Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Friday 24 August 1923, page 20


PLAYED THREE CODES.

Versatile Jack Chamberlain.

fifteen years ago three brothers played for Nor- <*> wood, and the family name will five as long as Nor-

I wood. They were the Chamberlains—Con, Jade andLen—and perhaps the greatest of these is Jack. These boys were the backbone of Norwood football, and East Tprrens cricket in 1908-9, bat Jack played only one season with each team before he contracted his endless peregrinations. "Jack" now plays bowls for tie Toorak dab, and is the father of bonnie twins. He began his football education while improving his mind "academically at Christian Brothers' College. From school he went to Tasmania, but ?v not there in. a football season, and played only cricket. At the age of 17 he went to Sydney, in the season when the Australian game restarted after a lapse of some years. He played for Paddington, and represented New 6octh Wales against Carlton and CoVlingwood. After two yean in Sydney be weni to Perth. It should be mentioned that this popular athlete is an operator in the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, and his joarneyings -were in connection with his employment. The superintendent of the Perth branch, when the subject of this sketch Trent to that office, this genial personality was a great cigarette smoker, and puffed away 75 "fags" a day. It should scarcely be necessary to say that he has now gone where neither cigarettes nor sport trouble him. In those days he was a great snort, and being lately from England had ail the office playing soccer. He taid Jack he must notplay "the Victorian game" whfie in the West, so the versatile Norwood boy joined the soccer team and played both tnceer and hockey for Perth. Warship ?rews were ; the - antagonist* at hockey, but thonjda many fine teams came ashore rack's sine was never defeated, -though the Jack Tars used to ont it all over the Sydney and Melbourne players. ? ? ? ? Jack waa instructed in- the mlea of soccer, but had not been going long in his first match when habit became too strong I for him, and he bolted on a wing sprint

bouncing tbe ball. He was after a shot for goal, but when he saw ihe low crossbar he dropped the ball in his surprise and stopped. In the following season he took to the Australian game and played for Perth. He was then incanxur-tited *>T a sprained ankle for aeveu weeks. In 1907 he was transferred to Adelaide, but received bis clearance three days too late to play for Norwood in that season. He was iii the great redleg team of 1308. That was the year West Adelaide so sensationally won the premiership. It will be remembered that Jack, who was a half forward, worked across to half back on the opposite wing after West bad sot a threeiroint lead. and with the last minute ticking off received the ball from tbe Norwood goalkeeper, and made onf cf the finest runs in tie history r?f football. the frfl length of Ihe fiedd. flnaDj- knook;3isr the. -ball to hjs ihrothor r*en. All Norvrooffiics and miuiy ochcrs tho^ht. Len, sitoiild have been gjv?n a free kick ax that time. If hie had. 'Kenwood <rc<xid pro3jo!bly iuxve been premiers in 190$, and the football records In sobearnent years might Lave been different. He piacyed the first ii>?t^? in 1909 for bearwood, and iixtsk va& transferred Stn~ (capore, and placed Rmabv in OocUn China and Gape St. James. There -were <miy t?Q BritiAersiD tfje team and 13 French "Tommies," and1 wbsi one day be ?tab4acfaed a goal at 50 yds^ &?' PreadrmOT. wm fop titAwtg jg almost ISie jast thine yon do at RafA?. and they cronrdol rotmd him wfUi many "Oh, MoDaems1' and efnx^me iirm;n** n'itf^ffiw os iw^wv* fented Sinsraporo acahwt the Maby Rtatea at Rn>pjv. Being fes!, he played three-quarter, and in one match the EffsjliA international Hininw. Xol lcnoTeir.s; the| knack of tackhar low, be let the oppon-i ;nt4 p< a try. He abo took thr J>igg<??t riik there is in ItajrW. by jtmrpina on-?r a man tvbo <was tacldiuz, and drixtiy e?ocqpJi he got asear widi it x-ban he nt<jhi harp broken bis nedv instisul- Jack never eradicated the \nstra.lian code pccnHeritio?. Tie captain on the Montoro, see-, top hhn play Rnsfty in the Malay 9tates, said, IT bet that fellow plays the Australian game." Ghaanberiain came back to ; Adelaide in 1913 on leave, and flayed wSb : Norwood in TSUi. TTe reipresesited OuuUi A'ustrana aeainst Victoria in I9oS—one of -the few pfa>?? wio won Interstate eoiecti<m in his first eevaon. lie wap ."o?) a fine <ri<AeteT. He ropre*??red W.>stp-r Aratraiia apaiirs; ~SevQ i ! !-'on;!i W.t'i-= ;n I'.^rth. f?v- R-v--* T.-r- j 1 ivtk: j?> 7^t"*^-? n-'pi'Ti ?t'h**rrv mrre thT?p (^ir\Tn? l"'.-':.iiu 'I.?>?? -v.i.; -'~![?;":?. p.Tid I'uro*- H; !? ] : inr':. !:..y. ; , I: ,I No'iyi in ;i;r :?'X. f:i j ! Sii^ri^riro ho r-^pnrsontori riw t'"?rn ntninn ? * Si?" ; .n^tv. "isftin vj FixUTii??" 1 is.'.lay Sfcr.t*? j M^.-ixw. Ho and ArtHiio Jeikins. tJio ] wnuiT Nonh Adetiidc fiwward. was out I tti^rc vn'Ji hna, and against Malacca, the pair pal on 210 for Che second wictat—a phenomenal perfonmance in that dimate, J I wfaetn fiD la eaaOy m KPod. uUOki AjavJ

trail*. Put on as a change Ixwler. Jack took five wickets for three runs. i During tac -arar Jack was back in Ade- .' laid*. Aa the employes of the compatrr were not allowed to go to the front he refined to piiy any game except bowk, and became a star at that aJeo. He -wax champion of the Toorak club for tlireiyears, and t:race rt-ra-eseDted tii^ Stoic. I asked him thi* jreek which of the tbrec codes oi foot hail n^is the beet. He replied that it depended a great deal on what one bad been brought ut> to. All *i>3<^s anere wxl. b*n LJe nuxcrhL the i Aostralian game the best to watch: there <rac more in it to thrill the spectatorii. Rugby Is his opinion comes iaot. ilo riifa'lff Hie Axetralian rsks are tiie j game. ? ? ? ? I "Yon do not now ccc the sleight of hssd ha~WmT] t3>ere used to be—such, fcr instance, as MeGortah and Dick Head played." he added. "That little pass on . the run over a. man's head would be catkvl ; jaggHng.^ .... j He thinks laying <m &c ball is holding the ball and should be penalised. 1-ro CrapPj Hie prince of umpires, under whom he played never allowed it. * ? ? * ) There are few games lie lias not played, j for he had a. good Jo at bafleba? a.? m. I member of the £turt team three yean apo. j

"Jack" Chamberlain.