Len Wigraft

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Len Wigraft
Personal information
Full name Leonard Herman Wigraft
Date of birth 28 January 1897
Place of birth North Fitzroy, Victoria
Date of death 16 January 1982(1982-01-16) (aged 84)
Place of death Parkville, Victoria
Original team(s) Preston
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 76 kg (168 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1917–1927 Fitzroy 135 (41)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1934 Fitzroy 16 (6–10–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1927.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Leonard Herman Wigraft (a.k.a. "Wigraf") (28 January 1897 – 16 January 1982)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Family

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The son of Frederick Wigraf (a.k.a. "Wigraft") (1865-1920),[2] and Ellen Wigraf (a.k.a. "Wigraft") (1865-1947),[3][4] née Martin, Leonard Herman Wigraft (a.k.a. "Wigraf") was born at North Fitzroy on 28 January 1897.

He married Dorothy May Axton (-1989) in 1918.[5][6]

Football

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Wigraft usually played as a follower and won a VFL premiership with Fitzroy in 1922. He was also a three-time Best and Fairest winner with Fitzroy – in 1920, 1924 and 1925.

He captained Fitzroy in his last season of football in 1927 and was briefly their caretaker coach in 1934.

Len was captain-coach of Echuca in 1928,[7][8] and 1929, which included their 1928 Bendigo Football League premiership.[9]

Wigraft then coached Richmond Reserves in 1930.[10][11]

He returned to Fitzroy in the 1930s as a club delegate and then took over as coach in May 1934, after captain-coach, Jack Cashman resigned and was cleared to Carlton.[12][13]

Hall of Fame

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In recognition to his long service to the Fitzroy football club and his playing abilities, he was inducted to the Fitzroy Hall of Fame.

Death

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He died at Parkville, Victoria on 16 January 1982.[14]

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Donald, Chris (2002). Fitzroy: For The Love Of The Jumper. Pan Macmillan Australia. ISBN 978-1-877029-18-9.
  2. ^ Deaths: Wigraf, The Argus, (Monday, 9 February 1920), p. 1.
  3. ^ Deaths: Wigraft, The Age, (Tuesday, 18 March 1947), p. 7.
  4. ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Deaths Registration no.3715/1947 ("Ellen Wigraf").
  5. ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Marriages Registration no.1939/1918 ("Leonard Wigraft").
  6. ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Deaths Registration no.21384/1989 ("Dorothy May Wigraft").
  7. ^ Samuel Garnet Wells (1928), "Echuca's New Coach", The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 18 February 1928), p. 80/
  8. ^ "1928 - Wigraft to Coach Echuca". Kyabram Free Press and Rodney and Deakin Shire Advocate (Vic. : 1894 - 1955). 17 February 1928. p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  9. ^ "1928 - Football Honors to Echuca". The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 - 1954; 1998 - 2002). 8 October 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  10. ^ "1930 - LEAGUE'S HEADQUARTERS". The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954). 17 March 1930. p. 2. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  11. ^ Hogan (1996), p.324.
  12. ^ "1934 - NO CAPTAIN YET AT FITZROY". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956). 17 May 1934. p. 28. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  13. ^ Rohan, J.M. (1936), "All wish Wigraft well at Fitzroy", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 26 May 1934), p. 7.
  14. ^ Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria Deaths Registration no.2183/1982.

References

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  • Hogan, Paul (1996), The Tigers of Old: A Complete History of Every Player to Represent the Richmond Football Club between 1908 and 1996, Melbourne: Richmond Football Club. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
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