George Joshua Francis "Fred" Parkinson (27 January 1884 – 22 October 1913) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Fred Parkinson
Parkinson during his Essendon career
Personal information
Full name George Joshua Francis Parkinson
Date of birth (1884-01-27)27 January 1884
Place of birth Sandhurst, Victoria
Date of death 22 October 1913(1913-10-22) (aged 29)
Place of death Prahran, Victoria
Original team(s) South Bendigo
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1907–10 Essendon 53 (27)
1912 Collingwood 05 0(3)
Total 58 (30)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1912.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Parkinson, a follower, came to the league from South Bendigo and debuted in the 1907 VFL season, at the age of 23.[2][3] He played 15 games that year.[3]

In 1908, Parkinson made 18 appearances, including Essendon's semi-final win over Collingwood, but wasn't selected for the grand final.[3] His best performance that season came in round 16 when he played up forward and kicked seven goals against Melbourne at East Melbourne.[3]

He was a regular in the Essendon team again in 1909, with 15 games, then only played five games in 1910, but did make another semi-final appearance, for the third year in a row.[3]

In 1912 he transferred to Collingwood, where he played five senior games.[3][4]

Off the field, Parkinson was a railways worker, initially at Bendigo railway station before he moved to Melbourne.[5] On 21 October 1913, Parkinson was alighting from a train at South Yarra station, on his way home from work, when his leg slipped in between the train and platform.[6] The train was already in motion and Parkinson received severe leg injuries.[6] He died from shock the following day, at The Alfred Hospital.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  2. ^ "Parkinson, G. J. Fred". Essendon Football Club. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Fred Parkinson". AFL Tables.
  4. ^ Bendigo Advertiser, "Metropolitan Matches", 4 June 1912, p. 2
  5. ^ Bendigo Advertiser, "Fatal Railway Accident", 23 October 1913, p. 5
  6. ^ a b The Argus, "Man's Leg Crushed", 22 October 1913, p. 13
  7. ^ Riverine Herald, "Footballer Fatally Injured", 23 October 1913, p. 3