George Coulthard

George Coulthard (1 August 1856 in Boroondara, Victoria – 22 October 1883 in Carlton, Victoria) was a star Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton. He was also a notable cricketer who played for the Melbourne Cricket Club and briefly for Australia. As a cricketer he played only six first-class matches, five for Victoria and a Test match for Australia. Coulthard played in the first match between Victoria and South Australia, taking 3 wickets for 29. He was also a prominent umpire of the time, standing in two Tests.

Off the field, Coulthard was a shopkeeper. He died at Lygon Street in 1883, at the age of 27 years, of tuberculosis after an illness of 16 months. He was married with a baby daughter.

Football career

Coulthard commenced with the Carlton club in the (then) Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1876. During a short seven-season career he became one of the Association's outstanding players. He was a crucial member of the Carlton team that won the inaugural VFA premiership in 1877.

He was said to have speed, grace and near-perfect balance. 'He is the grandest player of the day. It is doubtful if, for general excellence, his equal has ever been seen.' said The Australasian newspaper of the day.

On 1 July 1880 Coulthard was the umpire for an inter-colonial match between Melbourne and the Norwood Football Club from South Australia. He chose to wear all white and is thus football's first "man in white" (the traditional colour of umpires...
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