Thomas Miller "Tammas" McCluskey (31 August 1890 – 4 October 1917) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton and Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League, and with Footscray in the Victorian Football Association (VFA).[1]
| Tom McCluskey | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Thomas Miller McCluskey | ||
| Nickname(s) | Tammas | ||
| Date of birth | 31 August 1890 | ||
| Place of birth | Kyabram, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 4 October 1917 (aged 27) | ||
| Place of death | Broodseinde, Passchendaele salient, Belgium | ||
| Original team(s) | Shepparton (GVDFA) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1910 | Carlton (VFL) | 4 (0) | |
| 1911 | Fitzroy (VFL) | 5 (0) | |
| 1912—1914 | Footscray (VFA) | 45 (0) | |
| Total | 54 (0) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1911. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Family
editThe son of Thomas Miller McCluskey (1843–1929),[2] and Jessie Blair McCluskey (1855–1897), née Bell,[3] Thomas Miller McCluskey, known to his family as "Tammas", was born in Kyabram, on 31 August 1890.
Football
editCarlton (VFL)
editA half-back flanker, McCluskey was recruited from Shepparton Football Club, by the Carlton Secretary, Arthur Ford, who, having been alerted to the potential of McCluskey, had gone to see a match between Tatura and Shepparton on Wednesday 24 August 1910, and was so impressed that he immediately signed up both Shepparton's McClusky and Tatura's Archie Wilson.[4]
Wilson and McClusky both made their debut for Carlton against Richmond, at Princes Park, on the following Saturday, 27 August 1910, and both played for the Carlton First XVIII that lost to Collingwood in the 1910 Grand Final, which was the last of McCluskey's four senior games for Carlton.
Fitzroy (VFL)
editIn 1911 he transferred to Fitzroy, where he played 5 senior games.
Footscray (VFA)
editIn 1912 McCluskey was living and working in Footscray, and on 24 April 1912, he was granted a clearance from Fitzroy to play with Footscray.[5] He played 45 matches in three seasons (1912–1914).
Military
editMcCluskey served on the Western Front during World War I, being killed by a German artillery shell during the Battle of Broodseinde.[6][7]
See also
editFootnotes
edit- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. p. 569. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
- ^ McCluskey, The Argus, (Tuesday, 3 September 1929), p1.
- ^ Died on Service McCluskey, The Argus, (Monday, 29 October 1917), p.1.
- ^ Football: The Play and Players, The Herald, (Friday, 26 August 1910), p.2.
- ^ Football: Victorian League: Permits Granted, The Argus, (Thursday, 25 April 1912), p.5.
- ^ Cullen, Barbara (2015). Harder than Football: League Players at War. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-992379-14-8.
- ^ For Empire's Sake: A Shepparton Footballer: How Tom McCluskey Met His Death, The Kyabram Guardian, (Friday, 10 May 1918), p.4.
References
edit- Roll of Honour: Thomas Miller McCluskey (3107), "Australian War Museum"".
- World War I Service Record: Thomas McCluskey (3107), National Archives of Australia".
- Australia's Roll of Honor: 352nd Casualty List: Victoria: Killed in Action, The Age, (Friday, 16 November 1917), p.9.
- Tapner, Warren, "The Great Fallen: Thomas McCluskey", carltonfc.com, 21 April 2015.