Bert Mills
Bert Mills | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Full name | Albert Edward Mills | ||
Date of birth | 16 February 1910 | ||
Place of birth | Wahgunyah, Victoria | ||
Date of death | 6 May 1984 | (aged 74)||
Original team(s) | Bethanga, Wangaratta | ||
Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Weight | 86 kg (190 lb) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1930–1942 | Hawthorn | 196 (60) | |
Coaching career | |||
Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
1940–1941 | Hawthorn | 36 (10–26–0) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1942. | |||
Career highlights | |||
| |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Albert Edward Mills (16 February 1910 – 6 May 1984) was an Australian rules footballer who played for and captained Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Football career
[edit]Mills and his older brother Arthur began their careers playing for Bethanga in the 1926 and 1927 Kiewa & District Football Association grand finals.[1][2][3][4] The Mills family then moved to Oxley, near Wangaratta, and the pair played with nearby Wangaratta Football Club in 1929.[5][6] In 1930, both brothers made their debuts for the Hawthorn Football Club. Bert Mills won Hawthorn's 'most consistent player' award in his first season of VFL football.[7]
Mills usually played as a ruckman, but was also used at centre half-back. He captained Hawthorn at various times during his career, beginning in 1932, and then in single seasons during 1934 and 1938 before his final stint from 1940 until 1941 as captain-coach.[8][9]
During his time at Hawthorn, Mills won their best and fairest award three times, in 1933, 1935 and 1939.[10][11] Mills was also presented with a life membership medallion in 1939.[12][8] He represented Victoria in interstate football, doing so on 11 occasions.[8] In 1936, Mills won Hawthorn's 'most popular player' award, which was sponsored by the Hoyts Palace Theatre, Glenferrie.[13]
He was named on the back pocket in Hawthorn's official 'Team of the Century'.
Honours and achievements
[edit]- 3× Hawthorn best and fairest: 1933, 1935, 1939
- Hawthorn captain: 1932, 1934, 1938, 1940–1941
- Hawthorn Hall of Fame
- Hawthorn Team of the Century
- Hawthorn life member
References
[edit]- ^ "1926 - Kiewa & DFA - Grand Final match review". The Yackandandah Times. 3 September 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1926 - Kiewa & DFA - Drawn Grand Final". The Albury Banner & Wodonga Express. 3 September 1926. p. 32. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1926 - Kiewa & DFA - Grand Final match review". The Yackandandah Times. Vic. 24 September 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1927 - Kiewa & DFA - Grand Final match review". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. NSW. 19 August 1927. p. 41. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1929 - Mills move to Oxley". Wodonga & Towong Senitel. 15 February 1929. p. 3. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1929 - Approached by city representatives". The Corowa Free Press. NSW. 30 August 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1930 - Hawthorn FC - AGM". The Age. 10 December 1930. p. 11. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ a b c Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920910-78-5.
- ^ "1939 - Mills to coach Hawthorn". Weekly Times. 11 November 1939. p. 66. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1933 - Hawthorn FC - Best & Fairest". The Age. 9 December 1933. p. 19. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1935 - Hawthorn FC - Best & Fairest". The Argus. 24 October 1935. p. 14. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1939 - Hawthorn FC - Best and Fairest". The Age. 5 December 1939. p. 10. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ "1936 - Hawthorn FC - Most Popular Player". The Herald. 26 September 1936. p. 15. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
External links
[edit]