Gordon McKenzie Munro (17 December 1893 – 16 April 1951) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).Holmesby & Main (2014), p.640.
Family The son of John Munro (1859–1923),Deaths: Munro, The Advocate, (Thursday, 7 June 1923), p.23.Mr. John Munro, The Advocate, (Thursday, 7 June 1923), p.17. and Caroline Munro (1860–1932), née Lockhart,Marriages: Munro—Lockhart, The Argus, (Monday, 5 October 1885), p.1.Deaths: Munro, The Age, (Tuesday, 26 July 1932), p.1. Gordon McKenzie Munro was born at Frankston, Victoria on 17 December 1893.
He married Adelaide Ina Jean Twist (1898–1955) in 1921;Deaths: Munro, The Argus, (Monday, 6 June 1955), p.12. they had four children.
Football Hawthorn (VFA) He played for a number of seasons with Hawthorn in the VFA.
South Melbourne (VFL) In the 1920 pre-season, he was training with South Melbourne; and, according to 'Kickero', "Munro, formerly of Hawthorn, a big man with a somewhat awkward style, bids fair to become a player of the stamp of Les. Charge, the old Southern favorite follower".'Kickero', "Footballers Look Forward to a Brisk and Busy Season", The Herald, (Friday, 16 April 1920), p.3.
St Kilda (VFL) Prior to the 7 June 1920 match against Collingwood, the St Kilda coach, George Sparrow, and a number of St Kilda players resigned in protest to the selection of Billy Schmidt. Other players who had been selected to play – Arnold Beitzel, Albert Bragg, Bill Cubbins, Wels Eicke, Bill Lowrie, Pat Maloney – refused to play and, in order to field a team, a number of last-minute replacements were used by a desperate St Kilda, having to play Collingwood at Collingwood, including three "first game players", Munro (whose VFL career consisted of this one, single game), Ted Bulmer (aged 30 on debut, who only played one more senior VFL game), and Steve Gill (who only played one more senior VFL game).Football Troubles: Split in St. Kilda's Team, The Herald, (Monday, 7 June 1920), p.3.
Although St Kilda lost the match, due to the positional and tactical changes made by the new playing-coach, Roy Cazaly, at half-time, they out-scored Collingwood in the second half of the match – Collingwood, which had scored 11 goals by half-time, could only score a single goal in the second half, while St Kilda were able to score four – and Munro was one of St Kilda's best players on the day.Collingwood beats St. Kilda, The Argus, (Tuesday, 8 June 1920), p.8.Collingwood 12.11 v. St. Kilda 7.10, The Age, (Tuesday, 8 June 1920), p.6. "Munro, who played for St Kilda on Monday, had not received his permit to appear with that club. He had played with Hawthorn, and had been training with South Melbourne." – The Herald, 11 June 1920.Play and Players: News and Notes of the Game, The Herald, (Friday, 11 June 1920), p.3.
Military service Working as a stock and station agent, Munro enlisted in the Second AIF on 5 June 1942, and served overseas with the 9th Battalion, Australian Military Forces; he was discharged on 20 September 1945.Nominal Roll.
Death He died (suddenly) at his home in Macarthur, Victoria on 16 April 1951.Deaths: Munro, The Argus, 18 April 1951), p.14.Country sport man dies, The Argus, (Wednesday, 18 April 1951), p.11.
Notes
References World War Two Nominal Roll: Corporal Gordon McKenzie Munro (V383325), Department of Veterans' Affairs. World War Two Service Record: Corporal Gordon McKenzie Munro (V383325), National Archives of Australia.
The Macarthur Show (Photo 10), The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 10 December 1938), p.31.
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