Arthur Best

{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}

{{for|American football player|Art Best}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Arthur Best

| image =

| fullname = Arthur Fitzroy Best

| birth_date = {{birth date|1888|10|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Fitzroy, Victoria

| death_date = {{death date and age|1960|6|17|1888|10|18|df=yes}}

| death_place = Double Bay, New South Wales{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fXxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7333%2C2319651 |title=DEATHS. |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 June 1960 |page=34}}

| originalteam = Melbourne Grammar, South Yarra

| height = 175 cm

| weight =

| position =

| statsend = 1914

| years1 = 1912–1913

| club1 = {{AFL StK}}

| games_goals1 = 15 (22)

| years2 = 1914

| club2 = {{AFL Mel}}

| games_goals2 = 12 (30)

| games_goalstotal = 27 (52)

| careerhighlights =

}}

Arthur Best (18 October 1888 – 17 June 1960) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the St Kilda Football Club and Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 |last=Holmesby|first=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim |year=2009 |edition=8th |isbn=978-1-921496-00-4 |publisher=BAS Publishing |location=Seaford, Victoria |page=64}} His father was Sir Robert Best, a prominent politician who served in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and Parliament of Australia.

In September 1914, Best enlisted in the AIF to fight in World War I. He had been working as a salesman prior to enlistment. A member of the 58th Battalion, Best worked his way up from the rank of private to captain. In 1918, he was twice mentioned in dispatches. Best returned safely to Australia in July 1919.{{cite web|title=Arthur Fitzroy BEST|url=https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=21589|publisher=The AIF Project|accessdate=6 August 2015}}

In May 1919, an unidentified former Melbourne footballer, wrote to the football correspondent of The Argus as follows:

::"In 1914 the Melbourne football team, after its junction with the University, was a fine team, and succeeded in reaching the semi-finals.
Out of this combination the following players enlisted and served at the front:—
C. Lilley (seriously wounded), J. Hassett, H. Tomkins (severely wounded), J. Evans (seriously wounded), W. Hendrie, R. L. Park, J. Doubleday (died), A. Best, C. Burge (killed), C. (viz., A.) Williamson (killed), J. Brake, R. Lowell, E. Parsons (seriously wounded), A. M. Pearce (killed), F. Lugton (killed), A. George, C. Armstrong, P. Rodriguez (killed), J. Cannole (viz., Connole), A. Fraser (seriously wounded), T. Collins.
These are all players of note, and in themselves would have formed a very fine side, but there is only one of them playing at the present time, viz., C. Lilley, who, as a matter of fact, takes the field under some disability owing to severe wounds which he received on service." — The Argus, 16 May 1919.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1468346 'Old Boy', "Football: Notes and Comments", The Argus, (Friday, 16 May 1919), p.8.]