Jim Cardwell | Demonwiki (original) (raw)

DOB: 2 February 1916
Died: 23 December <1996>

Games: 0
Goals: 0

From: North Brunswick CYMS

Honours:
premiership player - <1939>
Life Member - <1960>
MFC Hall of Fame - <2001>

Recruited by the Demons after winning the North Brunswick Amateurs best-and-fairest, Cardwell played in the Demons seconds premiership of <1939> and remained with the club through <1940>.

Enlisting in the army in late <1941> he served in Darwin and New Guinea. At one point while he was on leave from army duty, Cardwell was given the option of playing in the seniors at the same time that he was meant to be taking a long overdue honeymoon with his wife Mavis. He chose the honeymoon and lost his chance to be a VFL footballer.

After serving in the 2/1 Australian Mechanical Equipment Company he was discharged and returned to the club as a seconds selector and committee member. In <1949> was Honorary Secretary while still playing some matches.

In <1951> he was promoted to the first team secretary role, and in time became known as "The Prince of Secretaries". One of his first acts was to ban the wearing of number 13 between <1953> and <1974> as he believed it was unlucky. His success came despite having a breakdown in <1956> from the pressure of running his own business and doing the secretary job - it led Melbourne to employing him as full-time secretary.

His partnership with Norm Smith became legendary, and though they would often clash, the two were key players in delivering one of the league's most potent glory eras. In <1958> he became the first full-time secretary of a VFL club.

At the end of <1973> Cardwell announced he would resign after the <1975> season, and he made good with his promise. Ivan Moore was his replacement. He briefly returned as a consultant in <1981>.

Lists

Life Members
Other Players

Notes
Some sources say he was the Emergency in the <1939> Grand Final. Also shown as from South Melbourne CYMS - but may have been an adminstrator rather than a player.

Media
Age - 17/10/1973
Age - 24/12/1996

Links
Wikipedia profile