Full name Robert Henry Nash Place of death Melbourne, Victoria Name Robert Nash Original team Northcote Football Club | Date of birth 22 April 1884 Years Club Died June 16, 1958 Children Laurie Nash | |
Date of death 16 June 1958(1958-06-16) (aged 74) Debut Round 11, 1904, Collingwood
v. Fitzroy, at Victoria Park Role Australian Rules Footballer | ||
Robert Henry "Bob" Nash (22 April 1884 – 16 June 1958) was a leading Australian rules footballer who captained Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and captain coached Footscray Football Club in the Victorian Football Association (VFA). Nash is best known as the father of Test cricketer and leading footballer Laurie Nash.
Born in Melbourne, the son of Mick Nash, who played for Carlton when it was part of the VFA, Nash played for Northcote until his recruitment by Collingwood in 1904. Nash became a leading player at Collingwood, playing 88 games and kicking 14 goals in six seasons Regarded as a powerful player who was a good mark and kick, he captained Collingwood in 1908 and 1909 and represented Victoria at the first interstate carnival in Melbourne in 1908.
After leaving Collingwood at the end of the 1910 VFL season, Nash spent two years as captain-coach of VFA side Footscray before retiring at the end of 1912.
Initially employed as a gas stoker, Nash became a policeman, and went on strike in 1923 for better pay. He was dismissed from the force as a result and instead moved his family to Tasmania to run the hotel at Parattah. There he oversaw the sporting development of Laurie and his other son, Robert Jnr (who was also an accomplished footballer) and initially encouraged Laurie to concentrate on cricket rather than football, and then refused to allow Laurie to play senior football until age 19.
Nash collapsed and died at the Melbourne Cricket Ground while a Collingwood match.