Carji Greeves facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carji Greeves |
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Carji Greeves
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Edward Goderich Greeves, Junior | ||
| Nickname(s) | Carji | ||
| Date of birth | 1 November 1903 | ||
| Place of birth | Warragul, Victoria, Australia | ||
| Date of death | 15 April 1963 (aged 59) | ||
| Place of death | Ararat, Victoria, Australia | ||
| Original team | Berrybank, Geelong College | ||
| Position(s) | Midfield | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Edward Goderich "Carji" Greeves Jr. (born November 1, 1903 – died April 15, 1963) was a famous Australian rules football player. He played for the Geelong Football Club in the VFL, which is now called the AFL. Carji Greeves made history in 1924 when he won the very first Brownlow Medal. This award goes to the player who is voted the "fairest and best" during the regular season. His father, Ted Greeves, also played for the Geelong Football Club.
Today, the Carji Greeves Medal is named after him. It is the award given to the Geelong Football Club's best and fairest player each year.
Early Life and Nickname
Carji Greeves grew up in Victoria, Australia. He went to Struan Dam School, where he was schoolmates with another future Geelong champion, Reg Hickey. Later, he attended The Geelong College.
His unique nickname, "Carji," was given to him when he was just a baby. A family friend, Michael Scott, likely named him after a character from a popular musical play called A Country Girl.
Football Career Highlights
Carji Greeves played for the Geelong Football Club from 1923 to 1931. He wore jumper number 20. He was a key player in Geelong's success during his time.
Some of his biggest achievements include:
- Winning the first-ever Brownlow Medal in 1924. This award recognizes the player who is both "best" (meaning they played very well) and "fairest" (meaning they did not get suspended during the season).
- Being part of two VFL premiership-winning teams with Geelong in 1925 and 1931. A premiership is like winning the championship!
- Representing the state of Victoria seven times in special interstate matches.
- Being honored by the Geelong Football Club with their best-and-fairest award, the Carji Greeves Medal, named after him.
- Being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. This means he is recognized as one of the greatest players in Australian football history.
Life After Football
After his VFL career, Carji Greeves' amazing kicking skills caught the attention of American college football teams. In 1928, he moved to the United States to coach kicking for the UCLA Bruins. He also studied at Stanford University, where he taught students about Australian Rules football.
Carji Greeves passed away on April 15, 1963, at the age of 59. His legacy lives on through the Carji Greeves Medal and the "Carji" Greeves Club, a support group for football parents at The Geelong College, which started in 2004.
