Bob Quinn (Australian footballer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bob Quinn |
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Bob Quinn being chaired off Adelaide Oval after captaining Port Adelaide to victory in the 1939 SANFL Grand Final.
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Robert Berrima Quinn | ||
| Nickname(s) | Bob | ||
| Date of birth | 9 April 1915 | ||
| Place of birth | Birkenhead, South Australia | ||
| Date of death | 12 September 2008 (aged 93) | ||
| Place of death | Adelaide, South Australia | ||
| Original team | Semaphore Centrals | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Club
Representative
Coaching
Honours
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Robert Berrima Quinn (9 April 1915 – 12 September 2008) was a legendary Australian rules footballer for the Port Adelaide Football Club. He played in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Bob Quinn was also a brave soldier during World War II, earning a special award for his courage.
Contents
Early Life and Family Connections
Bob Quinn was born in Birkenhead, South Australia. He was the third of four sons. His father, John (Jack) Quinn, Sr, was also a famous footballer. Jack Quinn captained Port Adelaide in the early 1900s. He also played for South Australia. Bob's middle name, "Berrima," came from the SS Berrima, a ship his father worked on.
Bob went to Le Fevre Peninsula School. His family home was very close to the Port River. Twice a week, Bob and his father would row across the river. They would then walk to Alberton Oval for football.
Football Star Before World War II (1933–1939)
Bob Quinn started his football journey with the Semaphore Centrals Football Club as a junior player.
Making His Mark: Debut for Port Adelaide in 1933
On 6 May 1933, Bob Quinn played his first game for Port Adelaide. It was a Round 2 match in the 1933 SANFL season against North Adelaide. The game ended in a draw at Alberton Oval. Bob kicked one goal and was one of Port Adelaide's best players. As a rover, he quickly became known as one of South Australia's top players.
Rivalry and Success: 1934–1935 Seasons
In 1934, Bob Quinn was already impressing everyone. He was a key player for Port Adelaide. They finished first in the regular season. In the 1934 SANFL Grand Final, Port Adelaide lost to Glenelg. Bob Quinn was outstanding, kicking five goals. In 1935, Port Adelaide again finished first. However, they lost the Grand Final to South Adelaide by a small margin.
First Premiership Win in 1936
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In 1936, Bob Quinn was chosen for the South Australian state team. This year was also a big success for Port Adelaide. They won the 1936 SANFL Grand Final against Sturt Football Club. Port Adelaide was losing by five goals at half-time. But with Bob Quinn's amazing play, they came back to win by three points. This was Bob's first major championship as a player. It was Port Adelaide's first since 1928.
Back-to-Back Wins and Magarey Medal Near Miss in 1937
In 1937, Port Adelaide won another premiership. Bob Quinn was almost the winner of the Magarey Medal. This award is for the best player in the SANFL. He came second by just one vote. He also won Port Adelaide's Best and Fairest award. He was the team's leading goalkicker with 51 goals.
Winning the Magarey Medal in 1938
In 1938, Bob Quinn finally won the Magarey Medal. He was named the best player in the SANFL. He also won his second Best and Fairest award for Port Adelaide. After playing against Victoria, some Victorian clubs wanted him to play for them. But Bob decided to stay in South Australia.
Becoming Captain-Coach in 1939
In 1939, Bob Quinn became the captain and coach of Port Adelaide. In his first year as coach, he led the team to another premiership. This was Bob Quinn's third premiership as a player.
War Service (1940–1943)
When World War II started, many players joined the armed forces. Bob Quinn joined the Australian Army in June 1940. He was a Warrant Officer Class 2. He was still captain-coach of Port Adelaide at the time.
Bravery at Tobruk
Quinn was sent to fight in the North African campaign in Libya. He was part of the 2/43rd battalion in Tobruk. He showed great bravery there. On 3 August 1941, he took command of his platoon. He kept fighting even after being wounded. For his courage, he was awarded the Military Medal.
Injuries in the Pacific
Later, Quinn was sent to the Pacific. In September 1943, he was badly injured in New Guinea. His knee, arm, and face were hurt. Doctors thought he might never play football again. When he returned to play, he wore a leather strap on his arm to protect it.
A Family Loss
Bob Quinn's brother, George, also played for Port Adelaide. Sadly, George was killed in action in Egypt in July 1942. George had lied about his age to join the army.
Return to Football (1944–1947)
Despite his serious injuries, Bob Quinn returned to Australia. He started playing football again, even though doctors had doubted he would.
Playing Through Pain: 1944 Season
In 1944, Bob played 12 games for a combined Port Adelaide/West Torrens team. The SANFL competition was smaller because of the war. In his first game back, he received a standing ovation from the crowd. His injuries made him a slower player. He had to change his style, using more handballs. In one game, he broke his arm, hurt his thumb, and bruised his hip. But he still played on!
Second Magarey Medal and Teaming with a Legend: 1945
The 1945 SANFL season saw all clubs return to playing on their own. Bob Quinn, despite his old war injuries, showed he was still a champion. He won his second Magarey Medal. He got 45 votes, far ahead of the second-place player. He also won his third Best and Fairest award for Port Adelaide. He was the team's leading goalkicker again with 51 goals.
In 1945, Haydn Bunton, Sr., one of the greatest Australian rules players ever, joined Port Adelaide. Quinn and Bunton often played together, showing off their amazing skills. Bob Quinn also captained South Australia to a big win against Victoria. He was carried off the field by his teammates.
