View source for Bill Heaphy

{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Bill Heaphy
| image =
| fullname = William Loch Heaphy
| birth_date = {{birth date|1888|12|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Brunswick, Victoria]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1914|5|21|1888|12|18|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Kyabram]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| originalteam = [[Tatura Football Club|Tatura]]
| height = 177&nbsp;cm
| weight = 75&nbsp;kg
| position =
| statsend = 1909
| years1 = 1908–1909
| club1 = [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]]
| games_goals1 = 5 (3)
| careerhighlights =
}}
'''William Loch Heaphy''' (18 December 1888 – 21 May 1914) was an [[Australian rules football]]er who played with [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]] in the [[Australian Football League|Victorian Football League]] (VFL).<ref>{{cite book|last=Holmesby|first=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=9781920910785}}</ref> He was from [[Tatura Football Club|Tatura]] originally and went to [[The Geelong College|Geelong College]], but came to Essendon via [[West Melbourne Football Club|West Melbourne]], during the [[1908 VFL season]].<ref name=Essendon>{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/team/player-past.asp?id=432 |title=Heaphy, Bill |publisher=Essendon Football Club official website |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424070458/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/team/player-past.asp?id=432 |archivedate=24 April 2012 }}</ref>
==Essendon==
Heaphy made his league debut in Essendon's round 18 win over [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] at [[East Melbourne Cricket Ground|East Melbourne]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1908/050919080905.html| title=Essendon v Geelong| publisher=AFL Tables}}</ref>
His second appearance for Essendon was in the [[1908 VFL Grand Final]].<ref name=AFLTables>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1908/030519080926.html| title=1908 Grand Final| publisher=AFL Tables}}</ref> He was the youngest player on the field, at 19 years of age, but not the least experienced, as teammate Harry Prout was making his debut.<ref name=AFLTables/><ref>{{cite book|last=Lovett, Michael|title=AFL 2004 - The Official Statistical History Of The AFL| publisher=AFL Publishing|year=2004|isbn=0-9580300-5-7}}</ref> Essendon lost by nine points, with Heaphy playing in a [[forward pocket]].<ref name=Essendon/><ref name=AFLTables/>
He played three games with Essendon in the [[1909 VFL season|1909 season]], then transferred to [[Brunswick Football Club|Brunswick]] mid season and finished the year with another grand final appearance, this time finishing on the winning side.<ref name=Essendon/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/1909.html#5| title=1909 Stats| publisher=AFL Tables}}</ref><ref>''The Coburg Leader'', [http://www.trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/66825235 "Football: Brunswick v Prahran"], 1 October 1909, p. 3</ref>
==Poor health and death==
Heaphy had serious issues with his heart and in 1914 spent some time in a Melbourne private hospital.<ref>''Shepparton Advertiser'', [http://www.trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/91359589 "Personal"], 25 May 1914, p. 3</ref> Back at [[Kyabram]] on 21 May 1914, Heaphy suffered a fatal seizure, having earlier taken what he thought was his heart medication.<ref>''Weekly Times (Victoria)'', [http://www.trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/121130575 "Country"], 30 May 1914, p. 26</ref> It was ruled by a coroner that he had been poisoned and gave a verdict of accidental death.<ref>''[[Albury Banner and Wodonga Express]]'', [http://www.trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/101420899/10900282 "Victoria"], 29 May 1914, p. 35</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|1}}
==External links==
*{{AFL Tables|ref=B/Bill_Heaphy.html}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heaphy, Bill}}
[[Category:1888 births]]
[[Category:1914 deaths]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Essendon Football Club players]]
[[Category:Tatura Football Club players]]
[[Category:West Melbourne Football Club players]]
[[Category:Brunswick Football Club players]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Deaths by poisoning]]
[[Category:People educated at Geelong College]]
[[Category:People from Brunswick, Victoria]]