Who was the aboriginal footballer who when he went to Carlton...........?

Question

Football Club, the trainers refused to rub him down because he was black?

He then went on to play for Fitzroy & also Victoria - was knighted & later went on to be governor of South Australia.

His grandson is currently flaying AFL football. I know not many will bother trying to answer this question but I found it interesting!!

Answer 1

Yep thats right he was noticed by a talent scout from memory who asked him to come and play.

He didnt actually play VFL with Carlton due to racial attitude of the other players. He went form there and played for northcote for 5 yrs and played in their premership team in I think 1929? And in 1932, he began playing VFL for Fitzroy and retired in 1939 due to knee injuries and  then coached northcote.

He was also a good boxer too, and this is how he made a living. When football wasnt being played.

He was also called to go to war, but didnt as he was needed as a social worker in the aboriginal community.

He died in 1988. I could go on with more however thought I would give you more insight to him.

Edit.

Liat J, why dont you look him up and read about the life of Sir Douglas Nicholls, this is not made up facts and that the truth has been stretched. The story told by his Grandson is fact. I agree that it wasnt his colour or that he played football he was knighted for, but his good deeds to the aboriginal society. However when it came to racial attitudes this was very common in most sports..

Answer 2

Sir Doug Nicholls is the answer.

I only know that from reading other respondents answers in here. And, yes, this item did make very interesting reading.

I thank the asker - plus wotzthepoint, especially, for providing the links to this great person.

I know of a similar incident many years ago. Full blood aborigine Charlie Burns was a wonderfully gifted footballer playing for one of the Pemberton teams in country WA. He went to East Fremantle in the WAFL & was treated in very similar manner to what Nicholls was. He returned to the bush vowing never to set foot in the city again - let alone play football there.

Answer 3

yep, pastor doug nicholls, that'd be carlton for you. they dont mind rubbing hairy italians and greeks down. lol, come on, it's a joke.

Answer 4

Sir Doug Nicholls

David Wirrapunda's Grandfather or Great Grandfather on his mothers side...  played for Calton, Fitzroy and Victoria in the 20's.  Who was also at one time the Governor of South Australia.

***Liat needs a better education about race relations in this country, no one needs to 'make' sh*** up when its history***

Answer 5

I find the rubdown refusal a bit hard to believe, especially as most indigenous players were very popular amongst their clubs.

Football trainers can't do enough for a player, this is why they give up many hours for little pay.

Doug Nicholls was not regarded as an exceptional footballer, his expertize lay in his altruistic and community endeavours.

And yes Gutsache, I can be bothered to answer this question, because sometimes the race card can mysteriously appear, when the trainer may have run out of time, rather than refusing to work on a player.

Sometimes these stories are manufactured for no earthly purpose.

And lets face it, would Doug Nicholls have been knighted for his colour,? I don't imagine so.It was for humanitarian reasons, not  for being a footballer.

And whatzthepoint. and furthermore, the race card can be pulled to smother a persons true achievements, and you don't know how close I am to cultural differences.

And educated, I am.

History is not always accurate, and just because a journo  uses persuasive journalism techniques,  doesn't make it fact.

Apart from this, that, and the other, how can a racial snip be proved.

Answer 6

was it matt singh?

Answer 7

Sir Doug Nicholls is correct. A profile of him is on the 100 years of football tape-DVD. Jim Francis of Carlton confirmed on the tape that yes, the Carlton trainers would not give him a rubdown because he was aborigine.