Tom McMahon (footballer, born 1918)

Thomas Joseph McMahon (28 July 1918 – 24 September 2005) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL). [1]

Tom McMahon
Personal information
Full name Thomas Joseph McMahon
Date of birth (1918-07-28)28 July 1918
Place of birth Melbourne, Victoria
Date of death 24 September 2005(2005-09-24) (aged 87)
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 71 kg (157 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1943 Footscray 2 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1943.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

War service

Thomas Joseph McMahon enlisted to serve in the Australian Army in World War II in January 1940.[2]

Football career

McMahon played two senior VFL games for Footscray in 1943, against Essendon and St Kilda. After Footscray played Essendon, the local South Melbourne newspaper reported “Tom McMahon gave a sound display on the wing. Close on 6 ft., well-built and very fast (he appeared at Stawell), McMahon was born in Draper Street and served his apprenticeship in the printing department of 'The Record' Office.”[3]

In 1944 McMahon joined his local side, South Melbourne,[4] but did not make a senior appearance, only making the supplementary list in 1945.[5] He subsequently applied to join Prahran in the Victorian Football Association.[6] Although not granted a clearance by South, by June 1945 McMahon was playing with Prahran.[7] In 1947, McMahon was appointed acting captain of the Prahran side when Keith Stackpole was injured[8] in what was to be his final year of senior football.

Sprinting career

McMahon was an accomplished sprinter, competing in the Stawell Gift in 1940[9] and 1941,[10] but failed to make it past the heat stage.

In 1946, McMahon won his heat at Stawell but failed to make the final after finished second to Jim Baird in his semi-final.[11]

Personal life

In November 1944 Tom McMahon married Phyllis Mary Mullins[12] He worked in the printing industry and lived in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton for most of his life.

Thomas Joseph McMahon died at the age of 87 in 2005.[13]

Notes
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 595. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. "World War II Roll: Thomas Joseph McMahon". Commonwealth of Australia.
  3. "RANDOM PARS". Record. South Melbourne, Victoria. 12 June 1943. p. 3.
  4. "SOUTH SECONDS' VICTORY OVER PREMIERS". Record. Vol. XLIX, no. 20. South Melbourne, Victoria. 27 May 1944. p. 3.
  5. "MORE FINAL VFL LISTS". The Argus. No. 30, 774. Victoria, Australia. 17 April 1945. p. 13.
  6. "MANN, CARLTON, TO PLAY WITH BRUNSWICK". The Argus. No. 30, 805. Victoria, Australia. 23 May 1945. p. 7.
  7. "Prahran Win Fast Game". Sporting Globe. No. 2396. Melbourne, Victoria. 9 June 1945. p. 3.
  8. "Prahran New Force In The V.F.A. Battle". Sporting Globe. No. 2623. Melbourne, Victoria. 13 August 1947. p. 16.
  9. "STAWELL FAVOURITE RUNS DISAPPOINTINGLY". The Argus. No. 29, 200. Victoria, Australia. 25 March 1940. p. 8.
  10. "CROWDS GO TO STAWELL". The Argus. No. 29, 527. Victoria, Australia. 12 April 1941. p. 16.
  11. ""RECORD" OFFICE EMPLOYEE IN STAWELL GIFT". Record. Vol. LXXVII, no. 16. Victoria, Australia. 27 April 1946. p. 3.
  12. "PRETTY NAVAL WEDDING AT MIDDLE PARK". Record. Vol. XLIX, no. 47. South Melbourne, Victoria. 2 December 1944. p. 2.
  13. "Thomas Joseph McMahon". Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust.
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