Fred Ball
Essendon · “Snowy, Mary Ann”
AFL career
5 games1 goals
- Debut
- R3 1897 v CAR24 May 1897
- Most recent
- R14 1897 v MEL7 Aug 1897
Stats
Bio
Born into the prominent Melbourne mercantile family behind the Ball & Welch department store, Frederick "Snowy" Ball was a Scotch College recruit who became a defensive stalwart for Essendon long before the formation of the VFL. While his official league record lists just five games, these appearances came at the very end of a distinguished tenure in the VFA, where he represented the "Same Olds" 158 times and established himself as a club veteran. Ball took the field for Essendon's inaugural VFL match against Carlton in Round 1, 1897, helping guide the club through the transition between competitions as an experienced campaigner. He retired from top-level football early in that historic first season, missing the club's eventual premiership victory later that year, and subsequently moved to London where he passed away prematurely at the age of 34.
Profile
- Born
- 01 Sept 1868
- Died
- 04 Sept 1902 (aged 34y 3d)
- Birthplace
- Vaughan, VIC
- Deathplace
- London, United Kingdom
Teams
Bio
1 revisionBorn into the prominent Melbourne mercantile family behind the Ball & Welch department store, Frederick "Snowy" Ball was a Scotch College recruit who became a defensive stalwart for Essendon long before the formation of the VFL. While his official league record lists just five games, these appearances came at the very end of a distinguished tenure in the VFA, where he represented the "Same Olds" 158 times and established himself as a club veteran. Ball took the field for Essendon's inaugural VFL match against Carlton in Round 1, 1897, helping guide the club through the transition between competitions as an experienced campaigner. He retired from top-level football early in that historic first season, missing the club's eventual premiership victory later that year, and subsequently moved to London where he passed away prematurely at the age of 34.