Leopold Paul Little (22 February 1892 – 19 November 1956) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne and University in the Victorian Football League (VFL).The University Team, The Leader, (Saturday, 4 May 1912), p. 29.

Family The son of David Armstrong Little (1864-1926),Deaths: Little, The Argus, (Wednesday, 7 April 1926), p.1. and Annie Mary Little (1856-1944), née Hanigan,Deaths: Little, The Argus, (Saturday, 30 December 1944), p.15. Leopold Paul Little was born at Bacchus Marsh on 22 February 1892.

He married Doris Speck (1899-1984) in 1920.Australians Abroad, The Australasian, (Saturday, 18 January 1919), p.121-122, at p.122.

Education He was attended St Patrick's College, Ballarat as a boarder from 1906 to 1910;Leo Paul Little, St Patrick's College, 20 July 2015.'Lynx', "Footballers' Pastime: History of Handball", The Herald, (Saturday, 20 March 1920), p.2. and, in January 1910, it was announced that (as "Leopold Francis Paul Little", No.1812) he had passed the Junior Public Examination.University of Melbourne: Public Examinations: Successful Candidates: Junior Public Examination, The Ballarat Star, (Monday, 10 January 1910), p.2.

In January 1910 he sat for the Commonwealth Public Service Examination for Appointment as a Clerk, Class 5, and (as "Leopold Francis Paul Little") was 18th of all the 600 candidates.Federal Public Service: Clerical Examinations, The (Melbourne) Advocate, (Saturday, 12 March 1910), p.28.

Football

He played for University in 1912 and 1913. In 1914, as a member of the Commonwealth Public Service, he moved to Canberra.

On 17 October 1914, "L.P. Little, late of Melbourne University, and of football fame, won the 120 yards hurdle, the high jump, and the 440 yards championship of the territory (open to all comers)".Patriotic Sports Meeting, Canberra, Table Talk, (Thursday, 29 October 1914), p.31

He was not linked with the Melbourne Football Club until 1919 (on his return to Australia from active service)Demonwiki.

Military service He enlisted in the First AIF, as "Leo Paul Little", on 8 January 1916.

He played for the (winning) Third Australian national Divisional team in the famous "Pioneer Exhibition Game" of Australian Rules football, held in London, in October 1916. A news film was taken at the match.The original newsreel: The 2019 remastered and colourised version of the original newsreel:

He was wounded in action in 1917.Australian Casualties List No.317: Victoria: Wounded: "Lt. Leo Paul Little, Werribee", The Argus, (Tuesday, 3 July 1917), p.8.

Death He died on 19 November 1956 at the Mercy Hospital, in East Melbourne.Deaths: Little, The Argus, (Tuesday, 20 November 1956), p.14.Mr. Little, 64, Dies, The Argus, (Tuesday, 20 November 1956), p.7.

See also 1916 Pioneer Exhibition Game

Footnotes

References Photograph at Leo Paul Little, ACT Memorial: detail of second from left, fourth row from top, at Postcard: "Our Queanbeyan Boys", No.3 (P01061.003), collection of the Australian War Memorial. Little, Leo P., "Trip to Kosciusko", The Bacchus Marsh Express, (Saturday, 19 December 1914), p.1. Pioneer Exhibition Game Australian Football: in aid of British and French Red Cross Societies: 3rd Australian Division v. Australian Training Units at Queen's Club, West Kensington, on Saturday, October 28th, 1916, at 3pm, Wightman & Co., (London), 1919. Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers, 7th ed, Melbourne: Bas Publishing. Strong, Bill, "Leopold (Leo) Paul Little M.C. (1892-1956)", Wyndham History. First World War Embarkation Roll: Sergeant Leo Paul Little (315), collection of the Australian War Memorial. First World War Nominal Roll: Lieutenant Leo Paul Little (MC), collection of the Australian War Memorial. Honours and Awards (Military Cross): Lieutenant Leo Paul Little, collection of the Australian War Memorial; First World War Service Record: Lieutenant Leo Paul Little, National Archives of Australia. First World War Service Record: Lieutenant Leo Paul Little (MC), National Archives of Australia. Richardson, N. (2016), The Game of Their Lives, Pan Macmillan Australia: Sydney.

External links

Demonwiki profile "Little, _Ports11" at The VFA Project.