Billy James (Australian footballer)

William Roy James (10 May 1900 – 27 December 1966[1]) was an Australian rules footballer who played one game with the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League—the 1920 VFL Grand Final.

William James
Personal information
Full name William Roy James
Date of birth 10 May 1900
Place of birth Fryerstown, Victoria
Date of death 27 December 1966(1966-12-27) (aged 66)
Place of death South Melbourne, Victoria
Original team(s) Kyabram
Debut Grand Final, 2 October 1920, Richmond
vs. Collingwood, at MCG
Height 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight 60 kg (132 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1920 Richmond 1 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1920.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

James came from Kyabram, and his only game landed him a VFL premiership medallion. He helped Richmond earn the Tigers their inaugural VFL premiership, with his only goal late in the last quarter sealing the victory.[2] James was retrospectively awarded a life membership for his contribution.

According to legend, James was accidentally shot in the foot whilst out hunting prior to the commencement of the 1921 season, an injury which supposedly ended his football career. However, in 2018, new historical research proved this false, as the injury occurred in 1925, a full four years after his last VFL match.[3]

References
  1. "William James - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  2. "League Final". The Herald (13, 903). Victoria, Australia. 2 October 1920. p. 3 (SPORTING EDITION). Retrieved 18 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. Collins, Ben (11 February 2018). "Legendary Grand Final story shot down as myth". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  • Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996
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