Ern Cowley
Cowley during his Carlton career
Personal information
Full name	Ernest Clyde Cowley
Date of birth	17 August 1892
Place of birth	Brunswick East, Victoria
Date of death	20 October 1975(1975-10-20) (aged 83)
Place of death	Ivanhoe, Victoria
Original team(s)	Brunswick
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	72 kg (159 lb)
Position(s)	Forward
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1918–1919	Carlton	24 (51)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1919.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Ernest Clyde Cowley (17 August 1892 – 20 October 1975)^[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL).^[2]

Background

Cowley came to Carlton from Brunswick and had a strong debut season, kicking 35 goals to top the VFL's goalkicking. He played just one more year with Carlton before returning to the VFA where he joined Prahran. Cowley was also a proficient baseball pitcher who represented Victoria in interstate competition.^[3]

Cowley invented the football game called "Austus", a combination of Australian and American football which was played between Australians and visiting American servicemen during World War II.^[2] He was a journalist with the Sporting Globe and wrote on American sports, particularly baseball.^[2]