Bob Quinn (Australian footballer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Berrima Quinn MM
(9 April 1915 – 12 September 2008) was a champion Australian rules football
er with Port Adelaide Football Club
in the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL) and war hero.
, the son of Jack Quinn, a wharf worker who captained Port Adelaide in 1904 and 1905 and represented South Australia, younger brother of Tom Quinn
, who played for Port Adelaide and Geelong Football Club
in the Victorian Football League
and elder brother of George, who played for Port Adelaide before being killed in action in Egypt
in 1942. His middle name "Berrima" is derived from the SS Berrima
, a troop ship that visited Adelaide prior to Quinn's birth.
Quinn made his debut for Port Adelaide in 1933 as a rover and played in his first premiership in 1936. The following year, Quinn won the club Best and Fairest and was Port's leading goalkicker in another premiership year, while in 1938 Quinn was awarded the Magarey Medal
for the best player in the SANFL as well as a second Port Best and Fairest award. Elevated to Captain/Coach in 1939, Quinn led Port to a premiership in his first year as coach before the start of World War II
led many of his leading players to quit football to enlist in the Armed Forces.
in June 1940 as a Warrant Officer Class 2 (while still serving as Captain/Coach) and was shipped out to fight in the North African campaign
. Showing the same fearlessness that he displayed in football, Warrant Officer Quinn was awarded the Military Medal
for bravery at the Siege of Tobruk
. During the war, which also included action in the Pacific
, Quinn severely injured his knee, arm and face and it was feared that he may never play again.
Quinn won a fourth Port Best and Fairest in 1947, his final season. On his retirement, Quinn had played 239 games for Port Adelaide, kicking 386 goals, plus a further 15 games and 26 goals for South Australia (which he captained from 1945–47). Following his retirement from football, Quinn became a successful publican. Quinn remains one of Port Adelaide's favourite sons, having been made a Life Member of the Port Adelaide Football Club in 1944, a member of the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame in 1998, a Life Member of the SANFL in 2002, and a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. In addition, the RB Quinn Stand at Alberton Oval
is named in his honour, as is the Bob Quinn medal, awarded to the best player on ground at the annual SANFL ANZAC Day
match.
while Quinn's son Robert Jnr, played league football for Port Adelaide and South Adelaide Football Club
, and son Greg played reserves for Port Adelaide and Adelaide Grade cricket
as a wicketkeeper. He died after a long illness at age 93.
Quinn's brother-in-law Charlie "Chilla" Walker
was a leading South Australian cricketer
.
The South Australian Cricket Association
's annual trophy for the best wicketkeeper in the Adelaide grade competition is named after Walker. Greg Quinn won it seven times.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(9 April 1915 – 12 September 2008) was a champion Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er with Port Adelaide Football Club
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SANFL) and war hero.
Biography
Quinn was born in Birkenhead, South AustraliaBirkenhead, South Australia
Birkenhead is a north-western suburb of Adelaide 14 km from the CBD, on the Lefevre Peninsula, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Peterhead, Exeter and Glanville...
, the son of Jack Quinn, a wharf worker who captained Port Adelaide in 1904 and 1905 and represented South Australia, younger brother of Tom Quinn
Tom Quinn (Australian footballer)
Tom "Tommy" Quinn was a leading Australian rules footballer of the 1920s and 1930s, playing for Port Adelaide Football Club and Geelong Football Club....
, who played for Port Adelaide and Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
and elder brother of George, who played for Port Adelaide before being killed in action in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in 1942. His middle name "Berrima" is derived from the SS Berrima
HMAS Berrima
HMAS Berrima was an Armed Merchant Cruiser which served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War I.The P&O passenger liner SS Berrima was requisitioned for use by the Navy, refitted and armed at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard and commissioned into the RAN as the auxiliary cruiser HMAS...
, a troop ship that visited Adelaide prior to Quinn's birth.
Quinn made his debut for Port Adelaide in 1933 as a rover and played in his first premiership in 1936. The following year, Quinn won the club Best and Fairest and was Port's leading goalkicker in another premiership year, while in 1938 Quinn was awarded the Magarey Medal
Magarey Medal
For the biography award of the same name, see Magarey Medal for biography. For a list of winners, see List of Magarey Medallists.The Magarey Medal is an Australian rules football honour awarded annually since 1898 to the fairest and most brilliant player in the South Australian National Football...
for the best player in the SANFL as well as a second Port Best and Fairest award. Elevated to Captain/Coach in 1939, Quinn led Port to a premiership in his first year as coach before the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
led many of his leading players to quit football to enlist in the Armed Forces.
War service
Quinn enlisted in the Australian ArmyAustralian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
in June 1940 as a Warrant Officer Class 2 (while still serving as Captain/Coach) and was shipped out to fight in the North African campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. Showing the same fearlessness that he displayed in football, Warrant Officer Quinn was awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for bravery at the Siege of Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
. During the war, which also included action in the Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
, Quinn severely injured his knee, arm and face and it was feared that he may never play again.
Postwar career
Quinn returned to Port Adelaide for the 1945 season and showed that he lost nothing of his skill and determination, winning a second Magarey Medal, a third club Best and Fairest and a second club Leading Goalkicking award.Quinn won a fourth Port Best and Fairest in 1947, his final season. On his retirement, Quinn had played 239 games for Port Adelaide, kicking 386 goals, plus a further 15 games and 26 goals for South Australia (which he captained from 1945–47). Following his retirement from football, Quinn became a successful publican. Quinn remains one of Port Adelaide's favourite sons, having been made a Life Member of the Port Adelaide Football Club in 1944, a member of the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame in 1998, a Life Member of the SANFL in 2002, and a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. In addition, the RB Quinn Stand at Alberton Oval
Alberton Oval
Alberton Oval is located in Alberton, a north-western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. The ground is primarily used for Australian rules football and has a capacity of 17,000 people with seated grandstands holding 2,000,...
is named in his honour, as is the Bob Quinn medal, awarded to the best player on ground at the annual SANFL ANZAC Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
match.
Family and death
Quinn's wife May represented South Australia in netballNetball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
while Quinn's son Robert Jnr, played league football for Port Adelaide and South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
, and son Greg played reserves for Port Adelaide and Adelaide Grade cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
as a wicketkeeper. He died after a long illness at age 93.
Quinn's brother-in-law Charlie "Chilla" Walker
Charlie Walker (cricketer)
Charles William "Charlie" Walker was a cricketer who played for South Australia. A specialist wicket-keeper and right-handed batsman, Walker was born in Brompton, an inner-suburb of Adelaide....
was a leading South Australian cricketer
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
.
The South Australian Cricket Association
South Australian Cricket Association
The South Australian Cricket Association is the peak body for the sport of cricket in South Australia. The association runs Adelaide Oval and the Southern Redbacks based in Adelaide, South Australia. SACA is the controlling body for the South Australian Grade Cricket League...
's annual trophy for the best wicketkeeper in the Adelaide grade competition is named after Walker. Greg Quinn won it seven times.