sport.wikisort.org - Athlete

Christopher Francis Lethbridge (24 May 1890 – 25 March 1970)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL.[2]

Chris Lethbridge
Personal information
Full name	Christopher Francis Lethbridge
Date of birth	(1890-05-24)24 May 1890
Place of birth	Brighton East, Victoria
Date of death	25 March 1970(1970-03-25) (aged 79)
Place of death	Caulfield, Victoria
Original team(s)	Sydney YMCA
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	83 kg (183 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1913–1922	Fitzroy	148 (19)
Coaching career3
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
1925	Fitzroy	17 (12–5–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1922. 3 Coaching statistics correct as of 1925.
Career highlights
Fitzroy premiership player 1913 Fitzroy premiership captain 1922 Fitzroy captain 1921–1922
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Christopher Montague Lethbridge (1852-1906),[3] and Alice Maud Lethbridge (-1922), née Emmerson,[4] Christopher Francis Lethbridge was born in Brighton East on 24 May 1890. The family moved to Wagga Wagga in New South Wales very early in his life.

He married Bertha Lillian White (1893-1974) on 18 March 1916.[5]

Football

Lethbridge was originally from New South Wales and played in defence for Fitzroy.

Granted a clearance from Y.M.C.A. Sydney on 23 May 1913,[6] he made his debut, against South Melbourne, on 7 June 1913;[7] and was a member of Fitzroy's premiership side that year.

In 1921 he took over the captaincy from Percy Parratt and in 1922 he captained Fitzroy to another flag before retiring at the season's end, thus becoming one of the few players in league history to be a member of premiership sides in his first and last season.

Non-playing coach

Lethbridge returned to the Fitzroy in 1925 and — replacing Vic Belcher, who had gone to coach the City Football Club in Launceston[8] — served as its non-playing coach for the 1925 season.[9]

The announcement of his appointment caused genuine pleasure, for few players enjoy the popularity that Lethbridge does. It was in 1922 he led the Fitzroy team to the premiership, made his fearless play as a half-back made him famous wherever the Australian game was played. Lethbridge is a renowned footballer, and he has the reputation of being one of the toughest men the game has known. A fighter of great courage, it is a wonder his fearlessness has never cost him serious injury, but he generally emerged unscathed. (The Sporting Globe, 22 April 1925.)[10]

Footnotes

References

• Fitzroy's Vice-Captain, The Herald, (Saturday, 30 July 1921), p.5.
• Popular Half-Back: Career of Chris Lethbridge, The Herald, (Saturday, 30 July 1921), p.5.
• Donald, Chris (2002). Fitzroy: For The Love Of The Jumper. Pan Macmillan Australia. ISBN 978-1-877029-18-9.

External links

• Chris Lethbridge's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Chris Lethbridge at AustralianFootball.com

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