John Ernest Arthur Mueller (9 September 1915 – 14 June 2001) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family The son of Francis Carl Mueller (1880–1945),Deaths: Mueller, The Argus, (Saturday, 24 November 1945), p.20.Echuca Solicitor Dies in Street, The Argus, (Thursday, 22 November 1945), p.3.The Champion Runners: Shrubb in Good Form: Duffy Beaten by Mueller, The (Adelaide) Advertiser, (Monday, 20 February 1905), p.9. and Eliza Mary "Cissie" Mueller (1887–1960), née O'Brien, John Ernest Arthur Mueller was born on 9 September 1915.
He married Margaret Rose "Greta" Toohey on 14 April 1942.Orange Blossom: Football Star Married at Middle Park: Mueller Toohey Wedding, The (Emerald Hill) Record,Saturday, 18 April 1942), p.4.
Football Mueller played with Echuca Imperials in the Echuca Football League in 1932, then played with Echuca in the Bendigo Football League in 1933, kicking seven goals in his first game.
Mueller was famous for having only eight fingers, after losing two when he caught his hand in a machine at work.The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers, 2007 EditionTaylor, Percy, "Melbourne are Proud of their Great War Record", The Australasian, (Saturday, 24 June 1944), p.23.
He was an inspirational player who contributed significantly to the success of the Melbourne sides in which he played during the 1930s, '40s and '50s. He was notable as the primary instigator of Melbourne's 1948 flag victory after being recalled from retirement (with the reserves) for that year's Preliminary Final in which he kicked eight of his team's 25 goals against Collingwood. He followed this up with six out of 10 in the drawn Grand Final with Essendon and another six out of 13 the following week when Melbourne won the replay.
War Service After initially being rejected in 1941 due to his missing fingers, Mueller served in the Australian Army from 1943 to 1945, playing very few games for Melbourne in these three seasons.
Post-football career In the late 1940s and 1950s, Mueller was a football commentator on 3KZ, working first with Norman Banks and later Philip Gibbs. Mueller also worked with Gibbs on the program Football Inquest, which was later simulcast on 3KZ and GTV-9.
Death Jack Mueller died on 14 June 2001Obituary, The Riverine Herald, (Friday, 29 June 2001), p.13. and is buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery.
Footnotes
References
Minchin, James, "Echuca's Greatest", The Riverine Herald, (Friday, 30 June 2000), p.28.
AFL site: Australian Football Hall of Fame
External links
Jack Mueller, at Boyles Football photos.