Wally Chalmers

Walter Henry Chalmers (16 September 1890 – 17 November 1966) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

For the South African cricketer, see Wally Chalmers (cricketer).

Wally Chalmers
Personal information
Full name Walter Henry Chalmers
Date of birth (1890-09-16)16 September 1890
Place of birth Carlton, Victoria
Date of death 17 November 1966(1966-11-17) (aged 76)
Place of death Brighton, Victoria
Original team(s) Carlton District
Height 163 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Weight 63 kg (139 lb)
Position(s) Wing
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1911–1918 Essendon 73 (11)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1918.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Recruited from Carlton District, Chalmers was a wingman and debuted for Essendon in the 1911 season. He played in that year's premiership side and in another premiership side the following year. His career was interrupted by the First World War but he returned to Essendon in 1918 for one final season.

Personal life

Wally Chalmers was the second of three sons[1] of prominent Australian stage actors George Chalmers (1854–1937)[2] and Katie Towers (1870–1946).[3] George Chalmers was the stage name of George Weeks[4] and Chalmers was born Walter Henry Weeks in Carlton, Victoria on 16 September 1890. He married Harriet Stuart Schilling (1889–1961) in 1914.

VFL career

Wally Chalmers came to Essendon from the Carlton seconds, and commenced his career in the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1911. Under the captaincy of David Smith and coaching tenure of Jack Worrall,[5] Chalmers played on the wing, and within the space of his first season, he came to be recognised as the best wingman in the entire league.[6] Essendon finished the season as minor premiers and met Collingwood in the 1911 VFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Chalmers retained his position as a wingman for the game as Essendon defeated Collingwood by a goal, making Chalmers a premiership player in his first ever season at the senior level.

In 1911, Chalmers also represented the VFL in matches against sides from the Ballarat Football League and the Bendigo Football League.

In 1912, Chalmers, this time under the captaincy of Allan Belcher,[5] became a dual premiership player when Essendon defeated South Melbourne in the 1912 VFL Grand Final. Chalmers had once more played a premiership on the wing. He continued his career at Essendon through to 1915, after which Essendon withdrew from the competition due to World War I. When the club re-entered the VFL in 1918,[7] Chalmers continued playing for Essendon, switching his No. 7 guernsey for No. 2, although he would only play a further 6 games before his career at the senior level concluded.[8]

Statistics
Season Team No. Games Goals
1911 Essendon 7 19 2
1912 Essendon 7 16 1
1913 Essendon 7 16 1
1914 Essendon 7 15 6
1915 Essendon 7 1 0
1918 Essendon 2 6 1
Career totals 73 11

Notes
  1. "LIEUT. GEORGE CHALMERS". Winner. No. 143. Victoria, Australia. 18 April 1917. p. 8.
  2. "STAGE FIGURE PASSES OVER AT 83". The Sun. No. 8663. New South Wales, Australia. 9 October 1937. p. 2.
  3. "Australian Actress Katie Towers Dead". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XI, no. 137. New South Wales, Australia. 30 August 1946. p. 10.
  4. "Old players meet at funeral of actress, 75". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. VII, no. 42. New South Wales, Australia. 1 September 1946. p. 5.
  5. "Essendon Football Club - Club Honours". essendonfc.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  6. "Essendon Football Club profile". essendonfc.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  7. "Essendon Football Club - Club History". essendonfc.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  8. Wally Chalmers's playing statistics from AFL Tables

References
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