Max Wheeler (footballer)

Geoffrey Maxwell Wheeler (21 May 1912 – 17 June 1941) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He played only one VFL game, against Melbourne.[1][2]

Max Wheeler
Personal information
Full name Geoffrey Maxwell Wheeler
Date of birth (1912-05-21)21 May 1912
Place of birth Coleraine, Victoria
Date of death 17 June 1941(1941-06-17) (aged 29)
Place of death Merdjayoun, French Lebanon
Original team(s) Ballarat Football Club
Position(s) Forward pocket
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1937 Hawthorn 1 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1937.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com
External image
image icon Egyptian Toy Camel: Private G M Wheeler, 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, Collection of the Australian War Memorial.

Family

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The son of Herbert John Wheeler (1877–1947),[3][4] and Eliza Lousia Wheeler (1878–1975), née James, Geoffrey Maxwell Wheeler was born at Coleraine, Victoria on 21 May 1912.[5]

He married Margaret Isabel Lingham (1914-1998) in 1937.[6] They had three children: Maxine, Alan, and Mabel.

Football

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Wheeler topped the Ballarat - Wimmera FL goalkicking with 107 goals in 1936.[7]

Hawthorn managed to secure a permit from Ballarat for Wheeler to play on a Monday.[8] He played on a split round weekend in which the Hawks and Melbourne played at Glenferrie oval. The following week he was dropped and lined up in the reserves. A few weeks later while playing in the seconds Wheeler had his arm broken and that finished his season.[9]

Wheeler returned from Hawthorn and played with North Ballarat FC[10] and he topped the Ballarat Football League goalkicking in 1938 with 93 goals and in 1939, 93 goals.

In 1938, Wheeler kicked 17 goals in a match against the Ballarat CYMS FC.[11]

Military service

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He enlisted in the Second AIF on 24 July 1940, and served in the 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.[1]

Death

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He was killed in action, at Merdjayoun, in French Lebanon, on 17 June 1941, serving with the Second AIF.[12][1]

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c Gigacz, Andrew, "A Gold Watch and a Toy Camel", australianfootball.com.
  2. ^ Holmesby & Main (2007).
  3. ^ Deaths: Wheeler, The Argus, (Monday, 16 June 1947), p. 19.
  4. ^ World War One Nominal Roll: Private Herbert John Wheeler (5636), Australian War Memorial.
  5. ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Births Registration no.19360/1912.
  6. ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Marriages Registration no.16433/1937.
  7. ^ "1936 - Finals in football contest". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic). 28 September 1936. p. 32. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  8. ^ "League Snapshots". Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954). 18 June 1937. p. 19.
  9. ^ "Hawthorn". Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954). 14 July 1937. p. 17.
  10. ^ "1938 - League Permits". The Argus. 12 May 1938. p. 18. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  11. ^ "1938 - Country Football Matches". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic). 1 August 1938. p. 34. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  12. ^ In Memoriam: On Active Service: Wheeler, The Age, (Friday, 21 May 1943), p. 5; In Memoriam: Roll of Honour—On Active Service: Wheeler, The Argus, (Friday, 21 May 1943), p. 2.

Sources

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