George Harris (Carlton President)
Encyclopedia
George Harris was a President of Carlton Football Club
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) from 1964 to 1974 and again from 1978 to 1980. He was regarded as a highly significant figure in VFL-AFL history.
Harris was born in St Kilda, Victoria
in 1922. He served in the Australian military during World War II
and was a prisoner of war
at Changi prison
. After the war Harris became a dentist.
Harris became club president in 1964 after Carlton had endured its (then) worst season. Harris immediately created a sensation when he headed the committee that enticed Melbourne
's 1964 premiership captain Ron Barassi
to join Carlton as captain-coach. This defection remains one of the major events in VFL-AFL history.
Under Harris's presidency, Barassi immediately established a new era of discipline at Princes Park
and the Blues
climbed from tenth to sixth in his first season at the club. In 1968, Barassi led Carlton to their first flag in 21 years. In 1970, Carlton
saw Barassi lead Carlton to what many regard as its finest achievement - recovering from 44 points down at half-time to defeat Collingwood
in the Grand Final
.
After ending his first term as club president in 1974, Harris did not return to dentistry but instead pursued business interests. In mid-1975 Harris was implicated in the Whitlam Government
scandal that later became known as the Loans Affair
. Harris had acted as a broker on behalf of the then Treasurer
, Jim Cairns
in an attempt to obtain a proposed $2 billion loan from some Middle East
ern countries. This scandal was a contributing factor in the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975
.
Harris returned to the presidency of Carlton in 1978, and oversaw the close grand final victory over Collingwood the following year. He famously infuriated Magpies fans after that victory by declaring, ""What's better than beating Collingwood by 10 goals? Beating them by five points." Harris's second tenure as president was short-lived and he was ousted in a bitter board-level power struggle in February of 1980.
Harris suffered a stroke
in 1991 which left him mute, and his health deteriorated over a period of several years.
Harris died in Melbourne on 26 November 2007.
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
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...
(VFL) from 1964 to 1974 and again from 1978 to 1980. He was regarded as a highly significant figure in VFL-AFL history.
Harris was born in St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
in 1922. He served in the Australian military during 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...
and was a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
at Changi prison
Changi Prison
Changi Prison is a prison located in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore.-First prison and POW camp:...
. After the war Harris became a dentist.
Harris became club president in 1964 after Carlton had endured its (then) worst season. Harris immediately created a sensation when he headed the committee that enticed Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
's 1964 premiership captain Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
to join Carlton as captain-coach. This defection remains one of the major events in VFL-AFL history.
Under Harris's presidency, Barassi immediately established a new era of discipline at Princes Park
MC Labour Park
Princes Park is an Australian rules football ground located at Princes Park in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton North, Victoria....
and the Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
climbed from tenth to sixth in his first season at the club. In 1968, Barassi led Carlton to their first flag in 21 years. In 1970, Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
saw Barassi lead Carlton to what many regard as its finest achievement - recovering from 44 points down at half-time to defeat Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
.
After ending his first term as club president in 1974, Harris did not return to dentistry but instead pursued business interests. In mid-1975 Harris was implicated in the Whitlam Government
Whitlam Government
The Whitlam Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. It was made up of members of the Australian Labor Party in the Australian Parliament from 1972 to 1975.-Background:...
scandal that later became known as the Loans Affair
Loans Affair
The Loans Affair, also called the Khemlani Affair, is the name given to the political scandal involving the Whitlam Government of Australia in 1975, in which it was accused of attempting to borrow money illegally from Middle Eastern countries by bypassing standard procedure as dictated by the...
. Harris had acted as a broker on behalf of the then Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, Jim Cairns
Jim Cairns
James Ford "J. F." Cairns , Australian politician, was prominent in the Labor movement through the 1960s and 1970s, and was briefly Deputy Prime Minister in the Whitlam government...
in an attempt to obtain a proposed $2 billion loan from some Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern countries. This scandal was a contributing factor in the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975
Australian constitutional crisis of 1975
The 1975 Australian constitutional crisis has been described as the greatest political crisis and constitutional crisis in Australia's history. It culminated on 11 November 1975 with the removal of the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam of the Australian Labor Party , by Governor-General Sir John Kerr...
.
Harris returned to the presidency of Carlton in 1978, and oversaw the close grand final victory over Collingwood the following year. He famously infuriated Magpies fans after that victory by declaring, ""What's better than beating Collingwood by 10 goals? Beating them by five points." Harris's second tenure as president was short-lived and he was ousted in a bitter board-level power struggle in February of 1980.
Harris suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1991 which left him mute, and his health deteriorated over a period of several years.
Harris died in Melbourne on 26 November 2007.