Keith Shea

Keith Sylvester Shea (10 August 1914 – 27 February 1951) was an Australian rules footballer who played at high levels in both Victoria and Western Australia. His senior VFL playing career spanned from 1932 to 1945, although it was interrupted by the war and he continued on playing country football until 1950.

Keith Shea
Personal information
Full name Keith Sylvester Shea
Date of birth 10 August 1914
Place of birth Bacchus Marsh, Victoria
Date of death 27 February 1951(1951-02-27) (aged 36)
Place of death Albury, New South Wales
Original team(s) Bacchus Marsh
Height 175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 78 kg (172 lb)
Playing career
Years Club Games (Goals)
1932–1937 Carlton 91 (101)
1938–1939 Subiaco 37 (69)
1940 South Fremantle 17 (14)
1945 Hawthorn 8 (8)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1940 South Fremantle 22 (16–6–0)
1945–1946 Hawthorn 39 (9–30–0)
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Stephen Sylvester Shea (1890-1958),[1] and Florence Kathleen Shea (1891-1958), née Dowling,[2] Keith Sylvester Shea was born at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria on 10 August 1914.

He married Linda Jessie Elin Tuke (1914-1977) on 25 November 1940.[3]

Football

Shea was a half forward and played with Carlton from 1932 to 1937. He polled well in the Brownlow Medal, the closest he came to winning was in 1934 where he fell 2 votes short with an equal 3rd placing.[4] Shea finished 3rd again the following season in 1935[5] and equal fourth in 1937.[6]

He represented Victoria on 10 occasions during his time at Carlton. It was playing for Victoria in the 1937 Perth Carnival where he caught the eyes of the Subiaco Football Club recruiters who signed him up for the 1938 season, coached by Haydn Bunton. During his stint with Subiaco he played interstate football with Western Australia and polled 11 votes in the 1938 Sandover Medal.[7] He was appointed coach of South Fremantle for the 1940 season.[8]

In 1941 Shea had returned to Melbourne. He accepted the coaching position at North Melbourne but Carlton would not give him a clearance. He was still legally tied to South Fremantle whom themselves would not clear him back to Victoria. Shea was fined while as Publican of the Notting Hill Hotel for selling alcohol out of hours.[9]

Shea returned to the VFL in 1945 as coach of Hawthorn on a three year deal. When injuries got the better of him during the season he became a non playing coach.[10] He retired as a player at the season's end but staying on as coach in 1946.

In 1947 he coached Rupanyup in the Wimmera Football League,[11] then moved to Albury the following year when he coached North Albury[12] to win the 1948 premiership of the Ovens and Murray Football League.[13][14]

In 1950 he coached Griffith South West Football League (New South Wales),[15] to a losing grand final.[16]

Shea was reappointed coach of North Albury for the 1951 season but died.[17]

Death

Shea, who was a hairdresser by trade, died in the Albury Base Hospital on 27 February 1951,[18] at the age of 37 following an operation in February 1951 in Albury, New South Wales. He had been ill for some time.[19][20]

References
  1. Deaths: Shea, The Age, (Monday, 24 February 1958), p.12.
  2. Deaths: Shea, The Age, (Wednesday, 12 November 1958), p.23.
  3. Football Star to Wed, The (Perth) Daily News, (Saturday, 16 November 1940), p.18.
  4. "1934 - Brownlow Medal". Weekly Times. 29 September 1934. p. 73. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  5. "1935 - Bunton Again!". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic). 21 September 1935. p. 74. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  6. "1937 - REYNOLDS AGAIN WINS BROWNLOW MEDAL". The Age. 2 September 1937. p. 17. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  7. "1938 - HAYDN BUNTON WINS THE SANDOVER MEDAL". The Daily News (Perth, WA). 13 September 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  8. "1940 - Football: South Fremantle's Coach. K. Shea's Appointment Announced". The West Australian. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 27 February 1940. p. 9. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  9. "1941 - Fined For Licensing Offences". The Dandenong Journal (Vic). 2 July 1941. p. 11. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  10. "1946 - KEITH SHEA TO COACH HAWTHORN TEAM". The Argus. 24 January 1946. p. 7. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  11. "1950 - Shea appointed playing coach of Rupanyup". The Horsham Times (Vic). 14 March 1947. p. 8. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  12. "1948 - FOOTBALL EXPECTS BUMPER SEASON". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 1 April 1948. p. 11. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  13. "1948 - North's One Goal Premiership Victory". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 6 September 1948. p. 11. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  14. "1948 - O&MFL Grand Final Scores". O&MFL. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  15. "1950 - KEITH SHEA TO COACH GRIFFITH". The Murrumbidgee Irrigator (Leeton, NSW). 10 February 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  16. "1950 - Ganmain Premiers". The Murrumbidgee Irrigator (Leeton, NSW). 19 September 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  17. "1951 - Keith Shea's Sudden Death". The Age. 28 February 1951. p. 24. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  18. Mr. Keith Shea, The Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, (Thursday, 1 March 1951), p.2.
  19. Deaths: Shea, The Herald, (Tuesday, 27 February 1951), p.8.
  20. "1951 - Keith Shea Dies at Albury". The West Australian. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 28 February 1951. p. 14. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
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