Russell Henry Watson (26 December 1892 – 15 November 1941) was an Australian amateur middle distance champion, an
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
er, who played with
St Kilda in the
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Australia operated by the Australian Football League (AFL) as a second-tier, regional, semi-professional competition. It includes teams from clubs based in east ...
(VFL),
and a District Cricketer with the
St Kilda Cricket Club
St Kilda Cricket Club is a cricket club playing in Victorian Premier Cricket, the elite club cricket competition in Melbourne, Australia.The club's home ground is the St Kilda Cricket Ground, more commonly known as Junction Oval.
History
The ...
(where he also served as its Vice-President).
Family
The son of Thomas Watson (1866-1925), and Flora Henrietta Watson (1874-1950), née Dowell, Russell Henry Watson was born at
Moonee Ponds
Moonee Ponds is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley Local government ar ...
on 26 December 1892. He was the elder brother of Olympic and Empire Games athlete
Alfred Joseph Watson (1907-1992). He married Freda Mildred Akhurst (1897-1979) on 20 August 1918. He died in
East Melbourne
East Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne local government area. East Melbourne recorded a population of 4,896 at the 2021 ce ...
on 15 November 1941.
Athlete
"One of the greatest all-round athletes Australia has ever produced", Watson held titles in the mile, half-mile, and 440 hurdles.
Military service
He served in the Firat AIF in the 6th Australian Field Ambulance.
World War One Service Record: Private Russell Henry Watson (3239).
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Notes
External links
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1892 births
1941 deaths
Australian rules footballers from Melbourne
St Kilda Football Club players
People educated at Melbourne Grammar School
People from Moonee Ponds, Victoria
20th-century Australian sportsmen
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