Donald McKenzie Don (17 August 1900 – 31 May 1982) was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) between 1917 and 1928 for the Richmond Football Club. He played in both the 1920 and 1921 Richmond premiership teams.
Family The seventh, and last child of Collingwood-born Robert Balfour Don (1862–1941),Births: Don, The Age, (Saturday, 22 February 1862), p.4. and Tasmanian Johanna Mary Frances "Annie" Don (1858–1948), born Guppy, who along with a number of her siblings later assumed the family name James,They chose to abandon the Guppy as their family name, and had assumed the given name of their convict father, James Guppy, as their family name, in order to distance themselves from their convict connexions.Her father, James Guppy (1816–1883), (no.14,512), was transported to Van Diemen's Land on the convict ship Lord Auckland in July 1844 (see: Convict Records: Lord Auckland voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 244 passengers, convictrecord.com.au), was granted his Ticket-of-Leave in January 1850 (see: Tickets-of-Leave Granted, The Britannia and Trades' Advocate, (Thursday, 3 January 1850), p.2.), and was granted his Conditional Pardon in November 1852 (see: Convict Department: Conditional Pardons Recommended, The Launceston Examiner, (Saturday, 20 November 1852), p.8).Her mother, Johanna Sullivan (1822–1914), had also been transported to Van Diemen's Land (see: Extraordinary Removal of Convicts, The Colonial Timers, (Tuesday, 22 February 1848), p.4). She was given permission to marry on 1 July 1854, and married James Guppy, by then a free man, at Hobart, on 31 July 1854.Deaths: Don, The Argus, (Tuesday, 9 November 1948), p.8). Donald McKenzie Don was born at Collingwood, Victoria, on 17 August 1900.Note that, despite numerous assertions to the contrary (e.g., "His uncle is the maker of the "Don" footballs": at Not yet 30, But a Veteran, The Sporting Globe, Wednesday, (Wednesday, 3 August 1927), p.8), Donald Don has no direct family connexion (i.e., through his father's sibling relationships) with Kamarooka-born Robert Sommerville Don (1877–1928), the manufacturer of "Don Footballs" (see: Industries of Brunswick and Coburg: The World of Sport, The Brunswick and Coburg Leader, (Friday, 23 January 1914), p.2, and How Footballs are Made, The Australasian, (Saturday, 24 April 1937), p.27.
He married Matilda Maud Goodfellow (1900–1968), at St. Michael's Church of England, at Prince's Hill, on 30 June 1925.Weddings: Don—Goodfellow, Table Talk, (Thursday, 6 August 1925), p.44.Deaths: Don (Goodfellow), The Age, (Wednesday, 1 January 1969), p.12. They had two children. One of his sons, Kenneth Robert McKenzie Don (1926–2014), tried out with Richmond in 1945.School Athlete Breaks Record, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 1 November 1941), p.39.Five Sons of Former Champions Train at Richmond, The Argus, (Wednesday, 21 March 1945), p.13.
Football
Richmond (VFL) Recruited from a local church football team, Don made his debut, at the age of 16, against Fitzroy, at the Brunswick Street Oval, on 4 June 1917 as the resting forward-pocket rover,He was given guernsey number 17, which he wore for the entire 12 years of his Richmond career; three seasons later the number was given to Jack Dyer, who wore the number for 19 seasons. having already played in a torrid game two days earlier:Fitzroy v. Richmond, The (Melbourne Herald, (Monday, 4 June 1917), p.14. "Don, a fair-haired boy from the Richmond United team, did fairly well up forward.More will be heard of him.On the previous Saturday he roved right through a very rough game at the City Reserve between the Surrey and Richmond United, and was quite the best man-on the ground.After playing such a hard game, he would hardly be in condition to do himself justice in a League match two days later, but he came out very well indeed." — The Richmond Guardian, 9 June 1917.Football Flashes, The Richmond Guardian, (Saturday, 9 June 1917), p.3.
He played in 158 games, and kicked 157 goals the club's leading goal-kicker in 1918 (19 goals) and 1919 (31 goals) for Richmond over 12 seasons. "He was a skilful, talented player who knew where the goals were when playing on the forward line.Although not a tall player [at 5ft 9in], he was a fine mark, glorious long drop kick and relied on anticipation rather than pace to win the ball." — Paul Hogan, The Tigers of Old (1996).Hogan (1996), p.60. Originally selected as a rover, once Vic Thorp had retired, he became a champion full-back. "When Richmond had their great premiership sides of 1920 and 1921 in full swing young Don was a valuable member of the side.The first ruck consisted of Bernie Herbert, Dave Moffatt and Clarrie Hall, who were three grand players.Then the second ruck, consisting of Dan Minogue, Hughie James and Donald Don, was little, if at all, inferior to the first ruck.Don was a strong, tenacious rover who had great stamina.He also had speed and was clever when in possession of the ball, as he could turn quickly and kick accurately over distances or when passing.. . .When he was disqualified by the Tribunal, Don was inclined to give the game up.He felt that he had had enough, and it was only the repeated persuasions of the Richmond committeemen which induced him to change his mind.In addition to roving and playing forward he figured prominently across the centreline when played there.The retirement of that great full-back, Victor Thorpe [sic], was a big blow to Richmond, and they were somewhat dubious as to the possibility of filling his position satisfactorily.Hitherto Don had felt a great dislike for the full-back position, and once refused to play there.In 1927, however, he conceived a strong liking for the position, and began practising there.His good kicking and sound judgment soon fitted him admirably for the position, and Richmond selectors had no hesitation in placing him full-back." — The Sporting Globe, 28 April 1928.Donald Don, of Richmond: Has been with Tigers for 12 Years, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 28 April 1928), p.6.
