Clyde Donaldson (9 June 1894 – 23 May 1979)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Clyde Donaldson
Personal information
Date of birth 9 June 1894
Place of birth Elsternwick, Victoria
Date of death 23 May 1979(1979-05-23) (aged 84)
Place of death St Kilda East, Victoria
Original team(s) Brunswick Juniors
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 76 kg (168 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1913–14, 1919–26 Essendon 144 (28)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1926.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family edit

The son of George Donaldson (1857-), and Louisa Emma Susanna Donaldson (1858-1932), née Seyler,[2] Clyde Donaldson was born in Elsternwick, Victoria on 9 June 1894. His brother, Eric Donaldson played for St Kilda.

He married Edith Evelyn Happell (1895-1968) on 16 April 1921.[3] He married Daisy Evans (1905-1981) on 24 September 1969.

Football edit

Essendon (VFL) edit

After two seasons playing with Essendon, Donaldson's career was interrupted by World War I when he spent fours years overseas with the Australian Expeditionary Force.

 
The Australian Training Units Team: 28 October 1916.[4] Clyde Donaldson is the fourth man (third player) from the left, in the back row.

Training Units team (AIF) edit

While in London he took part in the famous "Pioneer Exhibition Game" of Australian Rules football, held in London, in October 1916, representing the Australian Training Units team. A news film was taken at the match.[5][6]

Essendon (VFL) edit

In 1919 he returned to Essendon and became a regular Victorian interstate representative throughout the 1920s. A back pocket specialist, Donaldson was tough to beat in an aerial contest and was a long kick of the ball. He was a member of Essendon's 1923 and 1924 premiership teams.

Journalist edit

After retiring in 1926, Donaldson became a noted football journalist for the Truth newspaper.[citation needed]

Death edit

He died in East St Kilda on 23 May 1979.[7]

See also edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ "Past Player Profiles – D (Donaldson, Clyde)". essendonfc.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  2. ^ Marriages: Donaldson—Seyler, The Argus, (Thursday, 9 August 1883), p.1.
  3. ^ Marriages: Donaldson—Happell, The Argus, (Saturday, 25 June 1921), p.13.
  4. ^ Detail of Organised by Australian Olympic swimmer Lieutenant Frank Beaurepaire, etc., in the collection of the Australian War Memorial (Accession number: H16688).
  5. ^ The original newsreel: Australian Football (Pathé Newsreel, 1916) on YouTube
  6. ^ The 2019 remastered and colourised version of the original newsreel: Australian Football (Pathé Newsreel, 1916), remastered and colourised version (2019) on YouTube
  7. ^ Deaths: Donaldson, The Age, (Thursday, 24 May 1979), p.36.

References edit

External links edit