Ivan Baumgartner
Encyclopedia
Ivan Baumgartner is a former Australian rules football
er who played with Geelong
, Melbourne
and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
After studying at Wesley College
, Baumgartner moved to Geelong, in order to attend the Gordon Institute of Technology
. While there he played with the Geelong Football Club. In 1953, his first season, he appeared in Geelong's preliminary final win over Footscray
. He lost his place in the side for the grand final, to make way for Russell Renfrey
, and had to watch his club's defeat of Collingwood
from beyond the sidelines. The following year he was a regular member of the team and played a total of 17 games, including two more finals, but not a grand final.
Baumgartner participated in the opening three rounds of the 1955 VFL season
, then asked for a clearance to Melbourne, as he had found work in Dandenong. He played only five senior games for Melbourne, but performed well enough in the reserves to finish second in the 1955 Gardiner Medal
.
He finished his career at St Kilda, playing 16 of a possible 18 games for them in 1956.
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 who played with Geelong
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...
, 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....
and St Kilda 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).
After studying at Wesley College
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
, Baumgartner moved to Geelong, in order to attend the Gordon Institute of Technology
Gordon Institute of TAFE
The Gordon Institute of TAFE is the TAFE institute servicing Geelong since 1888. It has 26,000 students studying on-campus, off-campus and in business or industry ....
. While there he played with the Geelong Football Club. In 1953, his first season, he appeared in Geelong's preliminary final win over Footscray
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
. He lost his place in the side for the grand final, to make way for Russell Renfrey
Russell Renfrey
Russell 'Hooker' Renfrey is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong in the VFL.Russell Renfrey played 202 games for Geelong in a career spanning 1946-56....
, and had to watch his club's defeat of Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
from beyond the sidelines. The following year he was a regular member of the team and played a total of 17 games, including two more finals, but not a grand final.
Baumgartner participated in the opening three rounds of the 1955 VFL season
1955 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1955.-Premiership season:In 1955, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
, then asked for a clearance to Melbourne, as he had found work in Dandenong. He played only five senior games for Melbourne, but performed well enough in the reserves to finish second in the 1955 Gardiner Medal
Gardiner Medal
The Gardiner Medal was an Australian rules football award, formerly awarded to the best and fairest player in the VFL Reserves competition.Officially named the Seconds prior to 1959 and the Reserves from 1959 onwards, the competition ran from 1919 until 1999 and the medal was first awarded in...
.
He finished his career at St Kilda, playing 16 of a possible 18 games for them in 1956.