VFL Representative He played at full-back for Victoria in the 13 August 1927 Carnival match against South Australia;Victorian Forwards Nonplus S.A. Defenders, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 13 August 1927), p.2. and he was the full-back (and team vice-captain) of the representative VFL side that played against a combined Bendigo League team, at Bendigo, on 25 August 1928.League v. Bendigo, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 25 August 1928), p.76.
Four Grand Finals
He played 10 Finals games, including four Grand Finals: 1919: as the resting forward-pocket rover in the Richmond team that lost the 1919 Grand Final 7.11 (53) to Collingwood's 11.12 (78) (he kicked 2 goals).Photograph of Don, during the match, kicking at goal with a shot over his head: "10. Don (Richmond) Takes a pot-shot over his head", The Australasian, (Saturday, 18 October 1919), p.57. 1920: on the half-forward flank for the Richmond team that beat Collingwood in the 1920 Grand Final 7.10 (52) to 5.5 (35) (he kicked 2 goals).Millard, P.J., "Great Football Dramas — No.4: Left Sick Bed to Lead Richmond to their First League Premiership!: Courage of Dan Minogue", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 18 May 1935), p.8.Millard, P.J. & Minogue, D., "When Dan Minogue left Sick Bed to win Premiership: Death Rumored at Final", The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 1 September 1937), p.2. 1921: on the half-forward flank for the Richmond team that beat Carlton in the 1921 Grand Final 5.6 (36) to 4.8 (32).Millard, P.J., "Great Football Dramas — No.5: When Terrific Hailstorm burst at Half-Time: 1921 (Preliminary) Final was the Most Amazing of All", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 25 May 1935), p.8. 1924: unable to play in the Premiership matches in the 1924 "Round Robin" VFL Finals series due to his suspension. 1927: unable to play in the Richmond team that lost the 1927 Grand Final 1.7 (13) to Collingwood's 2.13 (25) a match that was played in the atrocious conditions of torrential rain and freezing winds due to a shoulder injury he had sustained when playing representative football for Victoria at the 1927 ANFC Carnival.'Kickero', "The Football Final: Don Will Not Play; A Great Struggle Expected", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Tuesday, 27 September 1927), p.2.Millard, P.J., "Great Football Dramas — No.16: Queerest Final of All!: Only Three Goals for Whole Match", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 14 August 1937), p.8. 1928: as team captain,Don was the Richmond’s vice-captain in 1928. He was captain for the Grand Final team because the team’s captain, Allan Geddes, had been disqualified for eight matches for striking Tommy Downs in the Semi-Final match against Carlton, at the M.C.C. on 8 September 1928 (Downs was also disqualified: for 12 matches, for striking Richmond’s Jack Fincher in the same match) (see: League Tribunal: Richmond Captain Disqualified: Sentence of Eight Weeks' Imposed: Downs (Carlton) Out for 12 Matches, The Age, (Friday, 14 September 1928), p.6).The Rival Captains, The Argus, (Friday, 28 September 1928), p.17. and full-back, for the Richmond team that lost the 1928 Grand Final 9.9 (63) to Collingwood's 13.18 (96).Photograph: Richmond v Collingwood Final, The Argus, (Monday, 1 October 1928), p.5.Collingwood Win Premiership for 1928, Table talk, (Thursday, 4 October 1928), p.10.Millard, P.J., "Great Football Dramas — No.7: Revolutionary Strategy that Won 1928 League Flag for Collingwood", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 8 June 1935), p.8.
VFL Tribunal Known to be "a fiery player" at times,For instance, on 27 July 1928, following a delay of nearly three weeks, the North Melbourne Football Club demanded that the VFL investigate an incident, in which it was alleged that, during the match the Arden Street Oval on 7 July, Don had "charged and struck" North’s Charlie Cameron (Football Surprise: Complaint Against Player: Referred to League Committee, The Argus, (Saturday, 28 July 1928), p.20). On 3 August 1928, after an Inquiry that took almost three hours, involving nine North Melbourne witnesses, several others in support of Don, and the field-, boundary-, and goal-umpires the umpires "were unanimous in their evidence that no blow had been struck" the VFL "decided that no further action should be taken" (Charge Against Don: No Action to be Taken, The Argus, (Saturday, 4 August 1928), p.20). he was controversially suspended twice in his career.
8 October 1921 match (8 games) As a consequence of a subsequent, official VFL investigation, that had been independently instigated by the secretary (and VFL delegate) of the rival Collingwood Football Club, Ernest CopelandRichmond Football Player Disqualified, The Richmond Guardian, (Saturday, 5 November 1921), p.3. it is significant that Don had not been reported by any of the match officials on the day of the matchFootball Incident: No Reports by Officials, The Argus, (Monday, 10 October 1921), p.6.Disturbance on the Field: Player Struck, The Age, (Monday, 10 October 1921), p.10. Don was suspended for eight games following an incident during the first quarter of the 1921 Preliminary Finals game, against Carlton, on 8 October 1921, in which Carlton's Jack Greenhill had been knocked unconscious.Football League Inquiry, The Argus, (Saturday, 29 October 1921), p.17.Rough Football: Richmond Player Disqualified, The Argus, (Friday, 4 November 1921), p.8.
21 June 1924 match ("remainder of the season": 11 games) Following an incident in third quarter of the rough, spiteful, and congested match against Carlton, at Princes Park, on 21 June 1924 Richmond 5.8 (38) to Carlton's 3.19 (28) in which he had scored 3 of the team's 5 goals, Don was reported for charging Carlton's full-forward, Newton Chandler.