Ron Barassi Sr.

Ronald James Barassi (24 October 1913 – 30 July 1941) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was the father of Hall of Famer Ron Barassi Jr.^[1]

Ron Barassi Sr.
Corporal Ron Barassi, 2nd AIF
Personal information
Full name	Ronald James Barassi
Date of birth	24 October 1913
Place of birth	Castlemaine, Australia
Date of death	30 July 1941(1941-07-30) (aged 27)
Place of death	Tobruk, Italian Libya
Original team(s)	Castlemaine
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	72 kg (159 lb)
Position(s)	Rover
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1936–1940	Melbourne	58 (84)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1940.
Career highlights
Melbourne 1940 premiership side
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

At the height of his football career, he enlisted in the army during the Second World War and was killed during the Siege of Tobruk.

Barassi while playing.

Biography

Barassi's grandfather was Swiss of Italian speaking background^[2] who migrated to the Colony of Victoria in the 1850/60s. The family group^[who?] settled in areas such as^{[further explanation needed]} Guildford, Castlemaine, and Daylesford.^[when?][3]

He initially played for the Castlemaine Football Club, becoming a rover and made his debut for the Melbourne Football Club in 1936. His final VFL match was the Melbourne Football Club's victorious 1940 grand final in which he started as the 19th man.^[4]

He joined the army soon after the 1940 VFL season, like many other footballers from the Melbourne Football Club.^[5] Serving in the military campaign in North Africa, he was killed in action at Tobruk in 1941, the first VFL footballer to die in the conflict.^[4] He was buried at the Tobruk War Cemetery in Libya, alongside other Commonwealth servicemen.^[6]

See also

• List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service
• The Rats of Tobruk

Footnotes

1. "Dunn deal – like father, like son". www.carltonfc.com.au. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
2. McClure, Geoff (9 March 2007). "Flying the footy flag for Italy". Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
3. "George Negus Tonight". ABC. 18 March 2004. Archived from the original on 12 October 2004.
4. "Ron Barassi Killed At Tobruk". Weekly Times. No. 3765. Victoria, Australia. 16 August 1941. p. 39. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
5. Taylor, Percy, "Melbourne are Proud of their Great War Record", The Australasian, (Saturday, 24 June 1944), p.23.
6. "Ronald James (Ron) BARASSI". vwma.org.au. Retrieved 16 September 2023.

References

Main, J. & Allen, D., "Barassi (snr), Ron", pp. 214–220 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen — The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002. ISBN 1-74095-010-0

External links

• Ron Barassi Sr.'s playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: Ronald James Barassi (VX45220)
• DemonWiki profile
• Brief profile
• 1932 - Castlemaine FC & Maryborough FC team photos. Barassi second from right, front row
• 1933 - Castlemaine FC & Kyneton FC team photos