Jack Balmer
Encyclopedia
Jack Balmer was a footballer who played Centre Forward, for Liverpool Football Club
.
, Liverpool
, Merseyside
, England
, Balmer played for Collegiate Old Boys and Everton
, where he was an amateur, before he was signed by Liverpool manager George Patterson
who gave him his first professional contract on the 23 August 1935, the 19 year old made his debut on the 21 September 1935 at Elland Road
against Leeds in a 1st Division match, however, it wasn't a day to remember as the Reds lost 1-0, his first goal came on the 7 December the same year in a league game at Anfield
, the 81st minute strike turned out to be the winner in a 2-1 victory over Preston
.
Balmer came from a family of footballers, Uncles Walter and Bob
both played for Everton during the early part of the 20th century whilst Uncle Jack was an amateur at Goodison Park
.
After the short journey across Stanley Park
, Jack flitted in and out of the starting line-up during his first season at the club, fighting for the number 9 shirt with Fred Howe. Still learning his trade Balmer would gain great experience playing in an inside forward position as well as his more accustomed centre-forward role.
The Second World War curtailed Balmer's footballing career, as it did so many others, but in doing so it probably took away Jack's best years. Upon resumption of the a national league competition Balmer formed an impressive partnership with Albert Stubbins
, they both finished the first post war season (1946-47
, with 24 goals, helping to guide the Reds to the League title 24 years after their last.
During the title season, Jack created a League record by scoring a hat-trick
of hat-tricks (no other player would score even two successive hat-tricks for the club until another number 9, Fernando Torres
, did so in 2008). The first came on the 9 November 1946 in a 3-0 home win against Portsmouth
with the goals coming in the 30th (penalty), 70th and 79th minute, he followed this up a week later with a 4 goal haul away at the Baseball Ground
in a 4-1 win over Derby
, this included a 6 minute hat-trick, 43rd, 46th and 49th minutes with the 4th coming in the 60th minute. The record breaker came on the 23rd of November at home to Arsenal
in the 15th, 61st and 68th minutes of a 4-2 triumph, Stubbins scored the other in the 78th minute bringing to an end a run of 10 consecutive goals by Balmer. He followed this feat up with 5 more goals in his next 4 games making a grand total of 15 in 7 outings, more than 2 a game, a stunning strike rate.
Balmer, who was intelligent and very skillful, was given the captaincy in the 1947/48 season and continued to score for fun along with Stubbins. He played 313 games, scoring 111 goals between 1935 and 1952 which would have been a lot more if it hadn't been for the Second World War.
It was during the 1939/45 war that he gained his only international recognition playing for England
in an 'unofficial' matches.
In 1952, After playing 312 appearances for the Reds scoring 111 goals, Balmer retired from the game after averaging exactly a goal every 2.8 appearances for the Reds.
He died on Christmas Day 1984 at the age of 68.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
.
Life and playing career
Born in West DerbyWest Derby
West Derby is a suburb in the north of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is also a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2001 Census, the population of the ward was 14,801 .-History:...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Balmer played for Collegiate Old Boys and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, where he was an amateur, before he was signed by Liverpool manager George Patterson
George Patterson (football)
George Patterson was a football manager and secretary who was involved with Liverpool F.C. for much of the first half of the 20th century. After a playing career spent mostly with Marine F.C., Patterson joined Liverpool in 1908, as assistant to Tom Watson. After a spell as club secretary, he was...
who gave him his first professional contract on the 23 August 1935, the 19 year old made his debut on the 21 September 1935 at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
against Leeds in a 1st Division match, however, it wasn't a day to remember as the Reds lost 1-0, his first goal came on the 7 December the same year in a league game at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, the 81st minute strike turned out to be the winner in a 2-1 victory over Preston
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
.
Balmer came from a family of footballers, Uncles Walter and Bob
Bob Balmer
Robert "Bob" Balmer was an English professional footballer who played for Everton between 1903 and 1912. His brother Billy and nephew Jack were also professional footballers....
both played for Everton during the early part of the 20th century whilst Uncle Jack was an amateur at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
.
After the short journey across Stanley Park
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
, Jack flitted in and out of the starting line-up during his first season at the club, fighting for the number 9 shirt with Fred Howe. Still learning his trade Balmer would gain great experience playing in an inside forward position as well as his more accustomed centre-forward role.
The Second World War curtailed Balmer's footballing career, as it did so many others, but in doing so it probably took away Jack's best years. Upon resumption of the a national league competition Balmer formed an impressive partnership with Albert Stubbins
Albert Stubbins
Albert Stubbins was an English footballer. He played in the position of centre forward, although his career was limited by the onset of World War II.-Life and playing career:...
, they both finished the first post war season (1946-47
1946-47 in English football
The 1946–47 season was the 67th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1946–47 season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign. Eighty-eight teams competed over four divisions. Liverpool went top of the First Division with a 2–1 away win over...
, with 24 goals, helping to guide the Reds to the League title 24 years after their last.
During the title season, Jack created a League record by scoring a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
of hat-tricks (no other player would score even two successive hat-tricks for the club until another number 9, Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres
Fernando José Torres Sanz , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Spain national team as a striker....
, did so in 2008). The first came on the 9 November 1946 in a 3-0 home win against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
with the goals coming in the 30th (penalty), 70th and 79th minute, he followed this up a week later with a 4 goal haul away at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
in a 4-1 win over Derby
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, this included a 6 minute hat-trick, 43rd, 46th and 49th minutes with the 4th coming in the 60th minute. The record breaker came on the 23rd of November at home to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in the 15th, 61st and 68th minutes of a 4-2 triumph, Stubbins scored the other in the 78th minute bringing to an end a run of 10 consecutive goals by Balmer. He followed this feat up with 5 more goals in his next 4 games making a grand total of 15 in 7 outings, more than 2 a game, a stunning strike rate.
Balmer, who was intelligent and very skillful, was given the captaincy in the 1947/48 season and continued to score for fun along with Stubbins. He played 313 games, scoring 111 goals between 1935 and 1952 which would have been a lot more if it hadn't been for the Second World War.
It was during the 1939/45 war that he gained his only international recognition playing for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in an 'unofficial' matches.
In 1952, After playing 312 appearances for the Reds scoring 111 goals, Balmer retired from the game after averaging exactly a goal every 2.8 appearances for the Reds.
He died on Christmas Day 1984 at the age of 68.
Career details
- Liverpool F.C (1935–1952) - 312 appearances, 111 goals - Football League First Division (level 1) championship winners medal (1947)