Austin Robertson Sr.

For his son of the same name, see Austin Robertson junior.

Austin Robertson Sr.
Personal information
Full name Austin Patrick Robertson
Born (1908-11-21)21 November 1908
South Melbourne, Victoria
Died 6 May 1988(1988-05-06) (aged 79)[1]
Cottesloe, Western Australia
Original team Xavier College
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 82 kg (181 lb)
Position centre half forward / back
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1927–1937 South Melbourne 154 (250)
1937 West Perth 3 (2)
1938–1939 Perth 39 (49)
1940-41, 1945 Pt Melb (VFA) 36 (94)
Total 232 (395)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1938-1939 Perth 40 (21/19/0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1945.
Career highlights
  • 1927 - Represented VFL at National Carnival
  • 1929, 30 & 32: Leading goalkicker - South Melbourne
  • 1928 - 130 yards / £1000 Melbourne Handicap[2]
  • 1929 - 2nd - World Professional Sprint Championships[3]
  • 1930 - 1st - World Professional Sprint Championships[4]
  • 1932 - Pakenham Gift (130 yards)[5]
  • 1932 - Maribyrnong 120 yards Handicap[6]
  • 1933 - World record time: 140 yards / 13 & 1/10th seconds at the Wangaratta Showgrounds
  • 1933 - 1st - World Professional Sprint Championships[7]
  • 1935 - 2nd - World Professional Sprint Championships[8]
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Austin Patrick Robertson (21 November 1908[9] – 6 May 1988) was an all round sportsmen who excelled in Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and West Perth and Perth in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) and was also a World Professional Sprint Champion and accomplished cricketer.

Football career

Robertson was recruited via Xavier College, Melbourne[10] where he was an outstanding competitor in athletics, cricket, Swimming and football.[11]

Robertson debuted with South Melbourne in 1927, in round three at the age of 18[12] and played 16 consecutive matches in his first season in the VFL and represented Victoria in August, 1927. He was well regarded as a key position player at both ends of the ground. He was one of the few players still adept at place kicking during the 1930s,[13] noted for the length and accuracy of his kicks; he made several official attempts over his career to break Dave McNamara's record for longest kick, often topping 70 yards but never breaking McNamara's mark of 86 yards;[14][15] while an unofficial kick marked out during a match in 1941 was measured to have gone more than 90 yards.[16]

While Robertson only played in the first two rounds in 1933, he missed out on South Melbourne's 1933 premiership win because he was in America organising a head-to-head race with Olympic Gold medalist, Eddie Tolan at the Chicago World's Fair.[17] However, when he arrived in the United States, Tolan was not in training and was unable to race.[18]

During the 1937 season, Robertson was transferred to Perth by his employer, General Motors-Holden. He was cleared to West Perth and played there for the rest of 1937.[19] In 1938, he switched to Perth, and served as its playing coach for the next two years,[20] finishing 6th in 1938 and 5th in 1939.[21] General Motors returned Robertson to Victoria in 1940 and, despite expectations that he would return to South Melbourne, he signed with Victorian Football Association club Port Melbourne for a reported £6 per week,[22] and crossed without a clearance from South Melbourne.[23] He played for Port Melbourne under the VFA's throw-pass rules until 1941.

Athletics career

Robertson was breaking school records in 1926 in the high jump, long jump, 100, 220 and 440 yards events.[24]

In 1928, Robertson won the 130 yard Handicap at the Melbourne Motordrome, which carried a purse of £1000[25] and was witnessed by 10,000 spectators.[26]

While at South Melbourne, he was also a world champion professional sprinter, winning the world title in 1930.[27] Then in 1932, Robertson was unable to defend his World Sprint Champion title due to a strained leg tendon.[28]

In February 1933 at the Wangaratta Sports Carnival, at The Showgrounds, Wangaratta Robertson broke the world record for 140 yards in a time of 13.1&1/2 / 16 seconds.[29][30]

Cricket career

Robertson played 23 first eleven matches with South Melbourne Cricket Club in Melbourne District Cricket Association between 1924/25 and 1933/34.[31]

Personal life

He was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs John Robertson, was educated at Xavier College Kew and married Dorothy McDonald in Elwood on 22 June 1940.[32] His brother, Harold Robertson, and son, Austin Robertson Jr. were also champion footballers.

