Fred Clarke (Australian footballer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fred Clarke |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Fredrick Clarke | ||
| Date of birth | 1 December 1932 | ||
| Date of death | 17 August 2020 (aged 87) | ||
| Original team | Heidelberg | ||
Fred Clarke (born December 1, 1932 – died August 17, 2020) was an Australian rules football player. He played for the Richmond team in the Victorian Football League (VFL). The VFL is now known as the Australian Football League (AFL).
Fred Clarke was the first player to wear the number 17 guernsey after the famous player Jack Dyer retired. This number was very special to the club.
Contents
Fred Clarke's Football Journey
Starting with Richmond
Fred Clarke joined the Richmond team in the 1951 VFL season when he was 18 years old. He came from the Heidelberg team. In his first game, he was the 19th man, ready to play if someone got hurt.
Soon after, he moved from his usual half-back position to full-back. This happened in his second game because another player, Bob Wiggins, was injured. People described Fred as a fast and strong player.
He played in a third game, then spent a short time playing for Richmond's junior team. In July, he had to leave Richmond for military training. This was compulsory for young men during the Korean War, and it ended his season early.
Playing Through the Seasons
In the 1952 season, Fred Clarke played 14 games for Richmond. He played 12 of these games in a row. During this time, he played in many different positions, including full-back.
The 1953 season started with Fred playing four early games. However, he got a thigh injury and could not recover well enough to play any more games that season. He had bad luck with injuries again in 1954. He couldn't get a game and was allowed to leave Richmond in June. He then joined the Maryborough team.
Fred Clarke was a very successful player for the Heidelberg Football Club. He was part of five teams that won premierships there. He is also honored as a back pocket player in Heidelberg's special Team of the Century.
Fred Clarke's Family Life
Fred Clarke had four brothers named Robert (Bob), Ronald, Colin, and Ralph Gordon Clarke.
He later met his wife, Fay. Fred and Fay had four children together. They had three sons and one daughter.
His oldest son, Neil Clarke, also became a successful Australian rules footballer. Neil played 135 games for the Essendon team. He was also part of two premiership-winning teams.
