Des Baird

Baird, a follower from Sunbury, first played for South Melbourne in the 1908 VFL season.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162600349|title=Football|newspaper=Record (Emerald Hill)|location=Emerald Hill, Vic.|date=8 May 1909|accessdate=11 July 2015|page=3|via=National Library of Australia}} He played once that year, then five games in 1909, a premiership season for South Melbourne.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/D/Des_Baird_gm.html|title=AFL Tables – Des Baird – Games Played|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=11 July 2015}} Not selected in the finals, Baird was however a member of the South Melbourne side which a week later defeated West Adelaide to claim the Championship of Australia.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168279845|title=Football. Australian Championship|newspaper=The Observer|location=Adelaide|date=16 October 1909|accessdate=11 July 2015|page=20|via=National Library of Australia}}

In 1912 he was cleared to St Kilda and played 10 games in his first season at the club.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11670521 |title=League Clubs. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=26 April 1912 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}} He played 16 games in 1913, including the 1913 VFL Grand Final.

St Kilda had qualified for its first grand final and came up against Fitzroy, the minor premiers. Baird started as one of St Kilda's followers, along with George Morrissey and Ernie Sellars.{{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/articles/view/1913%2BChallenge%2BFinal%253A%2BFitzroy%2Bvs.%2BSt%2BKilda%2B-%2BFifth%2BVFL%2Bflag%2Bfor%2BFitzroy/657|title=Australian Football – 1913 Challenge Final: Fitzroy vs. St Kilda – Fifth VFL flag for Fitzroy|last=Devaney|first=John|publisher=Australian Football|accessdate=11 July 2015}} In the last quarter, which St Kilda began 25 points behind, Baird kicked the second of two early goals for St Kilda.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7228539 |title=The Football Final. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=29 September 1913 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}} Two goals to Morrissey reduced the margin to two points with only a few minutes remaining.

Accounts of what happened next vary, but Baird is known to have taken a mark within range of goal, giving him an opportunity to put St Kilda in front, but instead the ball ended up with Morrissey who could only kick a behind. The Age wrote that Baird had "muddled things up" and it proved to be a turning point, as Fitzroy were able to kick two late goals to secure a 13-point win.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19130929&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|title=Football Final – Fitzroy Premiers|date=29 September 1913|work=The Age|page=14|accessdate=11 July 2015}}

Baird later recalled:

{{blockquote|As I was expecting the bell to go any tick of the clock, I took more than ordinary time. This momentary delay was responsible for my being surrounded by practically the whole of the Fitzroy backs and incidentally the whole of our forwards surged up to the mark as a sort of protection – momentarily everyone sort of clustered round me. As Morrissey saw an open road to goal he called for the hand-pass. He received the pass OK – it was not intercepted – and instead of running straight into the goal base, as there was no player between him and the goal, he just turned and kicked hurriedly and registered a behind.}}

This account was questioned by teammate Bob Bowden. He disputed that Morrissey had called for the ball and claimed that the handball had actually been aimed at him. Bowden recalled that Baird, after marking the ball clear from any opponent, attempted to handball to him but it came out the side of his hand and instead went towards the boundary line. It was there that Morrissey gathered the ball and shot for goal, from what Bowden called a "most difficult angle".{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article190343177 |title=How St. Kilda Lost 1913 Grand Final. |newspaper=Sporting Globe |location=Melbourne |date=19 June 1937 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=8|edition=2|via=National Library of Australia}}

Baird played five games early in the 1914 VFL season, then was cleared to Sydney, where he signed with Paddington in the New South Wales Football League.

His participation in the competition was put in doubt when the Sydney Football Club launched a protest, following a 70-all draw which he had taken part in.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120282336 |title=New South Wales Notes. |newspaper=Referee |location=Sydney |date=17 June 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} The club claimed that he had not lived in Paddington's district for the one-month requirement and was ineligible to play. In Baird's case, the one-month qualification was not believed to have been applicable due to a rule in which players who had come from other states could play on arrival.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45288083 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Barrier Miner |location=Broken Hill, NSW |date=10 July 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} The issue was that his residence, although in Paddington and only 10 minutes walk from the club's ground, happened to be in the East Sydney district and he was living there up until the day before the match.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115816619 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Evening News |date=4 July 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168593491 |title=General Notes. |newspaper=Sydney Sportsman |location=Surry Hills, NSW |date=1 July 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} Upon learning of the mistake, Baird had to move to Waverley in order to meet the residential qualifications, but this meant the one-month requirement was now applied. Citing disgust at how things had unfolded and anticipating further protests, Baird resigned from Paddington, but was persuaded out of retirement and once he was ruled eligible to play resumed his career.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45288370 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Barrier Miner |location=Broken Hill, NSW |date=13 July 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} It was decided that the match between Sydney and Paddington would be replayed later in the season.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120283470 |title=New South Wales Notes. |newspaper=Referee |location=Sydney |date=15 July 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} Sydney however ended up forfeiting the match, as a win would not have affected their position on the ladder.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115809630 |title=Australian. |newspaper=The Evening News, NSW |date=1 August 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}

He was vice-captain of the New South Wales team at the 1914 Sydney Carnival in August.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154815619 |title=Football. |newspaper=Sporting Judge|location=Melbourne |date=1 August 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In the third quarter of Paddington's 1914 semi-final loss to South Sydney, Baird was singled out for rough treatment by his opponents.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126763644 |title=Football Riot. |newspaper=Sunday Times |location=Sydney |date=30 August 1914 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} The fighting became serious enough that the police were called to the ground and Baird had to take refuge in the pavilion.

Baird was unavailable for much of the 1915 season—an ankle injury kept him on the sidelines and he then went down to Melbourne on holidays.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article117547939 |title=Paddington and Newtown Australian Rules Finalists. |newspaper=Saturday Referee and the Arrow |location=Sydney |date=11 September 1915 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} With Paddington making the premiership decider, Baird travelled up to Sydney on the morning on the match.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167287496 |title=On The Ball. |newspaper=Sydney Sportsman |location=Surry Hills, NSW |date=15 September 1915 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} Paddington defeated Newtown by 18-points to claim its first premiership.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15613745 |title=Australian Rules. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 September 1915 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In 1921, Baird was elected captain of North Sydney, which were returning to the competition after they had gone into recess during the war.{{cite web|url=http://nswfootballhistory.com.au/2013/03|title=Western Sydney Wanders Not Alone|date=March 2013|publisher=NSW Australian Football History Society|accessdate=11 July 2015}} The club were able to win the premiership in its first season back, with Baird featuring in the premiership team, along with four other former VFL players, Les Charge, Herb Friend, Bryan Rush and Gerald Ryan.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168484513 |title=North Sydney Premiers 1921. |newspaper=Sydney Sportsman |location=Surry Hills, NSW |date=14 September 1921 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Baird was involved in football administration at the time of his death in 1947; he had been assistant secretary of St Kilda the previous season.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165030969 |title=Death of Former South Footballer. |newspaper=Record (Emerald Hill) |location=Vic. |date=5 April 1947 |accessdate=11 July 2015 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{AFL Tables|ref=D/Des_Baird.html}}
• {{AustralianFootball|ref=Des%2BBaird/2453}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baird, Des}}

Category:1888 births

Category:1947 deaths

Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)

Category:Sydney Swans players

Category:St Kilda Football Club players

Category:Paddington Australian Football Club players

Category:North Shore Australian Football Club players

Category:People from Sunbury, Victoria

Category:St Kilda Football Club administrators

Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen