Bill Morris (Australian rules footballer)
{{short description|Australian rules footballer and coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{other people|William Morris}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Bill Morris
| image = BillMorris.jpg
| image_size = 150
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = James William McClaren Morris
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|4|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = Culcairn, New South Wales
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1960|5|25|1921|4|24|df=y}}
| death_place = Malvern East, Victoria
| originalteam = Old Scotch / Melbourne Seconds
| height = 188 cm
| weight = 86 kg
| position =
| statsend = 1951
| years1 = 1942–1951
| club1 = Richmond
| games_goals1 = 140 (98)
| careerhighlights = *1948 Brownlow Medalist
}}
James William McLaren Morris (24 April 1921{{spaced ndash}}25 May 1960) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Victorian Football League (VFL), mostly during the 1940s. He played much of his football beside Jack Dyer as a knock ruckman.
Career
Morris started his career with the Melbourne reserve team but before he could make an impression he decided to join the army. He returned to football in 1942 and was traded to Richmond{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/teams/dees-mistake-a-gift-for-tigers/story-e6frf9mf-1225714441483 |title=Dees' mistake a gift for Tigers|first=Jon |last=Anderson |work= Herald Sun |date=22 May 2009}} and made his senior debut that year. In 1945 he won the first of his three Best and Fairest awards, the others coming in 1948 and 1950.
Morris won the Brownlow Medal for the best player in the VFL in 1948, joining Stan Judkins as the only Richmond players to win the Medal to that time. He polled well in other Brownlow Medal nights, finishing equal second in 1946 and equal third in 1950. He was a regular Victorian interstate representative, playing a total of 15 games and captaining the state in 1950. He was also captain of Richmond, leading the club in 1950 and 1951.
On 3 April 1950 Morris married Jill Tolley, of Adelaide's wealthy Tolley family.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225445511 |title=Champion Weds |newspaper=Weekly Times |issue=4215 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=5 April 1950 |access-date=19 December 2017 |page=66 |via=National Library of Australia}}
At the end of the 1951 season Morris left Richmond and joined VFA Club Box Hill as captain-coach. He captain-coached Box Hill from 1952 to 1954, winning the Club's Best and Fairest each season. He played 58 games for Box Hill and scored 101 goals.
Recognition
In 2002 Morris was inducted into the Richmond Hall of Fame and he is also a member of their official 'Team of the Century', being named in the forward pocket. He is also a member of Box Hill's official 'Greatest Ever Team' as announced in 2000, selected as first ruck.
On 1 June 2009, Morris was inducted to the AFL Hall of Fame.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/morris-hands-hall-of-fame-entry-is-poignant/2009/05/23/1242498972821.html |title=Morris, Hands' Hall of Fame entry is poignant|first=Tim|last=Lane|date=24 May 2009|location=Melbourne|work=The Age}}
Death
Morris committed suicide in 1960, at the age of 39.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P55VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Sa8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4886,2243106&dq=bill-morris+richmond&hl=en|work=The Age|date=14 July 1960|title=Ex-Footballer Threatened to take his life}} Morris, who was recently separated from his wife, had threatened to do himself harm days before he died. His body was discovered by his wife in the living room dressed in night attire. There was gas leaking out of the oven and the heater.
References
{{Reflist}}
- Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170611212040/http://www.richmondfc.com.au/club/history/hall-of-fame Richmond Football Club – Hall of Fame]
- {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607074724/http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/m.htm|url=http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/m.htm#Bill%20Morris%20(Richmond%20&%20Box%20Hill) |title=Fullpointsfooty profile|url-status=usurped|archive-date=7 June 2011 }}
External links
- {{AFL Tables|B/Bill_Morris}}
- {{AustralianFootball|bill+morris/6891}}
{{Richmond Football Club captains}}
{{AFL Brownlow Medallists}}
{{Richmond Team of The Century}}
{{Jack Dyer Medal}}
{{1948 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year}}
{{1949 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year}}
{{1950 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year}}
{{1951 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Bill}}
Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)
Category:Box Hill Football Club coaches
Category:Box Hill Football Club players
Category:Brownlow Medal winners
Category:Jack Dyer Medal winners
Category:Old Scotch Football Club players
Category:People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne
Category:Richmond Football Club players
Category:South Sydney Football Club players