better prospects for their future employment and careers as well as their social positions." (Maplestone, 1996, p. 37)
Essendon (VFA)
editHe played in 158 games (29 goals) for Essendon in the VFA, between 1888 and 1896.[7]
Essendon (VFL)
editHe played in 5 games (1 goal) for Essendon in the VFL in 1897.[7]
Death
editHe later moved to London; and, in September 1902, was found dead in his home in Islington with stab wounds.[8][4] An inquest determined that he had committed suicide.[9]
Notes
edit- ^ Holmesby & Main (2014), p. 38.
- ^ Deaths: Ball, The Argus, (Monday, 4 September 1876), p. 1.
- ^ Deaths: Ball, The Australasian, (Saturday, 27 September 1919), p.3.
- ^ a b "Mainly About People". The Daily News. Perth. 19 September 1902. p. 6. Retrieved 16 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ School Speech Days: Scotch College, (Friday, 17 December 1880), p.3.
- ^ About People, The Age, (Wednesday, 10 September 1902), p. 4.
- ^ a b AustralianFootball.com.
- ^ Deaths: Ball, The Argus, (Wednesday, 10 September 1902), p. 1.
- ^ "An Australian's Suicide". The Age. Melbourne. 10 September 1902. p. 5. Retrieved 16 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
References
edit- 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.
- Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
- Pennings, Mark (2016), Origins of Australian Football: Victoria's early History: Volume 4: Tough Times: Victorian Football loses its Way, 1891 to 1896, Brunswick, Victoria: Grumpy Monks Publishing. ISBN 978-0-646-93604-8
External links
edit- Fred Ball's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Fred Ball at AustralianFootball.com