George Sparrow

Australian rules footballer and coach
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroAustralian rules footballer and coach
PlacesAustralia
wasAthlete Football player Australian-rules footballer
Work fieldSports
Gender
Male
Birth20 November 1869
Death6 April 1933 (aged 63 years)
The details

Biography

George Stephen Sparrow (20 November 1869 – 6 April 1933) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne and both played for and coached St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Nicknamed 'Sugar', Sparrow began his career in the Victorian Football Association where he donned the Richmond colours. He joined the VFL in its second season and represented South Melbourne before switching to St Kilda the following year.
After retiring, Sparrow turned to coaching and was appointed senior coach of St Kilda in 1913. He coached the club to its first ever Grand Final appearance. That season the Saints defeated Minor Premiers Fitzroy in the penultimate game of the season to become number 1 ranked team in the finals - and then lost the Grand Final to the same team Fitzroy under the "Minor Premiers Right To Challenge" rule the following week.
Sparrow quit as coach at the end of his first season in 1913.
Sparrow didn't coach again until 5 games as caretaker coach in 1920.
He returned again in 1928, this time for a two-season stint, with the Saints finishing 6th, missing the Finals on percentage. In 1929 he coached St Kilda to the Finals again with a Semi Final loss in week 1 ending the clubs season.
He finished with a winning percentage of 58.73%.

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