Frank Scully (footballer)

Francis "Frank" Scully (28 October 1899 – 5 May 1980) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Frank Scully
Personal information
Full name Francis L. Scully
Date of birth (1899-10-28)28 October 1899
Date of death 5 May 1980(1980-05-05) (aged 80)
Original team(s) Windsor
Height 171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1924–1927 St Kilda 41 (42)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1927.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Career

Scully, a recruit from Windsor, started his St Kilda career in the 1924 VFL season. Debuting in round five, Scully was a regular fixture in the team for the rest of the year and won St Kilda's "best first-year player" award for his performances in 12 games.[2][3] In round 17 he was reported for striking Essendon player Charlie May, for which he was suspended for five games.[4]

He did not return the following season until round six and kicked three goals in his first game back, against Essendon.[2][5] He played every game except the final two rounds, due to a shoulder injury.[2][6]

His 1926 season was interrupted by an eight-week suspension, incurred for an incident in St Kilda's round two loss to Geelong at Junction Oval.[7] The incident happened after Scully received a free kick for having his arm pulled by Geelong's Ken Leahy.[8] According to the field umpire's account, Scully punched the ball away following the free kick, which struck Leahy in the face.[8][9] The pair then exchanged blows and had to be separated by the boundary umpire.[8] As Leahy was the first to strike, Scully's suspension was for "retaliation".[8] The tribunal chairman believed Leahy was the aggressor, but as Scully was also charged with striking they could not take provocation into account.[8][10] Leahy was also suspended for eight weeks.[10]

A return to football was further delayed by a court case, relating to the theft of a motor vehicle tyre from the property of St Kilda vice president John Beddison.[11] Scully pleaded guilty to the charge and was committed for trial in August, along with four other men, two of them his brothers.[11] On the night in question, the men had dinner at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in St Kilda, which was managed by Beddison.[12] Soon after 8 pm, the men left in a taxi and Beddison noticed that the tyre was missing from his car outside the hotel.[12] Prosecutors alleged that Scully had taken the tyre, which he dropped off at a local motor garage during the taxi ride.[13] The judge asked the jury to take into consideration that Scully was intoxicated and the jury returned a not guilty verdict.[13] He played in three of the final four rounds of the season.[2]

In 1927, Scully played 14 games for St Kilda and kicked 18 goals.[14] The following year he left to coach Penshurst.[15][16]

References
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  2. "AFL Tables – Frank Scully – Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  3. "Football". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 10 December 1924. p. 27. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  4. "Football Inquiries". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 6 September 1924. p. 21. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  5. "St. Kilda's Sensational Win". The Age. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 9 June 1925. p. 15. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  6. "Around the Clubs". The Age. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 4 September 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  7. "Essendon Wins a Hard Fight". Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 19 May 1926. p. 13. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  8. "League Tribunal". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 14 May 1926. p. 5. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  9. "In Other States". The Daily News. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 28 May 1926. p. 4 Edition: Home (Final) Edition. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  10. "Notes and Comments". The Australasian. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 22 May 1926. p. 38 Edition: Metropolitan Edition. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  11. "Theft of Motor Tyre". The Prahran Telegraph. Vic.: National Library of Australia. 23 July 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  12. "Five Men Charged". The Age. 13 August 1926. p. 19. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  13. "Five Men Not Guilty". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 13 August 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  14. "AFL Tables – 1927 Stats – Player Lists". AFL Tables. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  15. "Football". The West Australian. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 2 May 1928. p. 4. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  16. "Football". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1928. p. 4. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
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