Arthur Hiskins

One of fourteen children, and the son of John Hiskins (1853-1946)[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/236265093 Obituary: Mr. John Hiskins, The Corowa Free Press, (Friday, 27 September 1946), p.5.] and Emma Hiskins (1856-1934), née Thompson,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164458566 Death of Mrs. E. Hiskens, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 13 January 1934), p.4.] Arthur Hiskins was born in Wahgunyah, Victoria, on 9 September 1886. He married Annie Wilhelmina "Minnie" Bett (1897-1986) in 1927.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3900035 Marriages: Hiskins—Bett, The Argus, (Saturday, 24 December 1927), p.11.]Deaths: Hiskins, The Age, (Saturday, 12 July 1986), p.33.

Three of his eight brothers also played senior VFL football: Fred Hiskins (1878–1946), played 50 games with Essendon, Stanley Hiskins (1890–1974), 66 games with South Melbourne, and Rupert Hiskins (1893–1976), 74 games with Carlton. His nephew, Jack Hiskins, Fred's son, played 16 games with Essendon.

Recruited from Rutherglen Football Club,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/99836413 Football, The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, (Friday, 9 August 1907), p.23.] Hiskins was a versatile player who was usually used in defence but sometimes pushed up forward. He could kick the ball long distances, and was one of the faster players in the side.

He made his debut on 2 May 1908, against Fitzroy, at the age of 21.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197341197 South Melbourne (7.11) Beat Fitzroy (6.8), The Age, (Monday, 4 May 1908), p.11]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10678555 South Melbourne's Prospects, The Argus, (Monday, 4 May 1908), p.9.] He played 185 senior games, kicked 56 goals, and retired, aged 37, at the end of 1923, having played at full-back in the 1923 Preliminary Final (also against Fitzroy).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/19806833 The Final Match, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 6 October 1923), p.2]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2000578 Football, The Argus, (Monday, 8 October 1923), p.12]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206252694League Final, The Age, (Monday, 8 October 1923), p.13.]

Over his career, he played in six Semi-Finals, three Preliminary Finals, and one Grand Final, selected at centre half-forward,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10737724 Football Final: South Melbourne v. Carlton: Positions on the Field, The Argus, (Saturday, 2 October 1909), p.17.] in the 1909 premiership team.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10737989 South Melbourne Wins: The Game of the Season, The Argus, (Monday, 4 October 1909), p.6]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196054057 The Football Premiership, The Age, (Monday, 4 October 1909) p.8]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/162599843/19828270 The Game, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 9 October 1909), p.3.]{{YouTube|id=w_OEcuRziH8|title="1909 VFL Grand Final, South Melbourne vs Carlton"}}

He did not play in 1916, 1917, and 1918 due to his war service. He immediately resumed his career, upon his discharge from the army (on 1 September 1919),[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165178160 Welcome Home: Driver Arthur Hiskins, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 9 August 1919), p.2.] in the match against Carlton on 6 September 1919.

In 1913, he was selected to represent the VFL in a match against a combined Ballarat Football League team on 5 July 1913;[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241829446/26286655 Play and Players, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 4 July 1913), p.4.] he was replaced by Bill Eastick.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/217970010 Football, The Ballarat Star, (Friday, 11 July 1913), p.6.]

He was captain-coach of South Melbourne in 1920.

Hiskins officiated in 52 league games as a goal umpire from 1930 to 1933.[http://aflua.com.au/statistics/player-umpires/ Player-Umpires, AFL Umpires Association.]

He was reported twice; and was suspended on each occasion.

• 1912: 31 August 1912 (round 18) — reported by VFL steward Fred Fontaine for striking Collingwood's Ted Rowell, he was suspended for 4 matches:[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10507679 Rough Football: Hiskens Disqualified, The Argus, (Thursday, 5 September 1912), p.4]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241626025 Play and Players, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 6 September 1912), p.2.] "the investigation committee held that the charge … [of] striking Rowell … was sustained by the evidence, and that being so, they rightly determined that the pugilistic tendency [of Hiskens] should be checked by rustication" (The Leader, 14 September 1912).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198113164 Football Gossip, The (Melbourne) Leader, (Saturday, 14 September 1912), p.18.]
• 1914: 6 June 1914 (round 7) — reported, again by Fred Fontaine, for striking Richmond's Ted Farrell, he was suspended for the rest of the season (i.e., 13 matches).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7267305 Football Incidents: A Rough Game, The Argus, (Monday, 8 June 1914), p.8]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7269734 Checking Rough Football: League Players Disqualified, The Argus, (Friday, 12 June 1914(, p.10.]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/119685377 Football, The Richmond Australian, (Saturday, 13 June 1914), p.3]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74231118 Hiskens Disqualified, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 13 June 1914), p.3]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74231115 (News), The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 13 June 1914), p.2.]

Hiskins enlisted in the First AIF in October 1916, and was discharged in September 1919.

He died on 23 October 1971.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CdhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=upADAAAAIBAJ&pg=7304%2C5249608 Deaths: Hiskins, The Age, (Monday, 25 October 1971), p.13.]

{{Reflist}}

• [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/162538037 Sad Beach Fatality: Girl of Eleven Drowned: Another Girl in Grave Peril: South Footballer to the Rescue, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 26 January 1924, p.1.]
• {{cite web|url=http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/2017-03-14/200-club-push-for-mulga-baxter-and-bob|last=De Bolfo|first=Tony|title=200 Club push for 'Mulga', Baxter and Bob|publisher=Carlton Football Club|date=14 March 2017}}
• [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ViewPDF.aspx?B=5477399&D=D World War One Service Record: Driver Arthur Hiskens (33157), National Archive of Australia.]
• [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2446036 First World War Nominal Roll: Driver Arthur Hiskens (33157), Australian War Museum.]

{{Commons category}}

• {{AFL Tables|ref=A/Arthur_Hiskins.html}}
• [http://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Arthur_Hiskins.html Arthur Hiskins's coaching record] at AFL Tables
• [http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Arthur+Hiskins Boyles Football Photos: Arthur Hiskins]
• {{AustralianFootball|ref=arthur%2Bhiskins/2442}}

{{1909 South Melbourne premiership players}}

{{Sydney Swans coaches}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiskins, Arthur}}

Category:1886 births

Category:1971 deaths

Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)

Category:Rutherglen Football Club players

Category:Sydney Swans players

Category:Sydney Swans premiership players

Category:Sydney Swans coaches

Category:Australian Football League umpires

Category:Australian military personnel of World War I

Category:VFL/AFL premiership players

Category:Military personnel from Victoria (state)

Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen