# Alf Watson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alf_Watson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alf_Watson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Watson > Source revision: 1333250799 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Australian athlete (1907-1992)}} {{other people||Alfred Watson (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}} {{infobox sportsperson | name = Alfred Joseph Watson | image = Alf Watson (1928).jpg | birth_date = 26 May 1907 | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1992|8|23|1907|5|26}} | death_place = | education = [Ivanhoe Grammar School](/source/Ivanhoe_Grammar_School) | relatives = [Russ Watson](/source/Russ_Watson) (brother) | sport = Men's [athletics](/source/sport_of_athletics) | nationality = {{flag|Australia}} | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Competition|[British Empire Games](/source/Commonwealth_Games)}} {{Medal|Bronze| [1938 Sydney](/source/1938_British_Empire_Games) | [4×110 yards](/source/Athletics_at_the_1938_British_Empire_Games)}} }} '''Alfred Joseph Watson''' (26 May 1907 – 23 August 1992) was an Australian [track and field](/source/track_and_field) athlete who competed in the [1928 Summer Olympics](/source/1928_Summer_Olympics) and in the [1936 Summer Olympics](/source/1936_Summer_Olympics).{{cite Sports-Reference}} == Family life == The son of Thomas Watson (1866-1925),[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2128948 Deaths: Watson, ''The Argus'', (Monday, 22 June 1925), p.1] and Flora Henrietta Watson (1874-1950), née Dowell,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155662732 A Hide and Skin Trader's Estate: Family Contract to Carry On, ''The Age'', (Wednesday, 9 December 1925), p.17.][https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22832179 Deaths: Watson, ''The Argus'', (Tuesday, 30 May 1950), p.11.] Alfred Joseph Watson was born on 26 May 1907. His eldest brother, [Russell Henry Watson (1892–1941)](/source/Russ_Watson), was an Australian amateur middle distance champion, who held titles in the mile, half-mile, and 440 hurdles.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25930393 Former Champion Runner Dead, ''The Mercury'', (Monday, 17 November 1941), p.7.] Both Alf and his older brother, Edward, attended [Caulfield Grammar School](/source/Caulfield_Grammar_School) from 1917 to 1919.Webber, (1981), p.319; Wilkinson, (1997), pp.56, 58. == Early years == Alf then attended [Ivanhoe Grammar School](/source/Ivanhoe_Grammar_School),[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11034645 Notes from Classroom and Playing Field: Olympic Representative, ''The Argus'', (Thursday, 14 May 1936), p.7.] for whom he sprinted and competed in the high jump;[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1852720 School Sports: Associated Grammar Schools, ''The Argus'', (Saturday, 4 November 1922), p.21.] and [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1854880/420349 Associated Grammar Sports on M.C.C. Ground: A. Watson (Ivanhoe Grammar) in the high jump for boys under 16, ''The Argus'', (Tuesday, 14 November 1922), p.7.] and [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1854744 Grammar Schools' Sports, ''The Argus'', (Tuesday, 14 November 1922), p.4.] In addition to being a fine Australian Rules footballer (a member of the school's First XVIII from 1922 to 1924), he also played cricket with the school's First XI from 1921 to 1924,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/17434958 An Incident in the Cricket Match between Ballarat Grammar School and Ivanhoe Grammar School: Watson (Ivanhoe) batting and Bolte (Ballarat) wioket-keeping, ''Table Talk'', (Thursday, 26 April 1923), p.24]: note that the wicket-keeper was, most likely, [Henry Bolte](/source/Henry_Bolte), a student at BGS at that time. captaining the team in 1923 and 1924, and winning the Associated Grammar Schools' batting average in 1924 (as a consequence of which he was awarded an "exhibitioner's ticket" to the [Melbourne Cricket Club](/source/Melbourne_Cricket_Club)).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146559189 Schools & Colleges: Associated Grammar Schools, ''Table Talk'', (Thursday, 2 October 1924), p.28]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183981451 "Referee", "Australia's Olympic Hope: Watson is Probable World Beater", ''The Sporting Globe'', (Saturday, 6 April 1929), p.4.] == Competition == In 1928 he was eliminated in the first round of the [110 metre hurdles event](/source/Athletics_at_the_1928_Summer_Olympics_-_Men's_110_metre_hurdles) as well as of the [400 metre hurdles competition](/source/Athletics_at_the_1928_Summer_Olympics_-_Men's_400_metre_hurdles). Watson finished second behind [John Sheffield](/source/John_Sheffield_(British_Army_officer)) in the 440 yards hurdles event at the [1936 AAA Championships](/source/1936_AAA_Championships).{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19360711/173/0006 |title=AAA Championships begin |work=Western Mail |date=11 July 1936 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003214/19360713/473/0017 |title=Wooderson wins again |work=Daily Herald |date=13 July 1936 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=18 January 2025 }} One month later he was selected to represent [Australia](/source/Australia_at_the_1936_Summer_Olympics) at the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, where he was eliminated in the first round of both the [110 metre hurdles contest](/source/Athletics_at_the_1936_Summer_Olympics_-_Men's_110_metre_hurdles) and the [400 metre hurdles event](/source/Athletics_at_the_1936_Summer_Olympics_-_Men's_400_metre_hurdles).{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/64823 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=18 January 2025}} At the [1938 Empire Games](/source/1938_Empire_Games) he was a member of the Australian relay team which won the bronze medal in the 4×110 yards competition. In the 440 yards hurdles contest he finished fourth. He announced his retirement from competitive athletics in November 1938.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12059272 1,500 Will Compete, ''The Argus'', (Friday, 4 November 1938), p.19.] == See also == * [List of Caulfield Grammar School people](/source/List_of_Caulfield_Grammar_School_people) == References == {{Reflist}} * {{cite book | author=Wilkinson, Ian R. | title=The Fields At Play - 115 Years of Sport at Caulfield Grammar School 1881-1996 | publisher={{sic|Play|right|hide=y}} Publishing | year=1997 | isbn=0-949853-60-7}} * {{cite book | author=Webber, Horace | title=Years May Pass On... Caulfield Grammar School, 1881-1981 | publisher=Centenary Committee, Caulfield Grammar School, (East St Kilda) | year=1981 | isbn=0-9594242-0-2}} ==External links== * {{CGF profile|37698|Alfred Joseph Watson}} * {{Olympics.com profile|alfred-joseph-watson|Alfred Joseph Watson}} * {{AOC profile|alfred-j-watson|Alfred J. Watson}} * {{Olympedia|64823|Alf Watson}} * [http://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete253.htm Alfred 'Alf' Watson] at Australian Athletics Historical Results * [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11019620 Taylor, P., "These Days of Sport: Master of Style", ''The Argus'', (Saturday, 7 March 1936), p.26.] * [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11023642 Hillhouse, A., "Story of Alf Watson: Brilliant Athlete for Twenty Years", ''The Junior Argus'', (Thursday, 26 March 1936), p.7.] * [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17336590 Australia's Champions: A.J. Watson, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', (Friday, 27 March 1936), p.15.] * [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11939646 Olympic Hurdler's Success, ''The Argus'', (Monday, 23 November 1936), p.7.] and [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11939847 Yates's Good Time for 100 Yards Run, ''The Argus'', (Monday, 23 November 1936), p.7.] * [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2441092 Sports Flashes from Many Fields: Hurdles Champion, ''The Canberra Times'', (Monday, 13 September 1937), p.3.] {{Footer Australia NC 110m Hurdles Men}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Alf}} Category:1907 births Category:1992 deaths Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1938 British Empire Games Category:Athletes from Melbourne Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners Category:Australian men hurdlers Category:Australian men sprinters Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Australia Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics Category:Medallists at the 1938 British Empire Games Category:Olympic athletes for Australia Category:People educated at Caulfield Grammar School Category:People educated at Ivanhoe Grammar School --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alf Watson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Watson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Watson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.