George Bruce (5 August 1879 – 5 June 1928) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1900s.
Family The son of George Bruce (1843-1922),Death: Bruce, The (Adelaide) Express and Telegraph, (Wednesday, 5 April 1922), p.4. and Annie Bruce (1846-1929), née Gaston,Deaths: Bruce, The (Adelaide) Register News-Pictorial, (Saturday, 16 March 1929, p. 8. George Bruce was born in Adelaide, South Australia on 5 August 1879. Bruce's older brothers, Jim and Percy, also played for West Adelaide.Atkinson, p. 138.
He married Grace Bennett Murie (1881-1945) on 4 August 1908.Bruce—Murie, The Argus. (Saturday, 5 September 1908), p. 11. They had three children: Grace, George, and Donald.
Football George Bruce, of Carlton, was the first player to introduce the tricky dodge of bending down, touching the ball on the ground, and then shooting past the man playing against him. Many have imitated him, but none has equalled him in this move. — The Herald, 1 August 1913.Play and Players, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 1 August 1913), p.3.
West Adelaide (SAFL) A wingman, he played in 43 matches for the South Australian Football League club West Adelaide over five seasons.
He represented South Australia in 1900, 1901, and 1902.Interstate Football Match: Victoria v. South Australia: Melbourne Cricket Ground 15th. June 1901 (Photograph) George Bruce is far left, front row.
Carlton (VFL)
Bruce was cleared to Carlton from West Adelaide in 1903.Football: Victorian Football League, The Argus, (Saturday, 30 May 1903), p.15.
He was a member of three successive premiership sides: 1906, 1907, and 1908.Tapner, Warren, "Carlton's Hat Trick Heroes", Blueseum, 18 June 2008.
He represented Victoria in 1905,Football, The Age, (Saturday, 5 August 1905), p.14. and at the 1908 Jubilee Carnival.Rohan, J.M., "Was First Carnival Side The Best Ever?: Herculean Team of Capable Men: Picked Irrespective of Clubs", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 12 May 1934), p.7.
Hall of Fame In 2006 he was inducted into the Carlton Football Club's Hall of Fame.Carlton Hall of Fame, at Blueseum.
Death He died at Carlton, Victoria on 5 June 1928.Deaths: Bruce, The Argus, (Thursday, 7 June 1928), p.1; Deaths: Bruce, The (Adelaide) Advertiser, (Saturday, 9 June 1928), p.12.
See also 1908 Melbourne Carnival
Notes
References Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. .
External links
George Bruce's profile at Blueseum George Bruce at Boyles Football Photos