Dave McNamara

The son of Michael McNamara (1844–1904),[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191707764 Death of Mr Michael M'Namara, The Numurkah Leader, (Thursday, 11 February 1904), p.2.] and Mary Margaret Mcnamara (1851–1929), née Quinlan,[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article255583228 Personal, The Benalla Standard, (Tuesday, 23 July 1929), p.5.] David John McNamara was born at Boosey, Victoria on 22 January 1887.

He married Florence Margaret Mary Dobson (1887–1962) in 1909.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8qFVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UrsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7313%2C2337798 Deaths: McNamara] The Age 16 March 1962 page 15 They had two children: Neil David McNamara (1910–1965), and Beryl Mary McNamara (1912–1989).

An exceptionally talented footballer, McNamara was a left-foot kick, 6 ft 4ins (193 cm.) tall, and had a finger-tip to finger-tip arm span of 6 ft 8{{frac|2}} ins (204 cm.).[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246757975 Dave M'Namara: Will He Come Back Again?, The Herald, (Friday, 30 June 1922), p.3.]

McNamara was a dominant, powerful player in the North East of Victoria, who began playing for Numurkah as a 15-year-old in 1902.

He later played with Cobram in 1904,[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209622217 News from Around and About, The Cobram Courier, (Thursday, 3 August 1905), p.5.] and Benalla in 1905,[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article186403195 Football, The Numurkah Leader, (Friday, 2 June 1905), p.5.]

McNamara played with St Kilda as a Centre Half-Forward for most of his career.

He made his VFL debut in August, 1905 against South Melbourne Football Club.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9879470 The Surprised South, The Argus, (Monday, 7 August 1905), p.3.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209618319 News from Round and About, The Cobram Courier, (Thursday, 10 August 1905), p.4.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165210397 Football, The Cobram Courier, (15 May 1924), p.3.]

Apparently in an atmosphere of player unrest, McNamara — one of the four or five players who had been informed, in writing, that their services were no longer required at St Kilda — was cleared from St Kilda on 30 June 1909,[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10716128 Football Dissensions: St. Kilda Players' Trouble: Committee Takes Strong Action, The Argus, (Thursday, 1 July 1909), p.7.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139682854 'Markwell', "Football Notes: League Committee Meeting", The Australasian, (Saturday, 3 July 1909), p.23.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article144519894 St. Kilda's Football Troubles: Best Players Leave, The Prahran Telegraph, (Saturday, 3 July 1909), p.5.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10716116 Football: Victorian League, The Argus, (Thursday, 1 July 1909), p.5.] and he transferred to the Essendon Association Football Club half-way through the 1909 season, and played his first VFA match for Essendon, at centre half-forward, against Preston, on 3 July 1909.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198474450 Essendon (12.19) beat Preston (5.6), The Age, (Monday, 5 July 1909), p.8.]

In the 1912 season, he kicked 107 goals. In one match, against Melbourne City, at the Essendon Recreation Reserve, on 20 July 1912, he kicked 18 goals (plus one kick that hit the post) from 38 attempts — 36 of which were from marks, and only two were from free-kicks.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196246778 Essendon (25.22) beat Melbourne City (4.7): A Goal Kicking Record, The Age, (Monday, 22 July 1912), p.7.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10493738 Goal-Kicking at Essendon: M'Namara's Record, The Argus, (Monday, 22 July 1912), p.5.]

On 14 April 1913, McNamara took possession of the Club Hotel, at 263 High Street (now known as St Kilda Road), at the corner of High Street and Charles Street, St Kilda.The hotel was demolished in the early 1970s when StKilda Road was significantly widened. and, although initially refusing his request,[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10776722 Migratory Footballers: Clearances Refused, The Argus, (Thursday, 10 April 1913), p.1.] Essendon granted his request (on the grounds of his purchase of the hotel) for a clearance (obviously, intended to be a clearance to St. Kilda), which was, according to McNamara's account, an agreed-upon condition of his original sign-on arrangement with the club.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10777938 Football Champion: Where Will He Play?: Essendon or St. Kilda, The Argus, (Wednesday, 16 April 1913), p.4.]

Having succeeded in obtaining a clearance from Essendon, he then made an application to the VFA for a clearance to St Kilda (his hotel was less than 1 km from the Junction Oval).

His application was considered, and it was refused on 16 April 1913. No grounds were given for the refusal, and McNamara announced his retirement from football.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10778094 Football: M'Namara Refused Permit, The Argus, (Thursday, 17 April 1913), p.6.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199447416 D. M'Namara's Application Refused, (Thursday, 17 April 1913), p.11.]