Captain of South Australia: 1946
In 1946, Bob Quinn captained South Australia again. They had an exciting draw against Victoria. After the game, the doctor who operated on him in New Guinea came to see him. The doctor was amazed that Bob was playing again. He joked about the good job he did fixing Bob's leg.
All-Australian Captain and Retirement: 1947
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1947 was Bob Quinn's last season as a player. He won his fourth Best and Fairest award for Port Adelaide. Sporting Life magazine named him captain of the first ever All-Australian team. This team featured the best players from all over Australia. When he retired, Bob Quinn had played 186 games for Port Adelaide. He also played 15 games for South Australia, which he captained from 1945 to 1947.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing, Bob Quinn planned to coach Port Adelaide. But he decided to move to Kadina. There, he became the owner of the local Central Hotel. He also coached local football teams.
Quinn coached the Yorke Peninsula Football Association in 1950. He also coached South Australia in the 1953 Adelaide Carnival. Sometimes, he even played in charity matches. In 1950, he had to play for Yorke Peninsula when his team was short a player. He fractured his pelvis after a collision.
Bob Quinn also wrote columns for The Advertiser newspaper. He was a guest tipster for The News. He also owned racehorses.
Later in life, Quinn returned to Adelaide. He bought the Southwark Hotel and was its publican for many years.
Personal Life and Sporting Family
Middle: Tom Quinn, Bob's older brother, was a premiership player for Port Adelaide in 1928 before being offered a job in Victoria. He would be named in Geelong's Team of the Century.
Right: John Sidoli, Bob Quinn's great uncle, was a foundation player for Port Adelaide in 1870.
Bob Quinn came from a very sporty family. His father, John (Jack) Quinn, Sr, was a famous footballer. He captained Port Adelaide and played for South Australia. Bob's great uncle, John Sidoli, was one of the first players for Port Adelaide in 1870.
All four Quinn brothers were talented footballers. Bob's older brother, Tom, played for Port Adelaide. He later became a star player for Geelong Football Club in Victoria. His youngest brother, George, also played well for Port Adelaide.
Bob's wife, May, was also a talented athlete. She played netball for South Australia. His son, Robert Jnr, played league football for Port Adelaide and South Adelaide. His other son, Greg, played cricket.
Bob's brother-in-law, Charlie "Chilla" Walker, was a leading South Australian cricketer. An award for the best wicketkeeper in Adelaide cricket is named after him. Greg Quinn won this award seven times.
Passing Away
Bob Quinn passed away in 2008 at the age of 93. His wife, May, had passed away in 1995. He was survived by his four children, eight grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.
John Cahill, a fellow Port Adelaide player and coach, spoke highly of Bob Quinn. He said Bob had a strong presence but was also humble and quiet.
Bob Quinn's Legacy and Recognition
| Magarey Medal votes | |
| Season | Votes |
|---|---|
| 1933 | ? |
| 1934 | ? |
| 1935 | ? |
| 1936 | 26 |
| 1937 | 36 |
| 1938 | 32 |
| 1939 | 4 |
| 1940 | ? |
| 1941 | ? |
| 1945 | 46 |
| 1946 | 4 |
| 1947 | 14 |
| Total | 162 |
| Key: | |
| Green / Bold = Won | |
Bob Quinn was made a life member of the Port Adelaide Football Club in 1944. When Port Adelaide joined the Australian Football League, Bob Quinn was named a joint number one ticket holder in 1997. He was also one of the first people inducted into the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2002, he became a life member of the SANFL. Bob Quinn was also one of the first people inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
The northern gate at Adelaide Oval is named after Bob Quinn. The grandstand built at Alberton Oval in 1972 was also named the RB Quinn Stand in his honor.
The Bob Quinn Medal is awarded to the best player in the annual SANFL ANZAC Day match. This award started in 2002.
South Australian sports journalist Ray Barber described Bob Quinn as a "beautifully balanced" player. He said Quinn had great courage and a special "daisy cutter" kick.
Tim Ginever, a former Port Adelaide captain, said that many people from Bob's time still believe he was the club's best player ever.
John Taylor Jnr, a West Adelaide captain who played against Bob Quinn, called him "The best captain I've ever seen and the best the State has ever had."
Haydn Bunton Sr., a famous player, thought Bob Quinn was the best South Australian player he had seen. He described Quinn as a "beautiful rover, polished and with a ton of guts."
Images for kids
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Bob Quinn during the 1936 SANFL season.
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T.S. O'Halloran presenting Quinn with the 1938 Magarey Medal.
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Bob Quinn's 1947 South Australian state football team guernsey is on display at Alberton Oval.
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Bob Quinn was named as captain in the first version of an All-Australian team, a concept created by Sporting Life magazine.
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The northern gates at Adelaide Oval are named after Bob Quinn.
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Bob's father John Quinn captained Port Adelaide in 1904 and 1905. He was part of the clubs 1906 premiership.
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Tom Quinn, Bob's older brother, was a premiership player for Port Adelaide in 1928 before being offered a job in Victoria. He would be named in Geelong's Team of the Century.
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John Sidoli, Bob Quinn's great uncle, was a foundation player for Port Adelaide in 1870.
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John Quinn, Bob's father, gave his son the middle name Berrima after the SS Berrima which he worked on.
