Charlie Challenger
| Charlie Challenger | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Charles Thomas Challenger | ||
| Date of birth | 9 December 1917 | ||
| Place of birth | Fremantle, Western Australia | ||
| Date of death | 28 November 1996 (aged 78) | ||
| Place of death | Fairfield, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Brunswick | ||
| Height | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1938-1940 | Brunswick (VFA) | 39 (3) | |
| 1940 | Essendon (VFL) | 2 (0) | |
| 1940-1941 | Brunswick (VFA) | 27 (6) | |
| 1946-1947 | Brunswick (VFA) | 16 (4) | |
| Total | 84 (13) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1947. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Charles Thomas Challenger (9 December 1917 – 28 November 1996) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]
Family[edit]
He married Margaret Ellen Donohue in 1960.
Football[edit]
Brunswick (VFA)[edit]
In April 1937, he was cleared from Plenty Rovers in the Diamond Valley Football League to the Brunswick Second XVIII.[2][3] Although not part of the regular home-and-away VFA season, Challenger played a match with the Brunswick First XVIII, in which he was declared Brunswick's "most effective player", against the Ballarat Imperial Football Club in September 1937.[4]
He played his first senior VFA home-and-away match for Brunswick, against Coburg, on 16 April 1938;[5] and, at the end of his first senior season, he was declared the club's "most improved player".[6]
He played in two VFA Grand finals:
- 1938: as a wing-man (kicking 2 goals) in Brunswick's 19-17 (131) victory over Brighton 14.14 (98).[7][8]
- 1939: as a back-pocket in Brunswick's nine point loss to Williamstown, 14.11 (95) to 14.20 (104).[9][10]
Essendon (VFL)[edit]
On 21 March 1940 he trained for the first time with Essendon.[11] He was cleared to Essendon in April 1940.[12][13]
He only played in two First XVIII games for Essendon, both on the half-forward flank: against Fitzroy on 18 May 1940,[14] and against Hawthorn on 25 May 1940.[15]
Brunswick (VFA)[edit]
He was cleared back to Brunswick from Essendon in July 1940,[16] and played his first senior match in his second time at Brunswick, in the back-pocket, against Coburg on 6 July 1940.[17]
Military service[edit]
He served in the Australian Army during World War II.[18][19]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Holmesby & Main (2014), p.142.
- ^ Second Eighteen Clearances, The Argus, (Friday, 23 April 1937), p.15.
- ^ Charlie Challenger, The Herald, (Friday, 7 July 1939), p.18.
- ^ Brunswick at Ballarat, The Argus,. (Monday, 20 September 1937), p.17.
- ^ Association Teams Chosen for Opening To-Day, The Argus, (Saturday, 16 April 1938), p.21.
- ^ Football: Brunswick Awards, The Argus, (Saturday, 19 November 1938), p.14.
- ^ Players in Grand Final, The Herald, (Friday, 19 August 1938), p.18.
- ^ 'Rover', "Brunswick Now V.F.A. Premiers", The Argus, (Monday, 22 August 1938), p.15.
- ^ The Teams, The Age, (Friday, 6 October 1939), p.12.
- ^ 'Centre', "V.F.A. Premiers", The Age, (Monday, 9 October 1939), p.4.
- ^ Essendon, The Argus, (Saturday, 23 March 1940), p.15.
- ^ Challenger's Position, The Herald, (Monday, 1 April 1940), p.14.
- ^ More League Permits, The Argus, (Saturday, 27 April 1940), p.11.
- ^ League Teams: Fitzroy v. Essendon, The Argus, (Friday, 17 May 1940), p.19.
- ^ League Teams: Essendon v. Hawthorn, The Argus, (Friday, 24 May 1940), p.14.
- ^ Challenger Cleared Back, The Age, (Tuesday, 2 July 1940), p.4.
- ^ Football: Association: Coburg v. Brunswick, The Argus, (Friday, 5 July 1940), p.14.
- ^ Nominal Roll.
- ^ Sportsmen with 15th Inf., The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 19 August 1942), p.13.
References[edit]
- World War Two Nominal Roll: Private Charles Thomas Challenger (VXZ137813), Department of Veterans' Affairs.
- B883, VXZ137813: World War Two Service Record: Private Charles Thomas Challenger (VXZ137813), National Archives of Australia.
- Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
- Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
External links[edit]
- Charlie Challenger's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Charlie Challenger at AustralianFootball.com
- Charlie Challenger, at The VFA Project.