After Robertson left school, he studied Pharmacy at the Victorian School of Pharmacy[33] and was articled to a chemist in Brunswick.[34]

Robertson served in the Australian Army with the rank of Corporal during World War II,[9] despite suffering acute blindness in one eye which should have medically disqualified him from service, and which did result in at least one failed attempt to enlist.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, Western Australia
  2. ^ "1928 - The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954)". ROBERTSON FLIES. 21 February 1928. p. 3. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  3. ^ "1929 - NEW WORLD'S CHAMPION. COOPER WINS BY ONE POINT. Robertson Runner-up". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957). 25 February 1929. p. 15. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  4. ^ "1930 - WORLD'S TITLE By INCHES". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956). 14 April 1930. p. 29. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  5. ^ "1932 - Pakenham Gift". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 7 December 1932. p. 11. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  6. ^ "1932 - IN GREAT FINISH: Robertson Defeats Banner". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 23 November 1932. p. 13. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  7. ^ "1933 - PRAISE FOR BANNER". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 15 March 1933. p. 11. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  8. ^ "1935 - Tolan Proves Wold's "Fastest Human"". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 20 March 1935. p. 11. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  9. ^ a b "World War II Roll: ROBERTSON, Austin Patrick". Department of Veterans Affairs.
  10. ^ "1926 - An Athletic Family". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954). 23 October 1926. p. 82. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  11. ^ "1933 - HOW AUSTIN ROBERTSON BECAME A RUNNER". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 17 May 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  12. ^ "1927 - BEST OF SOUTH MELBOURNE". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 18 May 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Robertson place-kicks". The Daily News. Perth, WA. 8 July 1939. p. 3.
  14. ^ "Place-kick record". The Herald. Melbourne. 24 October 1936. p. 16.
  15. ^ "Place-kick record". The Argus. Melbourne. 4 June 1935. p. 12.
  16. ^ Fowler, Xavier (2024), The Football War: the VFA and VFL's Battle for Supremacy, Carlton, VIC: Melbourne University Press, p. 150
  17. ^ "Sport Sayings & Doings". The Advocate. Burnie, Tasmania. 26 October 1933. p. 3. Retrieved 24 January 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "1933 - Match Off". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 20 March 1933. p. 13. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  19. ^ "Robertson joins West Perth". The Argus. Melbourne. 23 July 1937. p. 17.
  20. ^ "Football – Robertson's appointment". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 18 January 1938. p. 9.
  21. ^ "1939 - How They Finished". Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954). 15 September 1939. p. 17. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  22. ^ "Robertson turns South down". Record. Emerald Hill, VIC. 4 May 1940. p. 1.
  23. ^ "Robertson leaves South without clearance". Record. Emerald Hill, VIC. 18 May 1940. p. 1.
  24. ^ "1926 - School Athletic Meetings". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954). 23 October 1926. p. 82. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  25. ^ "1928 - EASY WIN FOR ROBERTSON". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956). 21 February 1928. p. 21. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  26. ^ "1928 - How Robertson Won £1000 Footrace". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 22 February 1929. p. 6. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  27. ^ "WORLD'S SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP". The Mail. Adelaide. 12 April 1930. p. 10. Retrieved 24 January 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. ^ "1932 - Tim Banner Regains Sprint Title After Four Years". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 16 March 1932. p. 11. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  29. ^ "1933 - World Record". Flickr. Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW : 1914 - 1949). 18 August 1933. p. 4. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  30. ^ "1933 - The 140 Yards Record". Wangaratta Chronicle newspaper. 8 February 1933. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  31. ^ "Austin Robertson". Cricket Victoria: Premier Cricket Records. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  32. ^ "Saxe Blue Ensemble for Bride". The Argus. Melbourne. 24 June 1940. p. 6. Retrieved 24 January 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. ^ "1928 - £500 IN 12 SECS". The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954). 21 February 1928. p. 8. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  34. ^ "1928 - WORK AS USUAL". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956). 22 February 1928. p. 18. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  35. ^ Fowler, p. 187
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