When McNamara requested that his case be re-opened and that additional evidence supporting his claims of a significant reduction in the business of his hotel if he were not to be playing for St Kilda be considered, his request was refused; and, when he appeared, in person, accompanied by his solicitor, at the location of the VFA committee's meeting on 23 April 1913, he was refused entry, and was (again without any reasons being given) told that his request for the VFA to re-examine the permit committee's decision had been refused.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10779574 The M'Namara Case, The Argus, (Thursday, 24 April 1913), p.5.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article241845379 M'Namara Case, The Herald, (Friday, 23 May 1913), p.3.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10786479 Football: The McNamara Case: Application Finally Refused, The Argus, (Tuesday, 27 May 1913), p.4.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199438631 Football Disqualification: The Case of D. M'Namara, The Age, (Tuesday, 27 May 1913), p.15.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199440669 M'Namara, David, "The M'Namara Football Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Age, (Wednesday, 25 June 1913), p.14.]

At the time, this decision was the subject of considerable controversy.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10782140 S.W.L(????), "M'Namara's Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Argus, (Wednesday, 7 May 1913), p.11.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10782142 Martyn, J., "M'Namara's Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Argus, (Wednesday, 7 May 1913), p.11.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10782117 'Law and Order', "M'Namara's Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Argus, (Wednesday, 7 May 1913), p.11.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10782516 Clarke, T.F., "M'Namara's Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Argus, (Thursday, 8 May 1913), p.4.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10782516 'Justice', "M'Namara's Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Argus, (Thursday, 8 May 1913), p.4.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10782516 'M.F.G.', "M'Namara's Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Argus, (Thursday, 8 May 1913), p.4.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10782760 'Law and Order', "M'Namara's Case" (Letter to the Editor), The Argus, (Friday, 9 May 1913), p.9.]

File:1914 Victorian Football Team (Letter to the Editor, by 'Enthusiast').tif

Having stood out of VFA football for the entire 1913 season, the VFL granted McNamara a permit to return to playing with St Kilda on 1 April 1914;[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189408032 Football: Victorian League, The Age, (Thursday, 2 April 1914), p.14][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242146121 St.Kilda: Factor to be Reckoned With: M'Namara Coaches Team, The Herald, (Friday, 17 April 1914), p.3.] it was a very welcome return, given that Ernie Sellars, the club's leading goal-kicker for the three preceding seasons (1911, 1912, and 1913), had transferred to West Australia to play with the East Perth Football Club.

In the match against Geelong, at the Junction Oval, on 9 September 1922, he scored 10 goals, 2 behinds (one of his kicks hit the post) from 12 attempts.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1843485 One-Sided Game at St. Kilda, The Argus, (Monday, 11 September 1922), p.5.]

Later played amateur football for Ormond Amateur Football Club in the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA) from 1924 to 1929.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189110728 Dave McNamara Still Draws Big Crowds, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 27 July 1932), p.10.]

Renowned for the extreme distance, he routinely covered with both his place kicks and his drop kicks he was widely known as "Long Dave" McNamara.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84208124 Not Lost the Art: Dave M^cNamara's Ability: 87 Yards Place Kick, The (Perth) Daily News, (Thursday, 8 October 1931), p.2.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244254678 Richards, Laurie, "Sport Report: A Champion Kicks Again", The Herald, (Tuesday, 3 September 1950), p.18.]Sharland, W.S., [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article182544869 "Why McNamara's Kicking Was Good", The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 9 September 1931), p.1.]

On 19 May 1923, in his last VFL season, McNamara was best on the ground when St Kilda defeated Collingwood 10.9 (69) to 6.12 (48) at the Junction Oval. During the match, he kicked two (light-wind-assisted) long-distance goals with place kicks: one in the second quarter, and one in the last quarter. The two goals were later measured to have been kicked from 75 yards (69.6 metres) and 84 yards (76.8 metres) from goal, respectively;[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106695406 McNamara's Great Kicking, The (Adelaide) Daily Herald, (Friday, 25 May 1923), p.7.] and, based upon the reports that "when it passed through [the goals] the ball was high over the heads of the defenders",[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2004791 Fast and Fair: St. Kilda Beat Collingwood: McNamara's Remarkable Goals, The Argus, (Monday, 21 May 1923), p.14.] there's no doubt that the first goal's kick covered far more than 75 yards.

Also, during that same match, another of McNamara's place kicks for goal missed; this extraordinary kick was later (accurately) measured from its placement to the spot upon which it landed, and was found to be 93 yards (85 metres).It is important to note that the standard-at-the-time reference, in the Melbourne press, to the Junction Oval as "The St. Kilda Cricket Ground", gradually changed in some places, to "a Melbourne Cricket Ground", and, from that, in some others, into "the Melbourne Cricket Ground" (i.e., not the "Junction Oval", but the "M.C.G."): for example: [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153862495 Football, The (Launceston) Daily Telegraph, (Thursday, 7 April 1927), p.8.] This is one of the longest recorded kick of a football in VFL history.{{cite web |title=Footballer who kicked a ball 93 yards! |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222690084 |website=Trove Newspapers |publisher=The Sun, Sydney, NSW. |access-date=29 May 2020 |ref=27 September 1923, page 5.}}de Lacy, H.A., [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article181713067 Dave McNamara: Won fame with His Boot, The Sporting Globe, Saturday, 20 September 1941), p.5.]

