Jimmy Aitken

Jimmy Aitken
Aitken in 1920
Personal information
Full name James Munroe Aitken
Born (1872-05-15)15 May 1872
Sebastopol, Victoria
Died 27 August 1944(1944-08-27) (aged 72)
Carlton North, Victoria
Position Utility
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1891–1896 Carlton (VFA) 83 (19)
1897–1898 Carlton (VFL) 15 (3)
1898 Melbourne 4 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1898.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

James Munroe Aitken (15 May 1872 – 27 August 1944) was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) and the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Early life

The third child of the Scottish born John Aitken (1837–1885) and Catherine Kerr (1842–1879), James Munroe Aitken was born at the Ballarat suburb of Sebastopol on 15 May 1872. Both of his parents died from tuberculosis before he turned 13.

Football career

Carlton (VFA)

Jimmy Aitken made his senior football debut aged 19, late in the 1891 VFA season against Melbourne on 12 September. The Australasian report of the match described him as “a recruit of sterling promise”. He played consistently across the next five seasons, establishing himself as one of Carlton’s leading players.

Carlton (VFL)

Aitken was Carlton's inaugural VFL captain when the league was formed for the 1897 season, replacing Tom Blake. He had been the club's vice-captain the previous season when they competed in the Victorian Football Association (VFA), and was elected captain before the start of the season, with a twelve to eight majority vote. He played in all 14 of Calton’s games in 1897, scoring three goals in their Round 13 match with St. Kilda.

After showing disappointing form at the start of the 1898 season, just making the side to play against South Melbourne and Melbourne, he was left out of the team and replaced by Ernie Walton for Round 3.

Melbourne (VFL)

Aitken left the Blues midway through the 1898 season and joined Melbourne. He played four games for Melbourne before leaving the game. He was the first player in the VFL to play senior premiership matches for two clubs in the same season.

Later life

James Aitken married Katie Middlemiss at East Brunswick on 22 May 1901. Their son, Archibald James Aitken, was born at their Brunswick home on 12 June 1904. Archibald later served as Melbourne Football Club’s Chief Medical Officer.

Aitken worked as a bookmaker and caterer after his football career.

James Ernest Munroe Aitken died at his Carlton North home on 27 August 1944.

References

  1. ↑ Pennings, Mark (2016). Origins of Australian Football: Victoria's Early History. Volume 5, Players and Clubs: Victoria's Early History: The Complete Records 1858 to 1896. Ballan, Victoria: Connor Court Publishing. ISBN 978-0-646-95597-1.
  2. ↑ "Family Notices". The Ballarat Courier. Vol. XXXVI, no. 5567. Ballarat, Victoria. 7 May 1885. p. 2.
  3. ↑ "FOOTBALL NOTES". The Australasian. Vol. LI, no. 1329. Victoria, Australia. 19 September 1891. p. 18.
  4. ↑ "THE FOOTBALL SEASON – A REVIEW OF THE YEAR". The Argus. No. 15, 045. Victoria, Australia. 17 September 1894. p. 7.
  5. ↑ "CLOSE OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON". The Age. No. 12, 973. Victoria, Australia. 28 September 1896. p. 6.
  6. ↑ Main, Jim; Holmesby, Russell (1992). The Encyclopedia of League Footballers. Melbourne, Victoria: Wilkinson Books. p. 3. ISBN 1-86337-085-4.
  7. ↑ ""ASSAULT AND BATTERY."". The Argus. No. 15, 939. Victoria, Australia. 2 August 1897. p. 6.
  8. ↑ De Bolfo, Tony. "Revealed! Carlton's first Captain". Carltonfc.com.au. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  9. ↑ Rodgers, Stephen (1996). 100 Years of AFL Players - Volume 3. Melbourne: East-Side Printing. p. 1613. ISBN 0646300164.
  10. ↑ "Family Notices". The Age. No. 14, 456. Victoria, Australia. 6 July 1901. p. 5.
  11. ↑ "Family Notices". The Age. No. 15, 411. Victoria, Australia. 30 July 1904. p. 5.
  12. ↑ "Demonwiki: Jimmy Aitken".
  13. ↑ "Advertising". Sporting Judge. Vol. XXIII, no. 7. Victoria, Australia. 4 July 1914. p. 3.
  14. ↑ "Family Notices". The Age. No. 27, 879. Victoria, Australia. 28 August 1944. p. 5.