Syd McGain
Sydney John McGain (5 February 1917 – 23 November 2008) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon, Fitzroy and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[2][3]
| Syd McGain | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Sydney John McGain[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 February 1917 | ||
| Place of birth | Fitzroy North, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 23 November 2008 (aged 91) | ||
| Place of death | Strathmore, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Mathoura | ||
| Height | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Weight | 73 kg (161 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1938 | Essendon | 1 (1) | |
| 1940–1943 | Fitzroy | 12 (0) | |
| 1943–1945 | North Melbourne | 12 (0) | |
| Total | 25 (1) | ||
| 1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1945. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Football edit
McGain was born in Fitzroy North but played his early football for New South Wales club Mathoura, after moving to the state to become a horse-breaker.[4] A wingman, McGain played for Pascoe Vale when he returned to Melbourne, then joined Essendon and made one appearances for the club in the 1938 VFL season.[4][5] Due to a pay dispute, McGain left Essendon for Fitzroy.[6] McGain played eight league games for Fitzroy in 1940, but added just four more games over the next three years.[5] He was convinced to cross to North Melbourne during the 1943 season, after their captain Dally O'Brien offered to send a car to take him to training from his army base in Maribyrnong.[4] At North Melbourne he played 12 senior games, six each in 1943 and 1945.[5]
Umpiring & Professional Running edit
From 1947 to 1949, McGain was a member of the VFL Umpires Association and officiated in various leagues across the state.[4] Also a professional runner, he won the 1947 Maryborough Gift and reached the semi-finals of the Stawell Gift in 1948.[4] He won the Moyhu Gift in 1951.[7]
He was one of the founders of the Strathmore Football Club in the 1950s and acted as their first ever coach.[4] The Syd McGain Oval in Strathmore is named in his honour, renamed from Lebanon Park in 1997.[4]
References edit
- ^ "WW2 Nominal Roll". Government of Australia.
- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
- ^ . Essendon Football Club. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c d e f g "Syd McGain". AFL Umpires Association.
- ^ a b c AFL Tables: Syd McGain
- ^ The Age,"Dons patch up and old rift", 9 October 2006, Martin Blake
- ^ "1951 - Benalla winners". Benalla Ensign. 8 March 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 25 July 2021.