Full name James Edward Flynn Name Jim Flynn Place of birth Benalla Positions Ruckman | Place of death Wangaratta Height/Weight 179 cm / 75 kg | |
Date of birth (1871-03-21)21 March 1871 Date of death 24 August 1955(1955-08-24) (aged 84) Role Australian Rules Footballer Died August 24, 1955, Wangaratta, Australia | ||
Original team Collingwood Football Club | ||
James Edward Flynn (21 March 1871 – 24 August 1955) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong and Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
A ruckman who was said to be highly strung, after two brief VFA stints, Flynn started his career in earnest in 1897 where he was part of Geelong's inaugural VFL side. Flynn stayed with the club until the end of the 1902 season when he crossed to Carlton.
He was made Carlton captain in 1905 and in 1906 led them to the premiership, defeating Fitzroy in the Grand Final. Due to business commitments in St James, running the local hotel (pub) which still operates today (37 kilometres north of Benalla), he retired from football but returned for the 1907 finals series after captain Fred Elliott was suspended. Flynn's captaincy was sought after and he led them to another premiership.
In 1908 Flynn didn't play a game during the home and away season but was again used by Carlton in the finals, this time under the captaincy of Elliott, and was a member of a premiership side for the third successive year.
He played his last match in the Semi-Final of 1910 after three players had been dropped, accused of tanking in Carlton's upset Round 18 loss to St Kilda. As of 2016, he is the oldest player to play in a final.
Flynn is buried at Lake Rowan, east of St James, beside his wife and 10-year-old daughter Annastasia. His descendants run Flynn's Menswear in Murphy Street, Wangaratta.