Norm McDonald (footballer, born 1925)

Norman David McDonald (10 December 1925 – 28 November 2002) was an indigenous Australian sportsman best known as an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Hailing from the Gunditjmara tribe, McDonald was the first indigenous player to represent Essendon.[1] He was also an accomplished sprinter and boxer.[1]

For the Footscray player, see Norm McDonald (footballer, born 1898).

Norm McDonald
Personal information
Full name Norman David McDonald
Date of birth 10 December 1925
Place of birth Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Date of death 28 November 2002(2002-11-28) (aged 76)
Place of death Footscray, Victoria, Australia
Original team(s) Belmont/Geelong RAAF
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 74 kg (163 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1947–1953 Essendon 128 (3)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1953.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

War Service

Lying about his age, McDonald enlisted in the Australian Army during World War II as a sixteen year old. He served for two years in the Northern Territory before transferring to the Australian Parachuting Training Centre in December 1944, qualifying after two months, and then returning to active duties. He was discharged in October 1946.[2]

Football

Essendon (VFL)

After finishing his war service, McDonald played in the Essendon premiership teams in 1949 and 1950 and won the Essendon Best and Fairest award in 1951. Although his attacking style of play sometimes resulted in goals to the opposition, captain-coach Dick Reynolds encouraged McDonald to continue to play his natural game.[3] He played his 100th game in 1952.[4]

Golden Square (BFL)

In 1954, McDonald was cleared from Essendon,[5] and was appointed captain-coach of the Golden Square Football Club in the Bendigo Football League, in place of ex-North Melbourne footballer Harry Green.[6] McDonald left the club before the end of the 1954 season, and his position was filled for the remainder of the season by the team's full-back, Vin Lapsley.[7] Footscray's (1954) premiership half-back flanker Alan Martin took over as Golden Square's captain-coach in 1955.[8][9]

Other sports

A noted sprinter,[10] McDonald ran second in the (Monday, 14 April 1952) final of the 1952 Stawell Gift to his Essendon Football Club teammate, Lance Mann;[11] and, two days later (Wednesday, 14 April 1952) he, once again, ran second to Mann — in the final of the Bendigo Easter Gift.[12]

The Easter Gift was an entirely different race from the Bendigo Thousand that had been conducted earlier that year from 8—10 March 1952: "McDonald suffered a financial setback when he backed himself heavily to win the Bendigo Thousand and was beaten by 1ft. in his semi-final in time equal to 6yds., 2ft. inside evens — his best run of the season."[13]

McDonald also ran second to Mann in the 1952 Lilydale Backmarkers Handicap on 22 March 1952.[14]

Besides running, McDonald was also a featherweight boxer who fought in 23 professional bouts, winning 5 and losing 18. Most of them at the former West Melbourne Stadium.[15]

Death

McDonald died peacefully on 28 November 2002 at the Footscray Hospital. Essendon's then chief executive Peter Jackson released the following statement on hearing of his passing:

Norm McDonald contributed in a number of ways both on and off the field. He was a passionate Essendon man and followed the team with interest even after his playing days. Being honoured as a Champion of Essendon earlier this year is a testament to the quality player he was.[16]

McDonald is buried at Altona Memorial Park.

Posthumous Honours

In 2005, McDonald was named on the half-back flank of the Indigenous Team of the Century.[17]

In 2018, he was inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll in recognition of his pioneering efforts for greater inclusion of Indigenous people in Australian Rules, especially in Victoria, as well as his contribution to his community for his fight against oppression and racism.[1]

References
  1. O'Connor, Callum (15 October 2018). "Norm McDonald honoured". essendonfc.com.au.
  2. Cullen, Barbara (2015). Harder than football : league players at war. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. p. 389. ISBN 978-0-992379-14-8.
  3. Main (2006), p.138
  4. Kerville, Ben (31 May 1952). "Lissom-limbed Norm McDonald, who played his 100th game with Essendon today, was . . . a Gift from the Gods". Sporting Globe. No. 3128. Victoria, Australia. p. 7. Retrieved 25 May 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. Clearances for Five Players, The Age, (Thursday, 1 April 1954), p.10.
  6. McDonald for Golden Square, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Monday, 14 December 1953), p.18; Andrew, George, "Country Coaches", The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 14 April 1954), p.3.
  7. Club Legends: Vin Lapsley, Golden Square Football Netball Club; over his entire career, Lapsley played in 227 Matches for Golden Square, as well as 4 representative games for the BFL (BFL 200 game players).
  8. Coaching Job for A. Martin, The Age, (Thursday, 4 November 1954), p.11.
  9. "Reports from Golden Square state that it is unlikely that Norm McDonald will lead the side next year as the Club has been unable to secure any intimation of his intentions for next season. Square are stated to be negotiating with Footseray half-back flanker, Alan Martin, a prominent member of the Bulldogs 1954 pennant side. Martin who previously played in the Ballarat and Wimmera Leagues is a school teacher and conducts physical education classes.": Spotlight on Sport, The Riverine Herald, (Monday, 1 November 1954), p.2.
  10. McDonald, "7 In", Wins at Maryborough, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 1 January 1949), p.4; Champion in Three Months, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 2 February 1949), p.9.
  11. Hayward, Steve, "Mann, Favourite, Wins the Gift: N. McDonald Close Second, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Monday, 14 April 1952), p.13; Welch, Bruce, "Mann Beats Team Mate in Stawell Gift Final", (Tuesday, 15 April 1952), p.14; Kerville, B., "Essendon Pair Dons of Track: Great Fight in Stawell Gift", The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 16 April 1952), p.11; Magnificent in Failure, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 16 April 1952), p.11.
  12. Gift Chance for McDonald, The Age, (Wednesday, 16 April 1952), p.10; Mann Completes Treble, The Mercury, (Thursday, 17 April 1952), p.20.
  13. New Mission for Star Runner, The West Australian, (Tuesday, 29 April 1952), p.11.
  14. Welch, Bruce, "Dowling Surprises in Lilydale Gift", The Age, (Monday, 24 March 1952), p.14; Silver City Favourite, The West Australian, (Saturday, 26 April 1952), p.17.
  15. "• Norm McDonald boxer •".
  16. "Club Champion Passes Away". essendonfc.com.au. 29 November 2002.
  17. "Indigenous team of the century named". abc.net.au. 1 August 2005.

Bibliography
  • Main, Jim (2006). When it matters most : the Norm Smith Medallist and best on ground in every Grand Final. Bas Publishing. ISBN 1920910689.
  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
  • Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0
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