Jim Park (footballer)


James William Park was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League during the 1930s.
He died in action, in New Guinea, whilst serving with the Second AIF.

Family

Born in Bendigo on 14 February 1910 to Dr. Alexander Park, and Ethel Marion Park, née Reilly, James William Park had three brothers, Alex, George, and Bob, and three sisters, Ethel, Hilda and Jean.
His father, a general practitioner, moved his practice from Bendigo to Moonee Ponds in 1919, in order to facilitate the education of his children: the boys attended Melbourne's Scotch College, which had not yet moved to Hawthorn and was still in East Melbourne, and the girls attended Melbourne's Presbyterian Ladies' College, also in East Melbourne.
of Richmond, and Phonse Kyne of Collingwood, at the Adelaide Oval, before the 1938 interstate match against South Australia
He married Marjorie Jean Steele on 26 October 1935, and they had one daughter, Joan Millicent Park.

Education

He attended Scotch College from 1919 to 1926. He then went on to the Dookie Agricultural College, where he excelled in cricket, swimming, and football, as well as in his academic pursuits. In his second year he was dux of his class, and in his final year second only to the dux. He graduated from Dookie with a Diploma of Agriculture at the end of 1930.

Football

Recruited from Bass Valley Football Club, in Gippsland, he received his clearance to play with Carlton on 27 April 1932, and having played well for the Second XVIII on the preceding Saturday, he made his senior debut for Carlton at centre half-back, against Hawthorn, on 21 May 1932.
Park played in the back pocket and was a premiership player with Carlton in 1938, restricting prolific Collingwood forward Ron Todd to three goals.
In the same season he was chosen to represent Victoria for the first time in his career.
On Saturday, 28 May 1938, at Princes Park, in a match against Melbourne, which, although having more scoring shots, Carlton lost 14.18 to 16.11 — it was Carlton's first loss for the season — Park took one of the greatest marks of all time. Playing in the back pocket, in front of the Melbourne goal, he soared over the Melbourne forward Eric Glass, and held the mark. In the moment before the picture, Glass is erect, Park's left heel is at the level of Glass's left shoulder, his left knee is well above Glass's right shoulder, his right leg extended for balance, and the ball is a short distance away.

Military service

With his occupation listed as both "clerk" and "manager", Park enlisted in the Second AIF on 12 March 1941. On Tuesday, 18 March 1941, a senior team training night, Park attended Princes Park as a guest of the Carlton Football Club committee, and "was presented with a cheque in recognition of his services to the club in the last nine years".
On 9 February 1943 he was killed in action while fighting Japanese forces with the 2/6th Infantry Battalion at the Battle of Wau in New Guinea.

Footnotes