Height/Weight 183cm / 83 kg 1960-1965 Albury (OMFL) Years Club Name Fred Goldsmith | 1951-1959 South Melbourne Weight 83 kg Years Club | |
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Date of birth (1932-08-20)20 August 1932 Role Australian Rules Footballer | ||
Original team Spotswood Football Club | ||
Fred Goldsmith (20 August 1932 – 13 April 2017) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
A fireman, Goldsmith started his career in 1951 as a half forward flanker, having been recruited by South Melbourne from Spotswood.
In 1952, he was shifted to fullback; and, in 1955, he became the first ever (and so far, only) specialist fullback to win the Brownlow Medal.
To the astonishment of all, in 1956, South Melbourne decided to play its 1955 Brownlow Medallist fullback at full-forward. He played at full-forward for the remainder of his career. In 1957, he was South Melbourne's leading goalkicker with 43 goals.
He was captain-coach of the Albury Football Club in the Ovens & Murray Football League from 1960 to 1965. In 1966 he played nine games with Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football Association.
Goldsmith's 1955 Brownlow Medal attained $43,700 at an auction of sporting memorabilia conducted by Christie's on 17 April 2000.
He was selected as an interchange player in the South Melbourne/Sydney Swans's "Team of the Century"' announced on 8 August 2003.
In a 1958 competition, held at the Lake Oval, Goldsmith kicked a drop kick that travelled 80yds 1 ft (241 ft, 73.46m).