Arthur Stevens (Australian footballer)
{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Arthur Stevens
| image = Arthurstevens.jpg
| image_size = 150
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Arthur Greaves Stevens
| birth_date = {{birth date|1899|6|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place = West Melbourne, Victoria
| death_date = {{death date and age|1953|7|7|1899|6|27|df=yes}}
| death_place = Reservoir, Victoria
| originalteam = Preston (VFA)
| height = 188 cm
| weight = 93 kg
| position =
| statsend = 1932
| years1 = 1927–1932
| club1 = Footscray
| games_goals1 = 64 (23)
| careerhighlights = *Victorian representative: 1928
- Footscray club captain: 1929
}}
Arthur Greaves Stevens (27 June 1899 – 7 July 1953) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was often referred to as "Chidda" or "Chidder" Stevens.{{cite book|last=Holmesby|first=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=9781920910785}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22907059 |title=League Footballers of 1950 Forward Pocket. |newspaper=The Argus Week-End Magazine |location=Melbourne |date=5 August 1950 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=8|via=National Library of Australia}}
Career
Stevens arrived at Footscray in 1927, from Victorian Football Association club Preston.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3863807 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=30 June 1927 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} He was already aged 28 when he made his debut against St Kilda at Western Oval in round 10.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1927/071519270702.html|title=Footscray v St Kilda – Sat, 2-Jul-1927 2:45 PM – Match Stats|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=4 February 2015}} A ruckman, Stevens immediately cemented his spot in the team and in 1928 was picked in the Victorian state side to play South Australia in Adelaide.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/historic-guernsey-is-back-in-the-family-20111214-1ov09.html|title=Historic guernsey is back in the family|last=Pierik|first=Jon|date=15 December 2011|work=The Age|accessdate=4 February 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129134931 |title=Interstate Football |newspaper=The News |location=Adelaide |date=16 June 1928 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=6|edition=Sporting|via=National Library of Australia}} He made 16 league appearances in the 1928 season and another 16 in 1929.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/A/Arthur_Stevens_gm.html|title=Arthur Stevens – Games Played|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=4 February 2015}} When Footscray captain Allan Hopkins became unavailable in 1929, Stevens filled in as club captain.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136213143 |title=Melbourne Stirringly Beat Richmond. |newspaper=The Referee |location=Sydney |date=10 July 1929 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}}
On 17 August 1929, Footscray played a round 16 fixture against Melbourne at the MCG, during which Stevens was involved in several on field incidents.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32304303 |title=Melbourne Games. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=19 August 1929 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}} As the players were leaving the field at half time, Stevens was struck in the face by a man from the crowd and hit "by a woman with her parasol", before being assisted to the rooms by police constables.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4031111 |title=Incident at Football. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=20 August 1929 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21439734 |title=Player Struck. |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=19 August 1929 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} The spectator that struck Stevens, Hector Michael Davis, was charged with assault and fined in court.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51614255 |title=Unpleasant Incidents. |newspaper=The Examiner |location=Launceston, Tasmania |date=19 August 1929 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=4|edition=Daily|via=National Library of Australia}}
At the VFL Tribunal, Stevens was suspended for 10 league games, on three charges.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4032015 |title=League Tribunal: Stevens Out for Ten Matches. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=23 August 1929 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}} He received four weeks for "kneeing" Melbourne player Col Deane, two for conducting himself in "an unseemly manner" (an objectionable gesture) and four for elbowing and attempting to strike Melbourne's George Cassidy.{{cite web|url=http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Reference_+1929+VFL_AFL+Tribunal|title=Reference 1929 VFL AFL Tribunal|publisher=Boyles Football Photos|accessdate=4 February 2015}}
Stevens made just five appearances in the 1930 VFL season. On his first game back from suspension, at Corio Oval in round 10, the umpire reported him for attempting to elbow Geelong player Jack Plunkett.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4097932 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=7 July 1930 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} Although cleared of the charge at the tribunal, he received a four-week ban for his actions after he had been approached by the umpire, when he threw the ball away.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131162328 |title=Victorian Football News and Notes. |newspaper=The Referee |location=Sydney |date=23 July 1930 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}
In 1931 he played 11 games and was a member of a Footscray team that missed out on the finals only on percentage.{{cite web|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/club/history/timeline/1930s|title=1930s – History of the Western Bulldogs Football Club|publisher=westernbulldogs.com.au|accessdate=4 February 2015}}
He featured in the opening eight rounds of the 1932 season, then found himself back at the tribunal, reported for striking Melbourne's Joe Kinnear with his elbow.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4461879 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=8 July 1932 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} For this he received an eight-week suspension. His next and ultimately final appearance for Footscray came in round 18, against North Melbourne. He retired at the end of the season.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4746968 |title=Presentation to Stevens. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=6 July 1933 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}
Death
Stevens died at the age of 54 on 7 July 1953, when he was struck by a train on the railway line at Reservoir, Melbourne.{{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/players/player/arthur+stevens/4680|title=Arthur Stevens – Player Bio|publisher=Australian Football|accessdate=4 February 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23254958 |title=Family Notices. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=9 July 1953 |accessdate=4 February 2015 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z0ISAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TsMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=944%2C880575|title=Found Dead on Railway Line|date=8 July 1953|work=The Age|page=10|accessdate=3 February 2015}}
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances around his death.
Family
He had a son, Harvey, who played for Footscray and was a member of their historic 1954 premiership team.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/pies-ashes-now-in-tigerland-20091215-kuhu.html|title=Pies' ashes now in Tigerland|last=McClure|first=Geoff|date=16 December 2009|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=4 February 2015}}
Two great grandsons have also played in the league, Daniel Talia for Adelaide and Michael Talia for the Western Bulldogs and Sydney Swans.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/it8217s-a-dogs8217-life-for-the-talia-family/story-fni5f4l8-1226698020077|title=It's a Dogs' life for the Talia family|last=Capel|first=Andrew|work=Adelaide Advertiser|accessdate=4 February 2015}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{AFL Tables|ref=A/Arthur_Stevens.html}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Arthur}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne
Category:Western Bulldogs players
Category:Northern Bullants players
Category:Railway accident deaths in Australia