Career: 1898
Debut : Round 1, 1898 vs South Melbourne
Carlton Player No. 43
Games: 13
Goals: 8
Last Game: Round 14, 1898 vs St Kilda
Height:
Weight:
DOB: October 8, 1873
Died: September 2, 1905
Leading Goalkicker: 1898
Known through his career as Tommy O'Dea, it was actually 'Tommy O'Day' who kicked 8 goals in his 13 games for the Blues during 1898. Amazingly, these 8 goals were enough to be our top goalkicker for that year! He left Carlton before the end of his only season, due to his health problems, where it was reported that he went to live in a warmer drier climate, but later returned to Melbourne.
Almost 103 years after his death, it was discovered that his real name was in fact O’Day and not O’Dea. In the 1905 Carlton Annual Report they record his death, except again listing him as O’Dea, but in their balance sheet section of this report they list him as O’Day as in the “Collected T. O’Day fund” and also in the donations section. The Victorian Birth, Deaths and Marriages confirm these listings as O’Day.
In their general section of the Carlton Football Club’s Forty-First Annual Report after noting his death, they stated. “The latter was an old player, and your club- in conjunction with the North Melbourne F.C. – played a match for his wife and child, which realised over £40. Your committee also donated a sum of £8/15/6 towards the same object.”
He was recruited to Carlton from the Imperials club in Western Australia where he played during 1897, having previously played for North Melbourne in the VFA between 1893 and 1896 after coming from the North Melbourne Juniors. Thomas was born in North Melbourne in 1873 and died aged 31 years at Hotham West (West Melbourne) on September 2, 1905 and buried in the Melbourne General cemetery the next day.
(Ballarat Star June 27 p2)
A return match was played on the Eastern Oval Ballarat on August 06.
The League team wore the Essendon club's guernseys. Ballarat won the match by 14 points 9.17 - 8.9
"O'Dea gained a round of applause for a splendid mark, and cheers were renewed when he sent the ball between the posts for sixth goal." (Ballarat Star August 08 p4)
Round 13, 1898 "Carlton missed O'Dea from their ruck, the bursting of a small blood-vessel in the lungs having put him out of football for the season." (Argus August 15 p3)
In fact, Tommy O'Day would return next week in Round 14, 1898 but it would be his last match due his health problems.
A benefit match was played for his family between the North Melbourne and Carlton clubs on Wednesday 30 August 1905.
To read the North Melbourne Courier's obituary click here> http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108826978
Debut : Round 1, 1898 vs South Melbourne
Carlton Player No. 43
Games: 13
Goals: 8
Last Game: Round 14, 1898 vs St Kilda
Height:
Weight:
DOB: October 8, 1873
Died: September 2, 1905
Leading Goalkicker: 1898
Known through his career as Tommy O'Dea, it was actually 'Tommy O'Day' who kicked 8 goals in his 13 games for the Blues during 1898. Amazingly, these 8 goals were enough to be our top goalkicker for that year! He left Carlton before the end of his only season, due to his health problems, where it was reported that he went to live in a warmer drier climate, but later returned to Melbourne.
Almost 103 years after his death, it was discovered that his real name was in fact O’Day and not O’Dea. In the 1905 Carlton Annual Report they record his death, except again listing him as O’Dea, but in their balance sheet section of this report they list him as O’Day as in the “Collected T. O’Day fund” and also in the donations section. The Victorian Birth, Deaths and Marriages confirm these listings as O’Day.
In their general section of the Carlton Football Club’s Forty-First Annual Report after noting his death, they stated. “The latter was an old player, and your club- in conjunction with the North Melbourne F.C. – played a match for his wife and child, which realised over £40. Your committee also donated a sum of £8/15/6 towards the same object.”
He was recruited to Carlton from the Imperials club in Western Australia where he played during 1897, having previously played for North Melbourne in the VFA between 1893 and 1896 after coming from the North Melbourne Juniors. Thomas was born in North Melbourne in 1873 and died aged 31 years at Hotham West (West Melbourne) on September 2, 1905 and buried in the Melbourne General cemetery the next day.
Footnote
O'Dea (O'Day) and Walton from Carlton were selected in a representative League team to play the Ballarat Association on the MCG July 01 1898(Ballarat Star June 27 p2)
A return match was played on the Eastern Oval Ballarat on August 06.
The League team wore the Essendon club's guernseys. Ballarat won the match by 14 points 9.17 - 8.9
"O'Dea gained a round of applause for a splendid mark, and cheers were renewed when he sent the ball between the posts for sixth goal." (Ballarat Star August 08 p4)
Round 13, 1898 "Carlton missed O'Dea from their ruck, the bursting of a small blood-vessel in the lungs having put him out of football for the season." (Argus August 15 p3)
In fact, Tommy O'Day would return next week in Round 14, 1898 but it would be his last match due his health problems.
A benefit match was played for his family between the North Melbourne and Carlton clubs on Wednesday 30 August 1905.
To read the North Melbourne Courier's obituary click here> http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108826978