George Bates (Australian footballer)

George Bates
Bates during his Richmond career
Personal information
Full name	George William Henry Bates
Date of birth	5 January 1914
Place of birth	Abbotsford, Victoria
Date of death	1 April 1983(1983-04-01) (aged 69)
Place of death	Geelong West, Victoria
Original team(s)	Northcote (VFA)
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	80 kg (176 lb)
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1933	Collingwood	01 (0)
1937–1939	Richmond	26 (4)
1940	South Melbourne	03 (0)
Total		30 (4)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1940.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

George William Henry Bates (5 January 1914 – 1 April 1983)^[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood, Richmond and South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).^[2]

Bates returned to his original club, Northcote, after just once season at Collingwood. He was a centre half-back in Northcote's 1934 premiership team and had a starring role in another premiership two years later.^[3]

He resumed his VFL career in 1937 and made 14 appearances that year, including a semi final.^[4]

After two more seasons with Richmond, Bates made his way to South Melbourne in 1940.^[4]

1937 Best First-Year Players

In September 1937, The Argus selected Bates in its team of 1937's first-year players.^[5]

		Best First-Year Players (1937)
Backs	Bernie Treweek (Fitzroy)	Reg Henderson (Richmond)	Lawrence Morgan (Fitzroy)
H/Backs	Gordon Waters (Hawthorn)	Bill Cahill (Essendon)	Eddie Morcom (North Melbourne)
Centre Line	Ted Buckley (Melbourne)	George Bates (Richmond)	Jack Kelly (St Kilda)
H/Forwards	Col Williamson (St Kilda)	Ray Watts (Essendon)	Don Dilks (Footscray)
Forwards	Lou Sleeth (Richmond)	Sel Murray (North Melbourne)	Charlie Pierce (Hawthorn)
Rucks/Rover	Reg Garvin (St Kilda)	Sandy Patterson (South Melbourne)	Des Fothergill (Collingwood)
Second Ruck	Lawrence Morgan	Col Williamson	Lou Sleeth

References

1. "George Bates". Collingwood Forever. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
2. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920910-78-5.
3. "George Bates – Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
4. AFL Tables: George Bates
5. Football Season's Many Good Recruits, The Argus, (Tuesday, 7 September 1937), p.14.