Keith Sylvester Shea (10 August 1914 – 27 February 1951) was an Australian rules footballer who played at high levels in both Victoria and Western Australia. His senior VFL playing career spanned from 1932 to 1945, although it was interrupted by the war and he continued on playing country football until 1950.
Keith Shea | |||
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Personal information | |||
Full name | Keith Sylvester Shea | ||
Date of birth | 10 August 1914 | ||
Place of birth | Bacchus Marsh, Victoria | ||
Date of death | 27 February 1951 | (aged 36)||
Place of death | Albury, New South Wales | ||
Original team(s) | Bacchus Marsh | ||
Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||
Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||
Playing career | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1932–1937 | Carlton | 91 (101) | |
1938–1939 | Subiaco | 37 (69) | |
1940 | South Fremantle | 17 (14) | |
1945 | Hawthorn | 8 (8) | |
Coaching career | |||
Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
1940 | South Fremantle | 22 (16–6–0) | |
1945–1946 | Hawthorn | 39 (9–30–0) | |
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Family
editThe son of Stephen Sylvester Shea (1890-1958),[1] and Florence Kathleen Shea (1891-1958), née Dowling,[2] Keith Sylvester Shea was born at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria on 10 August 1914.
He married Linda Jessie Elin Tuke (1914-1977) on 25 November 1940.[3]
Football
editShea was a half forward and played with Carlton from 1932 to 1937. He polled well in the Brownlow Medal, the closest he came to winning was in 1934 where he fell 2 votes short with an equal 3rd placing.[4] Shea finished 3rd again the following season in 1935[5] and equal fourth in 1937.[6]
He represented Victoria on 10 occasions during his time at Carlton. It was playing for Victoria in the 1937 Perth Carnival where he caught the eyes of the Subiaco Football Club recruiters who signed him up for the 1938 season, coached by Haydn Bunton. During his stint with Subiaco he played interstate football with Western Australia and polled 11 votes in the 1938 Sandover Medal.[7] He was appointed coach of South Fremantle for the 1940 season.[8]
In 1941 Shea had returned to Melbourne. He accepted the coaching position at North Melbourne but Carlton would not give him a clearance. He was still legally tied to South Fremantle whom themselves would not clear him back to Victoria. Shea was fined while as Publican of the Notting Hill Hotel for selling alcohol out of hours.[9]
Shea returned to the VFL in 1945 as coach of Hawthorn on a three-year deal. When injuries got the better of him during the season, he became a non-playing coach.[10] He retired as a player at the season's end but staying on as coach in 1946.
In 1947 he coached Rupanyup in the Wimmera Football League,[11] then moved to Albury the following year when he coached North Albury[12] to win the 1948 premiership of the Ovens and Murray Football League.[13][14]
In 1950 he coached Griffith South West Football League (New South Wales),[15] to a losing grand final.[16]
Shea was reappointed coach of North Albury for the 1951 season but died.[17]
Death
editShea, who was a hairdresser by trade, died in the Albury Base Hospital on 27 February 1951,[18] at the age of 37 following an operation in February 1951 in Albury, New South Wales. He had been ill for some time.[19][20]
References
edit- ^ Deaths: Shea, The Age, (Monday, 24 February 1958), p.12.
- ^ Deaths: Shea, The Age, (Wednesday, 12 November 1958), p.23.
- ^ Football Star to Wed, The (Perth) Daily News, (Saturday, 16 November 1940), p.18.
- ^ "1934 - Brownlow Medal". Weekly Times. 29 September 1934. p. 73. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "1935 - Bunton Again!". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic). 21 September 1935. p. 74. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "1937 - REYNOLDS AGAIN WINS BROWNLOW MEDAL". The Age. 2 September 1937. p. 17. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "1938 - HAYDN BUNTON WINS THE SANDOVER MEDAL". The Daily News (Perth, WA). 13 September 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "1940 - Football: South Fremantle's Coach. K. Shea's Appointment Announced". The West Australian. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 27 February 1940. p. 9. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "1941 - Fined For Licensing Offences". The Dandenong Journal (Vic). 2 July 1941. p. 11. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1946 - KEITH SHEA TO COACH HAWTHORN TEAM". The Argus. 24 January 1946. p. 7. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1950 - Shea appointed playing coach of Rupanyup". The Horsham Times (Vic). 14 March 1947. p. 8. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1948 - FOOTBALL EXPECTS BUMPER SEASON". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 1 April 1948. p. 11. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1948 - North's One Goal Premiership Victory". Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW). 6 September 1948. p. 11. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1948 - O&MFL Grand Final Scores". O&MFL. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1950 - KEITH SHEA TO COACH GRIFFITH". The Murrumbidgee Irrigator (Leeton, NSW). 10 February 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1950 - Ganmain Premiers". The Murrumbidgee Irrigator (Leeton, NSW). 19 September 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "1951 - Keith Shea's Sudden Death". The Age. 28 February 1951. p. 24. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ Mr. Keith Shea, The Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, (Thursday, 1 March 1951), p.2.
- ^ Deaths: Shea, The Herald, (Tuesday, 27 February 1951), p.8.
- ^ "1951 - Keith Shea Dies at Albury". The West Australian. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 28 February 1951. p. 14. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
External links
edit- Keith Shea's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Keith Shea at AustralianFootball.com
- "Keith Shea". Blueseum - History of the Carlton Football Club. 27 August 2018.
- Keith Sylvester Shea, at WAFL Footy Facts.