Chas Brownlow
{{Short description|Australian rules footballer (1861–1924)}}
{{other people|Charles Brownlow}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chas Brownlow
| image = Chas Brownlow.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Charles Brownlow
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1861|7|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Geelong, Victoria
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1924|1|23|1861|7|25|df=yes}}
| death_place = Geelong, Victoria
| nationality = Australian
| other_names =
| occupation = VFL administrator/football player/VFL club captain
| known_for = Brownlow Medal
}}
Charles "Chas" Brownlow (25 July 1861 – 23 January 1924) was an Australian rules football administrator in the Victorian Football League (VFL), known for his forty-year association with the Geelong Football Club. The Brownlow Medal is named in his honour.
Early life
He was born in Geelong, Victoria, and went to The Geelong College for his schooling.
Football career
Brownlow played football with the Geelong Football Club in the Victorian Football Association (VFA), before the formation of the VFL, beginning his career in 1880 and playing regularly until 1884, with occasional games thereafter. He captained the club in 1883, leading it to a premiership in that season.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|title=Legend of the game made his mark in the office|page=36|date=9 June 1995|author=Darrin Farrant}}
Following his playing career, Brownlow spent many years as an administrator. He was the Geelong Football Club secretary from 1885 to 1923, a year before his death. He served as Geelong's delegate on the Victorian Football League board from 1902 until 1922, and in that capacity as the VFL's vice-president and delegate to the Australasian Football Council from 1911 until 1916, and as chairman of the permit and umpires committee from 1911 until 1922. In addition to this, he was caretaker president of the VFL in 1918 and 1919. He became president of the Australasian Football Council in 1919,{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|title=Australasian Football Council|date=29 December 1919|page=5}} and served in that position until his death.{{cite news|newspaper=The Mercury|title=personal|date=6 August 1924|publication-place=Hobart, TAS|page=6}}
Brownlow married Matilda Jane Barber, and they had four children: Daisy, Ruby, Elsie, and Charles Junior. He primarily earned his living as a watchmaker, operating a store in Geelong.
Brownlow Medal
He is known for having the Brownlow Medal named in his honour. It was first awarded in 1924, the season immediately following his death, and is still awarded in today's Australian Football League to the player judged by umpires to be the fairest and best player throughout the year. The Medal is engraved: "Chas Brownlow Trophy".
Honours
In 1997, Brownlow was inducted as an administrator into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Other
Brownlow was also secretary of the Geelong Cricket Association from 1896/97 to 1912/13, and treasurer from 1899/1900 to 1912/13.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060214063353/http://www.afana.com/af_faq_sec6.shtml Details of Charles Brownlow's career]
{{Geelong Football Club captains}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brownlow, Charles}}
Category:Geelong Football Club (VFA) players
Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:VFL/AFL administrators
Category:Geelong Football Club administrators
Category:People educated at Geelong College