Frank Curcio
Encyclopedia
Francis 'Frank' Eduardo Curcio (25 November 1912 –11 November 1988) was an Australian rules footballer who played his entire 249 game career for the Fitzroy Lions in the Victorian Football League
(VFL). He captained the club for four seasons, from 1938 until 1941.
's Fred Fairweather
, Hit me as hard as you like, but don't hurt my fingers.
World War II
military service cost Curcio a place in Fitzroy's 1944 premiership
team and three broken fingers sustained in a services match in 1945, effectively ended his musical career.
Curcio played his best football in an era when Fitzroy's best and fairest
records were either lost on not kept, arguably robbing him of an opportunity to be recorded and remembered as a great player in the record books. On 27 April 1946, Curcio became the first Fitzroy player to play 200 league games.
Curcio retired in 1948, after 15 seasons and having played 249 VFL games, all with Fitzroy, collecting 27 Brownlow Medal
votes. Curcio's club games record stood for 23 years at Fitzroy until surpassed by Kevin Murray. No player in the history of the VFL/AFL competition has worn guernsey
number 18 in more matches than Curcio. With the club now defunct, he sits in fourth position in the record books for most games played for Fitzroy.
After Fitzroy and Brisbane combined their respective histories in 2001, the club unveiled a new 200 game honour board at the Gabba which included Fitzroy, Brisbane
, and Brisbane Lion
players. The board was hung in the players' rooms with a replica for the members' area. The board itself was christened the 'Curcio-McIvor' board, in honour of past players Frank Curcio and Scott McIvor
.
Curcio was the first VFL player of Italian background to really emerge as a great footballer. In 2007, Curcio was named in the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century, in the back line. Also in 2007, the Lions recognised Curcio as one of the best 10 players from the era 1927 to 1956. He represented Victoria on 3 occasions. Curcio died on 11 November 1988, 14 days short of his 76th birthday.
On 3 May 2001, Curcio was named in Fitzroy's Team of the Century
, in the back pocket
position.
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL). He captained the club for four seasons, from 1938 until 1941.
Playing career
Recruited from the Christian Young Men's Society in 1931, Curcio was a tough, hard ruckman, who also played well in the back line. He was renowned for protecting his smaller team mates. A bass violinist, Curcio combined his musical talents with his football prowess, but stood out of the game in 1937 to concentrate on his music. Ever conscious of safegarding his hands to work the strings of the bass violin, he once told North MelbourneNorth Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
's Fred Fairweather
Fred Fairweather
Frederick Victor "Fred" Fairweather was an Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
, Hit me as hard as you like, but don't hurt my fingers.
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...
military service cost Curcio a place in Fitzroy's 1944 premiership
1944 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1944.-Influence of World War II:The wartime travel restrictions that had forced Geelong into recess the previous two years were relaxed, and Geelong rejoined the competition....
team and three broken fingers sustained in a services match in 1945, effectively ended his musical career.
Curcio played his best football in an era when Fitzroy's best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
records were either lost on not kept, arguably robbing him of an opportunity to be recorded and remembered as a great player in the record books. On 27 April 1946, Curcio became the first Fitzroy player to play 200 league games.
Curcio retired in 1948, after 15 seasons and having played 249 VFL games, all with Fitzroy, collecting 27 Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
votes. Curcio's club games record stood for 23 years at Fitzroy until surpassed by Kevin Murray. No player in the history of the VFL/AFL competition has worn guernsey
Guernsey (clothing)
A guernsey, or gansey, is a seaman's knitted woollen sweater, similar to a jersey, which originated in the Channel Island of the same name.-Origins:...
number 18 in more matches than Curcio. With the club now defunct, he sits in fourth position in the record books for most games played for Fitzroy.
Career highlights
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
, and Brisbane Lion
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
players. The board was hung in the players' rooms with a replica for the members' area. The board itself was christened the 'Curcio-McIvor' board, in honour of past players Frank Curcio and Scott McIvor
Scott McIvor
Scott McIvor was a former Australian rules footballer who played mainly with the Brisbane Bears but also had stints with Fitzroy and when both clubs merged, the Brisbane Lions....
.
Curcio was the first VFL player of Italian background to really emerge as a great footballer. In 2007, Curcio was named in the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century, in the back line. Also in 2007, the Lions recognised Curcio as one of the best 10 players from the era 1927 to 1956. He represented Victoria on 3 occasions. Curcio died on 11 November 1988, 14 days short of his 76th birthday.
On 3 May 2001, Curcio was named in Fitzroy's Team of the Century
Team of the Century
Team of the Century and Team of the Decade are terms used in team sport to name a hypothetical best team over a given time period.For the century team, it can be either 100 years, or for a century...
, in the back pocket
Back pocket
In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....
position.
See also
- Australian rules footballers with 200 games for one clubAustralian rules footballers with 200 games for one clubThis is a list of Australian rules footballers who have played at least 200 games for a single club in the Australian Football League . Footballers who are still playing with the club that they are listed under are in bold. Statistics are correct as of Round 24 of the 2011 season...
- Fitzroy FC honour rollFitzroy FC honour rollThis is a list of coaches and captains of the Fitzroy Football Club, along with best-and-fairest award winners and leading goalkickers, for every year of the club's participation in the Victorian Football Association and the Victorian/Australian Football League....
- List of Fitzroy Football Club coaches
- Notable Fitzroy playersNotable Fitzroy playersThis is a complete list of players to have represented the Fitzroy Football Club in the Victorian/Australian Football League.Players are listed by the date of their VFL/AFL debut with the club...