Charles Thomas Challenger (9 December 1917 – 28 November 1996) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).Holmesby & Main (2014), p.142.
Family He married Margaret Ellen Donohue in 1960.
Football Brunswick (VFA) In April 1937, he was cleared from Plenty Rovers in the Diamond Valley Football League to the Brunswick Second XVIII.Second Eighteen Clearances, The Argus, (Friday, 23 April 1937), p.15.Charlie Challenger, The Herald, (Friday, 7 July 1939), p.18. Although not part of the regular home-and-away VFA season, Challenger played a match with the Brunswick First XVIII, in which he was declared Brunswick's "most effective player", against the Ballarat Imperial Football Club in September 1937.Brunswick at Ballarat, The Argus,. (Monday, 20 September 1937), p.17.
He played his first senior VFA home-and-away match for Brunswick, against Coburg, on 16 April 1938;Association Teams Chosen for Opening To-Day, The Argus, (Saturday, 16 April 1938), p.21. and, at the end of his first senior season, he was declared the club's "most improved player".Football: Brunswick Awards, The Argus, (Saturday, 19 November 1938), p.14.
He played in two VFA Grand finals: 1938: as a wing-man (kicking 2 goals) in Brunswick's 19-17 (131) victory over Brighton 14.14 (98).Players in Grand Final, The Herald, (Friday, 19 August 1938), p.18.'Rover', "Brunswick Now V.F.A. Premiers", The Argus, (Monday, 22 August 1938), p.15. 1939: as a back-pocket in Brunswick's nine point loss to Williamstown, 14.11 (95) to 14.20 (104).The Teams, The Age, (Friday, 6 October 1939), p.12.'Centre', "V.F.A. Premiers", The Age, (Monday, 9 October 1939), p.4.
Essendon (VFL) On 21 March 1940 he trained for the first time with Essendon.Essendon, The Argus, (Saturday, 23 March 1940), p.15. He was cleared to Essendon in April 1940.Challenger's Position, The Herald, (Monday, 1 April 1940), p.14.More League Permits, The Argus, (Saturday, 27 April 1940), p.11.
He only played in two First XVIII games for Essendon, both on the half-forward flank: against Fitzroy on 18 May 1940,League Teams: Fitzroy v. Essendon, The Argus, (Friday, 17 May 1940), p.19. and against Hawthorn on 25 May 1940.League Teams: Essendon v. Hawthorn, The Argus, (Friday, 24 May 1940), p.14.
Brunswick (VFA) He was cleared back to Brunswick from Essendon in July 1940,Challenger Cleared Back, The Age, (Tuesday, 2 July 1940), p.4. and played his first senior match in his second time at Brunswick, in the back-pocket, against Coburg on 6 July 1940.Football: Association: Coburg v. Brunswick, The Argus, (Friday, 5 July 1940), p.14.
Military service He served in the Australian Army during World War II.Nominal Roll.Sportsmen with 15th Inf., The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 19 August 1942), p.13.
Notes
References World War Two Nominal Roll: Private Charles Thomas Challenger (VXZ137813), Department of Veterans' Affairs. B883, VXZ137813: World War Two Service Record: Private Charles Thomas Challenger (VXZ137813), National Archives of Australia.
Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996.
External links
Charlie Challenger, at The VFA Project.