Arthur Pearce

For the Melbourne player born Arthur Pearce, see Joe Pearce (footballer). For the New Zealand jazz specialist, broadcaster and pianist, see Arthur Fairchild Pearce.

Arthur John "Doc" Pearce (1 January 1881 – 8 March 1902) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).^[1]

Arthur Pearce
Personal information
Full name	Arthur John Pearce
Date of birth	(1881-01-01)1 January 1881
Place of birth	Bacchus Marsh, Victoria
Date of death	8 March 1902(1902-03-08) (aged 21)
Place of death	St Kilda East, Victoria
Original team(s)	Wesley College
Height	179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	66 kg (146 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1900–1901	St Kilda	27 (6)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1901.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Biography

Born on 1 January 1881, Pearce was the youngest son of Mr Thos G. Pearce and Mrs M. J. Pearce, from Bacchus Marsh.^[2]

Pearce, known to everyone as "Doc", was educated at Wesley College where he was a leading schoolboy athlete.^[3][4] He was captain of the school's boats, cricket and football teams in the period from 1898 to 1900.^[5]

Athletics

Pearce won the Victorian Public Schools Mile Championship in 1900. His time remained Wesley College's one mile record for many years.^[6]

In January 1901 he won the one mile cross country race at a "Commonwealth Celebration" championship competition on the Sydney Cricket Ground, held to mark the proclamation of the Federation of Australia.^[7][8]

Football career

Pearce was one of five new players introduced by St Kilda in the opening round of the 1901 VFL season, a historic and controversial win over Melbourne at Junction Oval. Initially finishing as a draw, St Kilda lodged a protest as a behind scored by Melbourne's Dick Wardill had come after the three quarter time bell had sounded, which was not heard by the umpire.^[9] The protest was successful and St Kilda, after 48 losses, won for the first time in the VFL.^[9] Pearce was noted by The Argus as having played the best of all St Kilda players.^[10]

For the remainder of the season he was a regular fixture in the team and ended the year with a total of 15 appearances.^[11]

He played a further 12 games for St Kilda in the 1901 VFL season.^[11]

In August 1901 he was an emergency in the Victorian side which played an interstate match against South Australia in Adelaide.^[12]

Death

Pearce died at his home in East St Kilda of typhoid fever on 8 March 1902, aged 21.^[13]

References

1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
2. "Family Notices". The Argus. Melbourne. 10 March 1902. p. 1. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "College Sports". The Australasian. Melbourne. 22 March 1919. p. 24. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "College Sports". The Australasian. Melbourne. 3 May 1902. p. 24. Retrieved 9 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "College Sports". The Australasian. Melbourne. 26 July 1924. p. 33. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
6. ""Old Boy's" Sporting Review". The Australasian. Melbourne. 28 September 1940. p. 15. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "The Athletic and Cycling Carnival". The Evening News. 5 January 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 9 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Commonwealth Sports". Australian Town and Country Journal. Sydney. 12 January 1901. p. 51. Retrieved 9 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
9. Ross, John, ed. (1996). 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL. Ringwood: Viking. p. 46. ISBN 0-670-86814-0.
10. "Football". The Argus. Melbourne. 7 May 1900. p. 6. Retrieved 9 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "AFL Tables – Arthur Pearce – Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
12. "Inter-State Football". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 3 August 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 9 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
13. "Untitled". The Bacchus Marsh Express. Vic. 15 March 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 9 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.

External links

• Arthur Pearce's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Arthur Pearce at AustralianFootball.com