Gilbert Vaughan "Bert" Beard (a.k.a. "Blue" Beard; "Bluey" Beard) (5 July 1909 – 8 November 1983) was an Australian rules footballer from Western Australia who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1930s. He also played first-grade cricket for the South Melbourne Cricket Club.Hassett Selected for North Match, (Saturday, 26 November 1938), p.1.

Family The son of John Beard (1848-1924),Deaths: Beard, The West Australian, (Saturday, 27 December 1924), p.1.Obituaries: Mr. John Beard, The (Perth) Sunday Times, (Sunday, 11 January 1925), p.3. and Sarah Beard (1866-1951), née Gibson,Deaths: Beard, The West Australian, (Monday, 10 September 1951), p.1.The Late Mrs. S. Beard, The Toodyay Herald, (Thursday, 4 October 1951), p.3. Gilbert Vaughan Beard was born at Northam, Western Australia on 5 July 1909.

He married Olive Eva Murphy (1909-1961) on 17 August 1935.Marriages: Beard—Murphy, The West Australian, (Tuesday, 20 August 1935), p.1. Their son, Neville played in the West Australian Football League and won the Sandover Medal in 1961.Where Are They Now? Neville Beard

Football He was a ruckman.

South Fremantle Beard was recruited to South Melbourne from the South Fremantle in the West Australian Football League (WANFL).

South Melbourne He made his VFL debut for South Melbourne in 1932.

He was one of a number of South Melbourne players who were given immediate, long-term, secure, paid employment outside of football within the (137 store) grocery empire of the South Melbourne president, South Melbourne Lord Mayor, and Member of the Victorian Legislative Council, Archie Crofts.Faul Championed, The (Perth) Mirror, (Saturday, 9 April 1932), p.5; Manzie, F.K. (Illustrated by Dick Ovenden), "Round the Training Rooms No.4: South Melbourne", Table Talk, Thursday, 22 June 1933), pp.10, 36.Men Behind the Team: Cr. A. Crofts' Tangible Interest, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 23 April 1932), p.1; Westward Ho!, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 14 January 1933), p.1; S.M.F.C. Social Event at Mt. Evelyn: Footballers from Crofts Stores Defeat Rest of Team, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 21 January 1933), p.2. The collection of players recruited from interstate in 1932/1933 become known as South Melbourne's "Foreign Legion".The caricature at the foot of page 10 of Table Talk (22 June 1933) was created by Richard "Dick" Ovenden (1897-1972). From left to right those represented are: Jack Bisset, the team’s captain; Dick Mullaly, the club’s secretary; Brighton Diggins, from Subiaco (WAFL); Bert Beard, from South Fremantle (WAFL); Bill Faul, from Subiaco (WAFL); Joe O'Meara, from East Perth (WAFL); Frank Davies, from City (NTFA); Laurie Nash, from City (NTFA); John Bowe, from Subiaco (WAFL); Jack Wade, from Port Adelaide (SANFL); Ossie Bertram, from West Torrens (SANFL); and Wilbur Harris, from West Torrens (SANFL).

In 1933, he was 19th man in the club's premiership side; he replaced injured half-back flanker Hugh McLaughlin in the second quarter.

Fitzroy He stayed at South Melbourne until the 1935 season when after one game he decided to cross to Fitzroy to play out the season.Fitzroy Loses Three Men, The Argus, (Saturday, 14 March 1936), p.30.

South Fremantle Accepting the offer of lucrative employment from a West Australian bakery firm, Beard left Melbourne and returned to Perth in March 1936.Bert Beard Bids "Farewell", (Saturday, 14 March 1936), p.4. Once his clearance from Fitzroy had been obtained,Football, The West Australian, (Thursday, 25 June 1936), p.11. He played his first match, in his return season, on 4 July 1936.Claremont Meet Souths, The (Perth) Daily News, (Saturday, 4 July 1936), p.2; Close and Rugged, The West Australian, (Monday, 6 July 1936), p.4. By early 1937, he had returned to Victoria.Potter, H., "Football", The (Perth) Daily News, (Thursday, 15 April 1937), p.6.

Bairnsdale In 1938 he was appointed captain-coach of the Bairnsdale Football Club, in the Gippsland Football League,Bairnsdale Football Team: "Bluey" Beard to Coach, The Gippsland Times, (Monday, 11 April 1938), p.3. as a replacement for Fred Gilby who has been appointed elsewhere.Beard for Bairnsdale, The Argus, (Saturday, 9 April 1938), p.14. Despite Beard's efforts ("For Bairnsdale the most outstanding performers were B. Beard (whose marking was superb), …"), Bairnsdale were defeated by the Maffra Football Club, 13.13 (91) to 10.13 (73).Gippsland Football League, The Gippsland Times, (Monday, 29 August 1938), p.7.

South Melbourne Districts He was appointed captain-coach of the South Melbourne Districts Football Club (in the Sub-District Football League) in 1939."Blue" Beard to Coach South Districts, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 18 March 1939), p.3

Footnotes

References Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996.

External links

Boyles Football Photos: Bert Beard