Shadrach James

For the Australian Aboriginal rights activist, see Shadrach Livingstone James.

Shadrach Garfield James (30 November 1917 – 20 November 1973)^[2] was an Indigenous Australian Australian rules footballer.

Shadrach James
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Shady
Date of birth	(1917-11-30)30 November 1917
Place of birth	Echuca, Victoria
Date of death	20 November 1973(1973-11-20) (aged 55)
Place of death	Mooroopna, Victoria
Original team(s)	Mooroopna,^[1] Brocklesby
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Playing career
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1940–1941	Fitzroy	18 (20)
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

Shadrach Garfield James was born in Echuca on 30 November 1917 as the son of Indigenous Australian activist Shadrach Livingstone James and Maggie James, née Campbell. James was a cousin of Sir Doug Nicholls and this reference states he was born in Wahgunyah, Victoria.^[3]

Playing career

In 1938, James kicked 115 goals for the Mooroopna in the Goulburn Valley Football Association, ^[4] including another 13 during the finals for a total of 128, in which he played Mooroopna's 1940 losing grand final side.^[5]

In 1939, Brockledby kicked 34.24 - 228 against Cookardinia, with "Shady" James kicking 19 goals to eclipse Brocklesby's previous best of 14 goals by Vin Smith.^[6] James kicked five goals for Brocklesby in the 1939 Albury & District Football League premiership.^[7] All up, James kicked 82 goals in the home and away series^[8] plus 16 goals in the finals, for a total of 98 goals in 17 games in 1939.

James commenced training with Fitzroy in 1940 with a number of other players from the Albury & District Football League^[9] and played 18 matches for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League between 1940^[10] and 1941. James, a left footer,^[11] was the fourth Indigenous Australian to play for Fitzroy.^[12]

In 1943, James' brother, Rupert was signed up to Fitzroy.^[13]

In 1946, James was club secretary and coach of the All Blacks Football Club in the Central Goulburn Valley Football League and kicked nine goals in their grand final win against Toolamba.^[14]

James went onto play with various club's throughout the Goulburn Valley and North East Victoria and played football well into the late 1940's, as he played in Wangaratta's 1948 losing Ovens & Murray Football League preliminary final side.^[15]

See also

• Shadrach James's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• 1939 - Albury & DFL semi final team: Brocklesby FC team photo
• 1939 - Albury & District Football League Premiers: Brocklesby FC team photo

References

1. "MOOROOPNA WINS WELL". Shepparton Advertiser. Victoria. 9 May 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 2 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
2. "Shadrach James – Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
3. "1940 - No. 9 Fitzroy". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic). 15 June 1940. pp. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188807702. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
4. "1938 - Mooroopna Man's Record". The Weekly Times. 3 September 1938. p. 62. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
5. "1940 - GRAND FINAL Re-PLAY". Shepparton Advertiser (Vic). 10 October 1940. p. 6. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
6. "1939 - Albury District League". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 17 July 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
7. "1939 - Brocklesby win Mackie Pennant". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 18 September 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
8. "1939 - Albury District League: Brocklesby v Culcairn". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 14 August 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
9. "1940 - ALBURY DISTRICT PLAYERS IN MELBOURNE". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 9 April 1940. p. 5. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
10. "1940 - MAROONS GAINED STAR WHEN GEELONG". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic). 15 May 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
11. "1940 - Flashes from the football fields". Sporting Globe. 11 May 1940. p. 6. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
12. Muyt, Adam. . Maroon and Blue. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
13. "1943 - LEAGUE CLUBS PREPARE FOR 2nd ROUND". The Argus. 28 July 1946. p. 9. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
14. "1946 - All Blacks Premiers: S. James, 9 Goals". Shepparton Advertiser (Vic). 8 October 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
15. "1948 - North Albury beat Wang". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 30 August 1948. p. 10. Retrieved 7 February 2022.