Keith Patrick James McNaughton (20 August 1921 – 30 May 2000) was an Australian rules footballer and boxer who competed professionally in both sports.
McNaughton played one senior game with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1940.A number of contemporary newspaper reports cite his given name as "Ken." (suggesting "Kenneth").Holmesby & Main (2014), p.597. Following his football pursuits, he forged a successful professional boxing career around Australia under the name Al Moran. McNaughton fought in 23 bouts across more than six years for a 15–7 record, and was runner-up in the 1946 Victorian state welterweight title fight.
Football career As a schoolboy, at Mount Carmel College, Middle Park, McNaughton had been trained by the ex-Collingwood footballer and 1924 Stawell Gift winner Bill Twomey (who, at the time, was also the coach of the South Melbourne Seconds), and he had been captain of the school's football team.Chairing the Skipper, The Advocate, (Thursday, 5 September 1935), p.25.Mount Carmel College, Middle Park, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday 5 October 1935), p.4.
McNaughton played for South Sydney, without a clearance from any Victorian football authority, at the age of 16, in the Sydney Football League in 1937.Boy Player was Best on the Field, The (Sydney) Sun, (Sunday, 4 July 1937), p.23.South Sydney Lead in Rules, The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph, (Monday, 5 July 1937), p.17."Rules" Captain Surprise, The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph, (Monday, 19 July 1937), p.15. Because he had played in Sydney without a clearance, he was considered to be an interstate player when he returned to Victoria (in November 1937); and, under the rules of the time, was prevented from signing with a VFL (or VFL-affiliated) team for two years.School-Boy Star for Districts: K. McNaughton, of South Sydney, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 4 June 1938), p.4. McNaughton was recruited from the Victoria Brewery teamKen. McNaughton, of Brewery Team, Worth Looking Over: Middle Park Boy was in New South Wales League Team at Age of 16, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 17 August 1940), p.4.League Football: South Quickly on Trail of Promising Forward: Ken. McNaughton, Victoria Brewery, Impresses at First Training Run, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 31 August 1940), p.1. for the final game of the 1940 season.Photo: "K. McNaughton (South Melbourne) marking against J. Cotter (Richmond), who vainly tries to punch the ball away", The Australasian, (Saturday, 7 September 1940), p.15.
Boxing career Listed at the start of the 1941 season among the "players to train with Seconds" at South Melbourne,League Football, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 26 April 1941), p.3. McNaughton gave up football and became a professional boxer, fighting as a welterweight under the name of Al Moran. In his last fight, in 1948 at the West Melbourne Stadium against Clem Sands of Newcastle, "Moran survived a torrid attack... was in an ace of being knocked out... in a dramatic last round... and won on points".Grant gains TKO Decision, The Argus, (Monday, 2 February 1948), p.12.Mainland Boxers Here, The Mercury, (Friday, 18 February 1949), p.10.
Later life In 1949, it was reported that "Al Moran has opened a grill bar and hamburger shop in Victoria Street, Richmond".Miller Keen on Teaching Job, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 2 February 1949), p.12.
McNaughton died on 30 May 2000, at the age of 78.
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