Peter Bennett (footballer, born 1926)

Peter John Bennett (11 July 1926 – 4 July 2012)[1] was an Olympian water polo player and Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Bennett was a full forward and topped St Kilda's goal kicking five times, with a best of 59 goals in 1950; however, he never fully recovered from a knee injury sustained in his debut match in 1944 and was among the best players in a poor team.[1]

Peter Bennett
Personal information
Full name Peter John Bennett
Date of birth (1926-07-11)11 July 1926
Place of birth Brighton, Victoria
Date of death 4 July 2012(2012-07-04) (aged 85)
Place of death Gold Coast, Queensland
Original team(s) Melbourne HSOB;
Collegians
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 78 kg (172 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1944, 1947–54 St Kilda 103 (258)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1954.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com
Peter Bennett
Medal record
Mens water polo
Representing  Australia
British Empire Games
Gold medal – first place1950 AucklandWater polo

Having already declined a invitation to represent the Australian team in water polo at the 1948 Summer Olympics and claimed a gold medal in the sport at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland,[1] in 1952 Bennett took a year off from football in order to take part in the 1952 Summer Olympics at Helsinki.[2] After two more seasons at St Kilda he decided to retire from football to concentrate on water polo, and captained the Australian team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics where they finished ninth.[2] In 2012, he was inducted into the Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame.[3]

He was educated at Wesley College and Melbourne High School. He served as a private in the Australian Army as a teenager during the Second World War.[4] His wife Marjorie McQuade was an Olympic swimmer for Australia in the 1948 and 1952 games, and a triple gold medallist at the 1950 Empire Games.

References
  1. Holmesby, Russell (4 July 2012). "Bennett obituary". St Kilda Football Club. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  2. Sports Reference - Peter Bennett Biography
  3. "Hall of Fame - Water Polo Australia". waterpoloaustralia.com.au. Water Polo Australia. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. "World War Two Service". Australian Government – Department of Veteran's Affairs. Retrieved 16 January 2021.


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