While McNamara's long-distance kicks were extraordinary, and given that the majority of them were made during actual matches, it is clear that they were not made under the strictest competition performance and measurement conditions.[http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/article36-The-Longest-Kick-in-Football-History-or-not Riley, Michael, "The Longest Kick in Football History . . . . or not", Boyles Football Photos, Monday, 9 September 2013.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article181690608 Some Noted Kickers of Past and Present: Many may be Great but Few are Good!", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 25 May 1935), p.7.]

On one occasion, however, his efforts were formally measured under the strictest competition conditions; and, on Thursday, 9 October 1913, he set what was, at the time, the "official" world place-kick record, at the Royal Launceston Show, kicking a distance of 86 yards 1 foot (79 metres).[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196226653 Launceston Show, The Age, (Friday, 10 October 1913), p.11.]

Served as a St Kilda committeeman, vice-president and later president.

Following his retirement from football, McNamara established himself in a new career as a racehorse trainer, which he continued until about 1958. His period in the racing industry included serving as president with the Victorian Trainers' Association.

He died on 15 August 1967, aged 80.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lBZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YJMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=602%2C2839749 Deaths: McNamara, The Age, (Wednesday, 16 August 1967), p.23.][https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lBZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YJMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4515%2C2836606 Football's Greatest Kick Dies, The Age, (Wednesday, 16 August 1967), p.22.]

In 1996, he was one of the inaugural inductees into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

In 2003, he was selected as the forward-pocket ruckman in the St Kilda Football Club Team of the Century.

In 2003, he was one of the inaugural inductees into the St Kilda Football Club's Hall of Fame.

• 1908 Melbourne Carnival
• 1914 Sydney Carnival

{{Reflist}}

• [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcnamara-david-john-7429 Bartrop, Paul R., "McNamara, David John (1887–1967)", in B. Nairne & G. Serle (eds.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10: 1891–1939: Lat – Ner, Melbourne University Press, (Carlton), 1986.]
• de Lacy, H.A., [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article181050564 "St.Kilda Fluked Dave McNamara", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 13 May 1944), p.4.]
• McNamara, Dave (1914), Football, Melbourne: Page & Bird.
• [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page20629133 M'Namara, Dave, "How I Have Kept Fit Through 19 Years of Football", The Sporting Globe (Wednesday, 4 April 1923), p.1.]
• [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article184806308 M'Namara, Dave, "Good Kicking and Marking are Essential to Every Class Footballer", The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 11 April 1923), p.1.]
• [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185070095 M'Namara, Dave, "What is Wrong with Football?", The Sporting Globe (Saturday, 13 September 1924), p.8.]
• McNamara, Dave, "No Player Could Stand Out From Others", The Sporting Globe (Saturday, 3 August 1935), pp.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189125930 7], [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page20613762 8].
• Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. {{ISBN|0-670-86814-0}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{AFL Tables|ref=/D/Dave_McNamara.html}}
• {{AustralianFootball|dave+mcnamara/2045}}
• [http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/McNamara,_David_J._'Dave'.php David J. "Dave" McNamara, at The VFA project.]
• [http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Dave+McNamara Dave McNamara, at Boyles Football Photos.]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110706101219/http://stats.afl.com.au/public/statistics/player_roundbyround/1905/12/player_roundbyround_12_1905.shtml?club_idIndex=13&season_idIndex=102 AFL Player Statistics (Round by Round): St Kilda Football Club 1905]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060616073711/http://footystats.freeservers.com/Footystats/StK-05.html Saints honour roll]
• [http://www.brightoncemetery.com/HistoricInterments/150Names/mcnamarad.htm David John "Long Dave" McNamara (1887–1967)] Gravesite at Brighton General Cemetery (Vic)
• [https://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/McNamara,_David_J._'Dave'.php]

{{St Kilda leading goalkickers}}

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{{St Kilda Football Club Team of the Century 1900–1999}}

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Category:St Kilda Football Club coaches

Category:1887 births

Category:1967 deaths

Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)

Category:Australian Rules footballers: place kick exponents

Category:St Kilda Football Club players

Category:Essendon Association Football Club players

Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees

Category:Australian horse trainers

Category:Ormond Amateur Football Club players

Category:Benalla Football Club players