Frank Scully (footballer)
{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Frank Scully
| image = Frankscullystkilda.png
| image_size = 150
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Francis Leo Scully
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1899|10|28}}
| birth_place = South Melbourne, Victoria
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1980|5|5|1899|10|28}}
| death_place = North Melbourne, Victoria
| originalteam = Windsor
| height = 171 cm
| weight =
| position =
| statsend = 1927
| years1 = 1924–1927
| club1 = St Kilda
| games_goals1 = 41 (42)
| careerhighlights =
}}
Francis Leo Scully (28 October 1899 – 5 May 1980) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).{{cite book|last=Holmesby|first=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=9781920910785}}
World War I
Scully enlisted to serve in the Australian Army in May 1918, completing training at Broadmeadows and, having embarked from Sydney on 5 November 1918, was on his way to Europe when the Armistice with Germany was signed that brought an end to fighting in Europe.{{cite web |url=https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/person/312637 |title=Discovering Anzacs: Francis Leo Scully |publisher=National Archives of Australia}}
Football
Scully, a recruit from Windsor, started his St Kilda career in the 1924 VFL season. Debuting in round five, Scully was a regular fixture in the team for the rest of the year and won St Kilda's "best first-year player" award for his performances in 12 games.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/F/Frank_Scully_gm.html|title=AFL Tables – Frank Scully – Games Played|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=8 August 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2083464 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=10 December 1924 |accessdate=7 August 2015 |page=27 |via=National Library of Australia}} In round 17 he was reported for striking Essendon player Charlie May, for which he was suspended for five games.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2027998 |title=Football Inquiries. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=6 September 1924 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=21 |via=National Library of Australia}}
He did not return the following season until round six and kicked three goals in his first game back, against Essendon.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155754473 |title=St. Kilda's Sensational Win. |newspaper=The Age |location=Melbourne |date=9 June 1925 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}} He played every game except the final two rounds, due to a shoulder injury.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155813588 |title=Around the Clubs. |newspaper=The Age |location=Melbourne |date=4 September 1925 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}
His 1926 season was interrupted by an eight-week suspension, incurred for an incident in St Kilda's round two loss to Geelong at Junction Oval.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128099966 |title=Essendon Wins a Hard Fight. |newspaper=Referee |location=Sydney |date=19 May 1926 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} The incident happened after Scully received a free kick for having his arm pulled by Geelong's Ken Leahy.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3781904 |title=League Tribunal |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=14 May 1926 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} According to the field umpire's account, Scully punched the ball away following the free kick, which struck Leahy in the face.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83642151 |title=In Other States. |newspaper=The Daily News |location=Perth |date=28 May 1926 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=4|edition=Home (Final)|via=National Library of Australia}} The pair then exchanged blows and had to be separated by the boundary umpire. As Leahy was the first to strike, Scully's suspension was for "retaliation". The tribunal chairman believed Leahy was the aggressor, but as Scully was also charged with striking they could not take provocation into account.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141414186 |title=Notes and Comments. |newspaper=The Australasian |location=Melbourne |date=22 May 1926 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=38|edition=Metropolitan |via=National Library of Australia}} Leahy was also suspended for eight weeks.
A return to football was further delayed by a court case, relating to the theft of a motor vehicle tyre from the property of St Kilda vice president John Beddison.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165134243 |title=Theft of Motor Tyre. |newspaper=The Prahran Telegraph |location=Vic. |date=23 July 1926 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} Scully pleaded guilty to the charge and was committed for trial in August, along with four other men, two of them his brothers. On the night in question, the men had dinner at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in St Kilda, which was managed by Beddison.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19260813&id=FfhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8tcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7077,4719545&hl=en|title=Five Men Charged|date=13 August 1926|work=The Age|page=19|accessdate=8 August 2015}} Soon after 8 pm, the men left in a taxi and Beddison noticed that the tyre was missing from his car outside the hotel. Prosecutors alleged that Scully had taken the tyre, which he dropped off at a local motor garage during the taxi ride.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3802110 |title=Five Men Not Guilty. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=13 August 1926 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}} The judge asked the jury to take into consideration that Scully was intoxicated and the jury returned a not guilty verdict. He played in three of the final four rounds of the season.
In 1927, Scully played 14 games for St Kilda and kicked 18 goals.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/1927.html#15|title=AFL Tables – 1927 Stats – Player Lists|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=8 August 2015}} The following year he left to coach Penshurst.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32108481 |title=Football. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=2 May 1928 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3949895 |title=Football. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=31 May 1928 |accessdate=8 August 2015 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{AFL Tables|ref=F/Frank_Scully.html}}
- {{AustralianFootball|ref=frank%2Bscully/4222}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scully, Frank}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne
Category:St Kilda Football Club players