William Bushby
{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = William Bushby
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| fullname = William Bushby
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| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1864|01|25}}
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| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1936|04|14|1864|01|25}}
| death_place = Prospect, South Australia
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| position = Centerman
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| club1 = Victorian Football Club
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| years2 = 1883–1891
| club2 = {{AFL Por}}
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| years3 = 1886
| club3 = South Melbourne
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| years4 = 1892–93{{cite web|title=South Adelaide Players by Season|url=https://www.safc.com.au/every-south-adelaide-player.html|website=safc.com.au|access-date=13 May 2022}}
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| careerhighlights =
- 2× {{AFL Por}} premiership player (1884, 1890)
- Port Adelaide best & fairest (1887)
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William Bushby (25 January 1864 – 14 April 1936) was an Australian rules footballer for {{AFL Por}}, {{SANFL SthA}}, and briefly for {{AFL SM}}.{{Cite web |url=http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/club/history/premierships/1884-premiership |title=1884 Premiership - portadelaidefc.com.au |access-date=26 February 2018 |archive-date=27 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227034448/http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/club/history/premierships/1884-premiership |url-status=dead }}
Playing career
Bushby was a big-bodied attacking centreman, adept at playing through the half-forwards with his size. He began his senior career with the Victorians Football Club in 1883, then went to {{AFL Por}} in 1884, playing there for eight seasons. Bushby was a member of their 1884 and 1890 SAFA premiership-winning teams, and was captain of the club from 1886 to 1889.{{cite web|last=Rucci|first=Michelangelo|date=12 August 2020|title=Port Gazette: The disappearance of Bill Bushby|url=https://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/793727/port-gazette-the-disappearance-of-bill-bushby|website=portadelaidefc.com.au|access-date=13 May 2022}}
In 1886, Bushby left Adelaide shortly before the end of the 1886 SAFA season, and travelled to Melbourne to play for the South Melbourne Football Club for its last five matches of the 1886 VFA season – and, in particular, to play in the 4 September match against undefeated {{AFL Gee}}, a match near certain to have decided the VFA premiership for the season. It is thought to be the first case of a crack South Australian player being recruited by a Victorian club, and was controversial. Although Bushby played some good matches for South Melbourne,{{cite news|newspaper=The Record|publication-place=Emerald Hill, VIC|title=Crowds and Gates|date=10 Jun 1922|page=2}} he played so poorly in the 4 September match that his failures were still recounted decades later in Victoria: he won few if any possessions, and his direct opponent, Geelong captain David Hickinbotham, was the best player on the ground in Geelong's dominant four goals to one victory.{{cite news|newspaper=The Record|publication-place=Emerald Hill, VIC|title=Adelaide's star was a "flop"|date=24 August 1935|page=5}} It was not Bushby's only connection to Victorian football, the Fitzroy Football Club accused of making him a big money offer to transfer in 1892.
In 1892, Bushby transferred to {{SANFL SthA}}, and played there for two seasons.
References
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Port Adelaide Football Club captains}}
{{John Cahill Medal}}
{{1884 Port Adelaide premiership players}}
{{1890 Port Adelaide premiership players}}
{{1890 Championship of Australia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bushby, William}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from South Australia
Category:Port Adelaide Football Club (SANFL) players
Category:Port Adelaide Football Club players (all competitions)
Category:South Adelaide Football Club players
Category:South Melbourne Football Club (VFA) players
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