# Eddie Hart (Australian footballer)

Edward Ronald "Eddie" Hart (16 June 1922 – 16 August 1995) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL during the 1940s.
From 1947 until 1951 Hart was Fitzroy's leading goalkicker, with over 50 goals in each season — his best season tally was 65 goals in 1951 — and, in 1948, 1949, and 1951, he was the VFL's third highest goal scorer in each season.

## Family

The son of Frederick Arthur Hart (1889-1948), and Elizabeth Hart (1889-1966), née King, Edward Ronald Hart was born at North Fitzroy, Victoria on 16 June 1922. Two of his three brothers, Arthur Robert Hart (1917 –1981) and Donald Clement "Don" Hart (1930–2018), also played for Fitzroy, as had his uncle Robert "Bob" King (1894–1979).
He married Laurel Violet Mills (1929-2015) in Carlton on 20 October 1951. They had two children, Barbara and Noel and three grandchildren Andrew, Timothy and Marcus.

## Football

A talented full-forward, he was a good, safe mark, and had pace when leading. His war service restricted a career that was brought to an end by an untimely injury.

### Fitzroy (VFL)

He made his debut for Fitzroy, against Carlton, at Princes Park, on 21 June 1941, kicking two goals. Overall he played in 98 First XVIII matches for Fitzroy, kicking 323 goals.

### Full-forward

As a full-forward he had a number of outstanding performances:
* 17 goals in a match: for Fitzroy Seconds, against Geelong, at Kardinia Park, on 27 July 1946.
* 9 goals in a match: against Essendon on 23 August 1947, and against Hawthorn on 20 May 1950.
* 8 goals in a match: against Hawthorn on 15 May 1948, and against South Melbourne on 4 June 1949.
* 7 goals in a match: against Footscray on 21 May 1949, against Collingwood on 15 July 1950, against Hawthorn on 12 August 1950, against Collingwood on 14 July 1951, and against North Melbourne on 1 September 1951.
** The match against North Melbourne, at the Arden Street Oval, on 1 September 1951, the last of the season's home-and-away games, was Eddie Hart's last game for Fitzroy (with Fitzroy just missing the Finals at fifth place of the Ladder). He was not selected to play in the match, and was only in the team as a last-minute replacement for Eddie Goodger, unable to play because of influenza. With his brother Don playing on the half-forward flank, and dominating the North Melbourne full-back Jock McCorkell, he scored seven of Fitzroy team's 8 goals. "Had some of his team mates displayed the same fighting qualities, and spirit as Fitzroy full forward Eddie Hart did against North Melbourne the result may have been different. Although a last minute choice Hart gave a grand display of copybook full-forward play and his seven goals out of a total score of eight will long be remembered by Fitzroy supporters." — The Herald, 3 September 1951.
* 6 goals in a match: against Hawthorn on 31 August 1946, against Hawthorn on 14 June 1947, against South Melbourne on 12 June 1948, against Carlton on 23 April 1949, against Essendon on 18 June 1949, against North Melbourne on 2 July 1949, against St Kilda on 9 July 1949, against Carlton on 1 July 1950, against Footscray on 12 May 1951, and against Carlton on 19 May 1951.

### Inter-State Representative

He represented Victoria, against a combined Riverina team, at Leeton, New South Wales, on 8 August 1948 (he scored 6 goals); and against New South Wales, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, on 16 July 1949 (he scored 8 goals).

### Retirement

He retired before the 1952 season began, as a consequence of a knock to his head that he received during the 1951 season.

## Footnotes

* ↑ Donald, 2002.
* ↑ Deaths: Hart, The Age, (Saturday, 24 January 1948), p. 2.
* ↑ Deaths: Hart, The Age, (Monday, 5 December 1966), p. 17.
* ↑ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Births Registration no.12817/1922.
* ↑ "Every day youngsters are flocking into senior football. Fitzrov have one of the youngest in Eddie Hart, a brother of Arthur, who appeared against Hawthorn in his second game. He is 17 [sic], and is of the rangy type, some 6ft., and about 111⁄2 stone. Born in the Fitzroy district, his ambition has been to don the Maroon uniform. Charlie Cameron, his Second Eighteen coach, considers that he is the most promising player he has handled. He appeared very elusive on Saturday, kicks with both feet, and is a fast mover. He comes from a great football family, as his uncle is Bob King, former champion Fitzroy halfback, who has watched Eddie since a baby and taught him many points in the game ..." (Men who play the Game, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 2 July 1941), p. 10.
* ↑ Footballer and Bride, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 20 October 1951), p. 3.
* ↑ Nearly Summer—but Football matches go on—and Eddie put his heart in it, The Argus, (Monday, 22 October 1951), p.3.
* ↑ Player's 17 Goals in League Seconds, The Argus, (Monday, 29 July 1946), p. 11.
* ↑ "One of the greatest factors in the Maroons' grand win was the magnificent play of E. Hart at full-forward. Splendidly timed leading out, safe marking and accurate kicking enabled him to register 9.2." (Ace Players, The Age, Monday, 25 August 1947), p.8.)
* ↑ Maroons Drop E. Hart, The Age, (Friday, 31 August 1951), p. 16.
* ↑ League Teams: N. Melb v. Fitzroy, The Age, (Friday, 31 August 1951), p. 15.
* ↑ League Statistics, The Age, (Monday, 3 September 1951), p. 12.
* ↑ Lethargic Fitzroy Trails All Day, The Age, (Monday, 3 September 1951), p. 12.
* ↑ St. Kilda Penalised, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Monday, 3 September 1951), p. 10.
* ↑ Inter-State Football: Victoria v. Riverina, The Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, (Tuesday, 3 August 1948), p. 3.
* ↑ Great Crowd Thrilled by Australian Rules Exhibition, The Murrumbidgee Irrigator, (Tuesday, 10 August 1948), p. 2.
* ↑ Brown, Alf, "Victorians in Runaway Win in Sydney", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 16 July 1949), p. 17.
* ↑ Buggy, Hugh, "Hart Springs Surprise", The Argus, (Wednesday, 2 April 1952), p.9.