Alfred Waldron (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Alfred "Topsy" Waldron (26 February 1857 – 7 June 1929) was an Australian rules football
er who played for Norwood
in the South Australian Football Association
(SAFA) during the 19th century. He also played a couple of first-class cricket
matches for South Australia
.
Waldron, who was captain of Norwood for a club record ten seasons, played in eight of their early premiership teams, six as captain. He had started his career at Albert Park
and then crossed to Carlton
in the Victorian Football Association
(VFA). After playing in Carlton's 1877 VFA premiership side, Waldron was convinced by a friend to go to Norwood and he joined them for their second season in the SAFA.
In 1888, Waldron captained Norwood to victory in the inaugural Championship of Australia
. The club took on South Melbourne
at Kensington Oval
for the title and won the series 3–0. He also captained South Australia in three inter-colonial games and played in three others. When the South Australian Football Hall of Fame
was opened to inductees in 2002, Waldron was one of the first added and the oldest.
His two first-class cricket matches were played almost five years apart, in the 1881/82 and 1887/88 summers. Waldron failed with the bat in both but took 3 for 18 against Victoria
at the Adelaide Oval
in what was the only innings he bowled in. One of those wickets was Test cricketer Tup Scott
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played for Norwood
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
in the South Australian Football Association
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SAFA) during the 19th century. He also played a couple of first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches for South Australia
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
.
Waldron, who was captain of Norwood for a club record ten seasons, played in eight of their early premiership teams, six as captain. He had started his career at Albert Park
Albert Park Football Club
Albert Park Football Club is an Australian rules football club located 3 km south of Melbourne in the suburb of Albert Park.Originally affiliated with the VFA during the 19th century.The club colours are red and white....
and then crossed to Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the Victorian Football Association
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFA). After playing in Carlton's 1877 VFA premiership side, Waldron was convinced by a friend to go to Norwood and he joined them for their second season in the SAFA.
In 1888, Waldron captained Norwood to victory in the inaugural Championship of Australia
Championship of Australia
The Championship of Australia was the name given to an Australian rules football tournament which was contested between football clubs from the Victorian, South Australian and West Australian football leagues. The Championship took place three times in the 19th century and then from 1907 to 1914...
. The club took on South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
at Kensington Oval
Kensington Oval, Adelaide
The Kensington Oval is located on 344 The Parade, Kensington, South Australia. Now used primarily for cricket in South Australia, the venue was once Adelaide's premier athletics facility and known as Olympic Sports Field.-Early history:...
for the title and won the series 3–0. He also captained South Australia in three inter-colonial games and played in three others. When the South Australian Football Hall of Fame
South Australian Football Hall of Fame
The South Australian Football Hall of Fame was created in 2002 to recognise the players, coaches, umpires, administrators and journalists who had made a significant contribution in the South Australian National Football League...
was opened to inductees in 2002, Waldron was one of the first added and the oldest.
His two first-class cricket matches were played almost five years apart, in the 1881/82 and 1887/88 summers. Waldron failed with the bat in both but took 3 for 18 against Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
at the Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
in what was the only innings he bowled in. One of those wickets was Test cricketer Tup Scott
Tup Scott
Henry James Herbert Scott was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. Scott, a doctor by training, later served as mayor and chief magistrate in the rural New South Wales town of Scone; he died here of typhoid in 1910.His first-class debut was at the age of nineteen in February 1878 for...
.