Happy 81st birthday to Blues past player, Harry Sullivan today.
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From the Blueseum:
Career : 1950 – 1954
Debut : Round 18, 1950 vs South Melbourne, aged 18 years, 139 days
Carlton Player No. 646
Games : 31
Goals : 16
Guernsey No. 2 (1950), No. 3 (1951 – 54)
Last Game : Round 13, 1954 vs Melbourne, aged 22 years, 99 days
Height : 183 cm (6 ft. 0 in.)
Weight : 82.5 kg (13 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : April 8, 1932
Harry Sullivan joined Carlton from Brighton Technical School in 1949 at the age of 17, and played in our Under 19 Premiership side in that same year. Over the next two seasons he made his way up through the Reserves, and was selected for his senior debut in round 18, 1950, when Carlton finished off a dismal year by losing to South Melbourne by almost six goals at Princes Park.
By then, the strongly-built youngster was looked upon as a likely replacement for Carlton’s champion centre half-forward Ken Baxter, who was due to retire at season’s end. But as Sullivan’s potential couldn’t be properly assessed until he had played more games at the top level, he was sent to the key forward post in round 6, 1951 and stayed there throughout the season.
By the end of that year, there was no denying that Sullivan’s all-round skills were quite good – the problem was that as a key forward, he just didn’t kick enough goals. His first 15 matches produced only 12 majors, with a best haul of two. He was briefly tried in defence in 1953 – with unspectacular results – and although his season ended on a bright note when he was a member of that year’s Reserves Premiership team, it seemed as though his future at Carlton lay as a spare parts player and a regular bench-warmer.
Understandably, Harry wasn’t happy with that situation, especially when he wasn’t selected in the seniors again after round 14, 1954. So, after 31 games in five seasons at Princes Park, he was granted a clearance to Collingwood.
His first season at Victoria Park was much like those that came before; 10 games, 5 goals and regular demotion to the seconds. Then, in early 1956, someone had the bright idea of trying Harry at full-back, and a star was born.
In September of that year, Sullivan was at full-back for the ‘Pies in their Grand Final loss to Melbourne, and played there again when they defeated the Demons two years later to deny Melbourne four flags in a row. Cool under pressure, near-impossible to shake off, and renowned for his ability to punch the ball from his opponent’s grasp at precisely the right moment, Harry also represented Victoria in 1958, on the way to 78 games and immortality among the Collingwood legions.
Surprisingly, Sullivan retired from VFL football in 1960 at the age of 28, due to the pressures of his burgeoning business interests.