Wilbur Harris
Personal information
Full name Harold Wilbur Harris
Date of birth 28 May 1912
Date of death 28 June 1981(1981-06-28) (aged 69)
Original team(s) West Torrens
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 87 kg (192 lb)
Position(s) Ruckman
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1933–41 South Melbourne 69 (19)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1941.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Wilbur Harris (28 May 1912 – 28 June 1981)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Harris was a ruckman, recruited from South Australian club West Torrens. The collection of players recruited from interstate in 1932/1933 became known as South Melbourne's "Foreign Legion".[2]

He originally had trouble establishing a spot in the senior South Melbourne side, but was selected as 19th man in the 1934 VFL Grand Final. By 1937 Harris was a regular in the senior team. He kicked 12 of his 19 career goals that year. In 1941 he was cleared to play for Williamstown in the Victorian Football Association,[3] but never played for them, returning to play six more games for South Melbourne.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ "Wilbur Harris - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  2. ^ The caricature at the foot of page 10 of Table Talk (22 June 1933) was created by Richard "Dick" Ovenden (1897–1972). From left to right those represented are: Jack Bisset, the team’s captain; Dick Mullaly, the club’s secretary; Brighton Diggins, from Subiaco (WAFL); Bert Beard, from South Fremantle (WAFL); Bill Faul, from Subiaco (WAFL); Joe O'Meara, from East Perth (WAFL); Frank Davies, from City (NTFA); Laurie Nash, from City (NTFA); John Bowe, from Subiaco (WAFL); Jack Wade, from Port Adelaide (SANFL); Ossie Bertram, from West Torrens (SANFL); and Wilbur Harris, from West Torrens (SANFL).
  3. ^ "League Football". Record. Vol. XLVI, no. 13. Victoria, Australia. 29 March 1941. p. 3. Retrieved 6 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "AFL Tables - Wilbur Harris - Stats - Statistics". afltables.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.

References

Categories