Bill Duffy (sportsman)
Encyclopedia
William Vincent "Bill" Duffy (8 July 1866 – 13 July 1959) was an Australian sportsman. He played cricket
for Western Australia and football
for the and West Perth Football Club
s in the West Australian Football Association
(WAFA), and also umpired
several matches in both sports.
, but moved to Perth
in the late 1880s to coach West Perth in the WACA district
cricket competition. He participated in the first tour of the Eastern states
by a Western Australian team in 1893, playing two matches on the tour. Against Victoria in April 1893, he took 5/124 from 31 overs while opening the bowling, the first five-wicket haul by a Western Australian bowler. Duffy had previously played in a first-class game in 1887, a match in Melbourne
between "Smokers" and "Non-Smokers". When the WACA Ground
opened in 1893, Duffy was appointed curator. He was elected secretary of the West Perth Cricket Club in 1894, and also received a prize for the "best all-round player" at the club for the previous season. In 1897, he umpired an exhibition game between George Giffen's XI
and a Western Australia XVIII, featuring a number of national players
, including Joe Darling
, Clem Hill
, Syd Gregory
and Ernie Jones
. The Western Mail
said Duffy "fulfilled every duty appertaining to the position with the utmost satisfaction to everybody concerned."
Duffy was also a noted footballer for and in the WAFA. In 1894, he finished third in the WAFA's goalkicking
, with 18 goals for the season, two behind the eventual leader. He also umpired one game in September 1893.
In 1928 and 1929, he participated in a "veterans' cricket match" held at the WACA Ground
. He later become involved with the Grand Theatre Company, and died in Subiaco
in 1959.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Western Australia and football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
for the and West Perth Football Club
West Perth Football Club
The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia, competing in the West Australian Football League . It is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia. It competes in the West Australian...
s in the West Australian Football Association
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
(WAFA), and also umpired
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
several matches in both sports.
Career
Duffy was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, but moved to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in the late 1880s to coach West Perth in the WACA district
Western Australian Grade Cricket
Grade Cricket in Western Australia refers to the semi-professional cricket league played at a level below the first-class Western Warriors and colts teams. The competition is administered by the Western Australian Cricket Association...
cricket competition. He participated in the first tour of the Eastern states
Eastern states of Australia
In Australia, the term eastern states refers to the states adjoining the east coast of Australia. These are the mainland states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. The Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory, while not states, are also included. The term usually includes the...
by a Western Australian team in 1893, playing two matches on the tour. Against Victoria in April 1893, he took 5/124 from 31 overs while opening the bowling, the first five-wicket haul by a Western Australian bowler. Duffy had previously played in a first-class game in 1887, a match in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
between "Smokers" and "Non-Smokers". When the WACA Ground
WACA Ground
The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association....
opened in 1893, Duffy was appointed curator. He was elected secretary of the West Perth Cricket Club in 1894, and also received a prize for the "best all-round player" at the club for the previous season. In 1897, he umpired an exhibition game between George Giffen's XI
George Giffen
George Giffen was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. An all-rounder who batted in the middle order and often opened the bowling with medium-paced off-spin, Giffen captained Australia during the 1894–95 Ashes series and was the first Australian to score 10,000 runs and...
and a Western Australia XVIII, featuring a number of national players
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
, including Joe Darling
Joe Darling
Joseph "Joe" Darling CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 34 Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1894 and 1905. As captain, he led Australia in a total of 21 Tests, winning seven and losing four. In Test cricket, he scored 1657 runs at an average of 28.56 per innings, including...
, Clem Hill
Clem Hill
Clement "Clem" Hill was an Australian cricketer who played 49 Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1896 and 1912. He captained the Australian team in ten Tests, winning five and losing five...
, Syd Gregory
Syd Gregory
Sydney Edward Gregory , sometimes known as Edward Sydney Gregory, was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. At the time of his retirement, he had played a world-record 58 Test matches during a career spanning 1890 to 1912...
and Ernie Jones
Ernie Jones
Ernest Jones was an Australian sportsman, playing Test cricket and Australian rules football....
. The Western Mail
Western Mail (Western Australia)
The Western Mail, or Western Mail, was the name of two weekly newspapers published in Perth, Western Australia.-West Australian newspapers:...
said Duffy "fulfilled every duty appertaining to the position with the utmost satisfaction to everybody concerned."
Duffy was also a noted footballer for and in the WAFA. In 1894, he finished third in the WAFA's goalkicking
Bernie Naylor Medal
The Bernie Naylor Medal is an Australian rules football award which is given to the leading goalkicker at the end of each home and away season in the West Australian Football League. It is named after South Fremantle full-forward Bernie Naylor...
, with 18 goals for the season, two behind the eventual leader. He also umpired one game in September 1893.
In 1928 and 1929, he participated in a "veterans' cricket match" held at the WACA Ground
WACA Ground
The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association....
. He later become involved with the Grand Theatre Company, and died in Subiaco
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
in 1959.
See also
- List of Western Australia first-class cricketers
- List of Australian rules footballers and cricketers