Jack Hassett (15 August 1880 – 7 September 1942) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne and Geelong in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family The son of John James Hassett (1858–1919), and Honora (Nora) Hassett (1853–1911), nee Mulcahy, John Joseph Hassett was born on 15 August 1880 in Geelong.
Football Hassett was a follower and his career had a degree of controversy.
Port Melbourne (VFA) Despite the fact that he lived in Geelong, his first senior games were with Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association.The VFA Project.Football, The Geelong Advertiser, (Saturday, 21 July 1900), p.3.
South Melbourne (VFL) Having returned to Geelong in 1901, he began playing with South Melbourne in 1902; and, although the VFL permit committee apparently disapproved, nothing was done to prevent him. Hassett went on to play a total of 38 games over three and a half seasons with South,South Melbourne Team, Melbourne Punch, (Thursday, 4 June 1903), p.16. but controversy attended him once more when, after alleged involvement in misdemeanours during a trip to Sydney, he was sacked."As a rattling good follower, Hassett won fame as a member of the South Melbourne Club, but incurred disqualification as a consequence of an angry dispute with Henry Skinner, the South Melbourne caterer and hotelkeeper, and principal supporter of the South Melbourne Football Club": (Football, The Barrier Miner, (Saturday, 16 June 1906), p.4). (For more on Skinner, his reputation, and his influence, see Browne, Geoff, "Skinner, Henry Hawkins (1851–1912)", Australian Dictionary of Biography.
North Broken Hill (BHFL) In 1906, he played with the North Broken Hill Football Club in the Broken Hill Football League,'Cornerman', "Broken Hill Notes", The Burra Record, (Wednesday, 11 July 1906), p.5.The Hassett Case, The Barrier Miner, (Saturday, 28 July 1906), p.5.Football in Other States: Broken Hill, The Age, (Monday, 30 July 1906), p.9.Football in Broken Hill, The Geelong Advertiser, (Monday, 30 July 1906), p.2.Indignant South Footballers, The Barrier Miner, (Thursday, 2 August 1906), p.3.The South Club's Protest, The Barrier Miner, (Friday, 3 August 1906), p.2.The Hassett Dispute, The Barrier Miner, (Tuesday, 7 August 1906), p.3.Barrier Ranges Football Association, The Barrier Miner, (Wednesday, 8 August 1906), p.2.The Hassett Dispute: The South Club's Protest: An Acrimonious Discussion, The Barrier Miner, (Wednesday, 8 August 1906), p.2. and, in Adelaide on Saturday 25 August, playing as the captain of the Combined Barrier Ranges Football team, he was best-on-the-ground (kicking 3 goals) in the team that lost to a combined SAFL side 6.7 (43) to 9.14 (68).Football: South Australia v.Broken Hill: Home Team Victorious, The (Adelaide) Register, (Monday, 27 August 1906), p.9. He returned to Victoria on 21 September 1906.Broken Hill, The (Adelaide) Express and Telegraph, (Friday, 21 September 1906), p.3.
Geelong (VFL) On 12 June 1907, Hassett was cleared from Broken hill to play with Geelong,Football,The Geelong Advertiser, (Thursday, 13 June 1907), p.4. and soon showed that he had lost none of his dash, agility and long kicking prowess.The Geelong Team, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 6 June 1908), p.25.
He spent a further three years with Geelong; and played a further 34 VFL games before his career ended after a serious ankle injury and then failing to appear when selected a few weeks later.Geelong Club's Action, The Argus, (Thursday, 15 July 1909), p.8."J. Hassett this afternoon forwarded a letter to the sporting editor. He states that before the Geelong Club decided not to include him in its team henceforth, he wrote to the club intimating that he had decided to retire from the game for the season." : Football, The Herald, (Friday, 16 July 1909), p.8.
Death He died at Liverpool, New South Wales on 7 September 1942.Funerals: Hassett, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Wednesday, 9 September 1942), p.12.
Notes
External links
Jack Hassett at The VFA Project Jack Hassett at Boyles Football Photos.