Donald Charles Bauer (17 May 1922 – 15 January 1996)[3] was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray and Geelong in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Don Bauer
Personal information
Full name Donald Charles Bauer
Date of birth (1922-05-17)17 May 1922
Place of birth Colac, Victoria[1]
Date of death 15 January 1996(1996-01-15) (aged 73)
Original team(s) Chilwell[2]
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 87 kg (192 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1943 Footscray 10 (0)
1945–1949 Geelong 71 (0)
Total 81 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1949.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Bauer, who served in the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War, was from Chilwell in Geelong but could not play for his local VFL club in 1943 as they were in recess.[4] He instead made 10 senior appearances for Footscray.[5] A defender, Bauer joined Geelong midway through the 1945 season and from then until 1949 was a regular fixture in the team.[5][6] Bauer joined City in the Northern Tasmanian Football Association at the end of the 1949 VFL season, as captain-coach.[7] He had been offered the job a year earlier but was refused a clearance by Geelong.[8] In his only season, Bauer guided City to the grand final, which they lost to North Launceston by 30 points.[9]

In 1951 he left Tasmania and became captain-coach of Ballarat Football League side Geelong West.[7] He remained in the role for two years.[10] He was senior coach of Newtown & Chilwell in 1958.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ "World War Two Nominal Roll: Bauer, Donald Charles". Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  2. ^ The Argus, "Footscray Leads", 14 June 1943, p. 9
  3. ^ "Don Bauer - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  4. ^ The Advocate, "Geelong Will Provide Fast Dashing Football", 5 September 1947, p. 7
  5. ^ a b "Don Bauer". AFL Tables.
  6. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  7. ^ a b The Examiner, "Bauer's Appointment", 11 January 1951, p. 8S
  8. ^ The Mercury, "D. Bauer Refused Transfer To City", 27 November 1948, p. 24
  9. ^ The Mercury, "N.T.F.A. Premiership To North Launceston", 2 October 1950, p. 13
  10. ^ "Football Honour Boards". Geelong West St Peters Sports Club. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Senior Football Officials". SportingPulse.