Bill McCabe
North Melbourne
AFL career
13 games0 goals
- Debut
- R1 1957 v RCH22 Apr 1957
- Most recent
- R17 1959 v SME22 Aug 1959
Stats
Bio
The son of former North Melbourne player Bill McCabe (who played 42 games in the late 1920s), Bill McCabe holds the rare distinction of competing as an Olympian before making his VFL debut. Standing 189cm and weighing 92kg, he was a physically imposing athlete who served as the goalkeeper for the Australian water polo team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. McCabe swapped the pool for Arden Street the following year, breaking into the senior side in 1957. A tall, strong utility capable of holding down key defensive posts or pinch-hitting in the ruck, he played 13 games across three seasons but struggled to cement a permanent spot in the starting 18. Following his stint at North, McCabe returned to water polo and pursued a career with Esso, leaving a unique legacy as one of the few dual-sport athletes to reach the pinnacle of both the Olympics and Victorian football.
Profile
- Full name
- Bill H. McCabe
- Born
- 30 Aug 1935
- Died
- 16 Oct 2023 (aged 88y 47d)
- Birthplace
- Melbourne, VIC
- Height
- 189 cm
- Weight
- 92 kg
Teams
Family
- Father:Bill McCabe
Bio
1 revisionThe son of former North Melbourne player Bill McCabe (who played 42 games in the late 1920s), Bill McCabe holds the rare distinction of competing as an Olympian before making his VFL debut. Standing 189cm and weighing 92kg, he was a physically imposing athlete who served as the goalkeeper for the Australian water polo team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. McCabe swapped the pool for Arden Street the following year, breaking into the senior side in 1957. A tall, strong utility capable of holding down key defensive posts or pinch-hitting in the ruck, he played 13 games across three seasons but struggled to cement a permanent spot in the starting 18. Following his stint at North, McCabe returned to water polo and pursued a career with Esso, leaving a unique legacy as one of the few dual-sport athletes to reach the pinnacle of both the Olympics and Victorian football.