Tom McMahon (footballer, born 1918)
{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1918}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Tom McMahon
| image =
| fullname = Thomas Joseph McMahon
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|07|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria
| death_date = {{death date and age|2005|09|24|1918|07|28|df=y}}
| death_place =
| height = 177 cm
| weight = 71 kg
| position =
| statsend = 1943
| years1 = 1943
| club1 = {{AFL Foo}}
| games_goals1 = 2 (0)
| careerhighlights =
}}
Thomas Joseph McMahon (28 July 1918 – 24 September 2005) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL). {{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 |last1=Holmesby|first1=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim |year=2014 |edition=10th |isbn=978-1-921496-32-5 |publisher=BAS Publishing |location=Seaford, Victoria |page=595}}
War service
Thomas Joseph McMahon enlisted to serve in the Australian Army in World War II in January 1940.{{cite web |url=https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=624395&c=WW2 |title=World War II Roll: Thomas Joseph McMahon |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia}}
Football career
McMahon played two senior VFL games for Footscray in 1943, against Essendon and St Kilda. After Footscray played Essendon, the local South Melbourne newspaper reported “Tom McMahon gave a sound display on the wing. Close on 6 ft., well-built and very fast (he appeared at Stawell), McMahon was born in Draper Street and served his apprenticeship in the printing department of 'The Record' Office.”{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164973024 |title=RANDOM PARS |newspaper=Record |location=South Melbourne, Victoria |date=12 June 1943 |page=3}}
In 1944 McMahon joined his local side, South Melbourne,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165035381 |title=SOUTH SECONDS' VICTORY OVER PREMIERS |newspaper=Record |volume=XLIX |issue=20 |location=South Melbourne, Victoria |date=27 May 1944 |page=3}} but did not make a senior appearance, only making the supplementary list in 1945. {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1109159 |title=MORE FINAL VFL LISTS |newspaper=The Argus |issue=30,774 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=17 April 1945 |page=13}} He subsequently applied to join Prahran in the Victorian Football Association. {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1107512 |title=MANN, CARLTON, TO PLAY WITH BRUNSWICK |newspaper=The Argus |issue=30,805 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=23 May 1945 |page=7}} Although not granted a clearance by South, by June 1945 McMahon was playing with Prahran.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189780775 |title=Prahran Win Fast Game |newspaper=Sporting Globe |issue=2396 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |date=9 June 1945 |page=3}} In 1947, McMahon was appointed acting captain of the Prahran side when Keith Stackpole was injured{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article178139243 |title=Prahran New Force In The V.F.A. Battle |newspaper=Sporting Globe |issue=2623 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |date=13 August 1947 |page=16}} in what was to be his final year of senior football.
Sprinting career
McMahon was an accomplished sprinter, competing in the Stawell Gift in 1940{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12437868 |title=STAWELL FAVOURITE RUNS DISAPPOINTINGLY |newspaper=The Argus |issue=29,200 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=25 March 1940 |page=8}} and 1941,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8160748 |title=CROWDS GO TO STAWELL |newspaper=The Argus |issue=29,527 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=12 April 1941 |page=16}} but failed to make it past the heat stage.
In 1946, McMahon won his heat at Stawell but failed to make the final after finished second to Jim Baird in his semi-final.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165031464 |title="RECORD" OFFICE EMPLOYEE IN STAWELL GIFT |newspaper=Record |volume=LXXVII |issue=16 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=27 April 1946 |page=3}}
Personal life
In November 1944 Tom McMahon married Phyllis Mary Mullins.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165034400 |title=PRETTY NAVAL WEDDING AT MIDDLE PARK |newspaper=Record |volume=XLIX |issue=47 |location=South Melbourne, Victoria |date=2 December 1944 |page=2}} He worked in the printing industry and lived in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton for most of his life.
Thomas Joseph McMahon died at the age of 87 in 2005.{{cite web |url=https://smct.org.au/deceasedsearch/result/689333 |title=Thomas Joseph McMahon |publisher=Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust}}
Notes
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{AFL Tables|ref=T/Tom_McMahon0.html}}
- {{AustralianFootball|ref=tom%2Bmcmahon/6989}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McMahon, Tom}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne
Category:Western Bulldogs players
Category:Prahran Football Club players
Category:Australian military personnel of World War II
Category:People from South Melbourne