View source for Kevin O'Donnell (footballer)

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Kevin O'Donnell
| image =
| fullname = Kevin O'Donnell
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1924|7|12}}
| birth_place = [[St Kilda, Victoria]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2002|1|15|1924|7|12}}
| death_place =
| originalteam = South Caulfield CYMS
| height = 183 cm
| weight = 80 kg
| position =
| statsend = 1949
| years1 = 1946–1949
| club1 = [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]]
| games_goals1 = 49 (20)
| careerhighlights =
}}
'''Kevin O'Donnell''' (12 July 1924 – 15 January 2002) was an [[Australian rules football]]er who played with [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]] in the [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]] (VFL).
==Early years==
Born in Melbourne, O'Donnell was a student at St Kilda's [[Christian Brothers College, St Kilda|Christian Brothers College]].<ref name="Carey">{{cite news|title=Obituary – Kevin O'Donnell – Builder, Sportsman|last=Carey|first=Tom|date=30 March 2002|work=[[The Age]]|page=8}}</ref> He later did a building apprenticeship at Swinburne College.<ref name="Carey"/>
His early football was played with South Caulfield CYMS.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11802658 |title=League Opposes Barter for Players. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=1 June 1944 |accessdate=5 July 2015 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
===Military service===
In World War II he served overseas with the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] after enlisting in 1943.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=R&veteranId=980357|title=World War Two Nominal Roll|publisher=Government of Australia|accessdate=5 July 2015}}</ref> Following service in Britain, O'Donnell was a member of the occupation forces in Germany.<ref name="Carey"/>
==Football==
===St Kilda career===
O'Donnell, a half forward, debuted in the opening round of the [[1946 VFL season]], against [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]] at [[Arden Street Oval]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Holmesby|first1=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=9781920910785}}</ref><ref name=AFLTables>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/K/Kevin_ODonnell_gm.html|title=AFL Tables – Kevin ODonnell – Games Played|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=5 July 2015}}</ref> He kicked two goals and was named amongst St Kilda's best.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22253539 |title=Good Finish by North. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=23 April 1946 |accessdate=5 July 2015 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
From 1946 to 1949, O'Donnell amassed 49 league games for St Kilda.<ref name=AFLTables/>
===Deniliquin coach===
In 1950, O'Donnell left St Kilda to coach in [[New South Wales]], for [[Deniliquin Football Club|Deniliquin]] in the [[Murray Football League]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172510977 |title=C.Y.M.S. Begins 1950 Football Season. |newspaper=Advocate |location=Melbourne |date=27 April 1950 |accessdate=5 July 2015 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He remained senior coach in 1951, then played the 1952 season as a player only, as former South Melbourne player [[Ted Whitfield]] took charge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsportspulse.com/club_info.cgi?client=0-6183-80773-252247-18642275&sID=117160&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=8268639|title=Coach, Best & Fairest, Goalkicker – Deniliquin Football and Netball Club|publisher=Fox Sports Pulse|accessdate=5 July 2015}}</ref>
O'Donnell was in the Deniliquin team which drew the 1952 grand final with [[Finley Football Club|Finley]] and lost by [[Grand final replay|replay]] by six points.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116875622 |title=Deni- Finley tie in Grand Final. |newspaper=[[Riverine Herald]] |location=Echuca, Vic. |date=22 September 1952 |accessdate=5 July 2015 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article101615082 |title=Finley Wins Play-off. |newspaper=[[Narrandera Argus|Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser]] |location=NSW |date=29 September 1952 |accessdate=5 July 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In 1953 he returned as coach for one final season <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189889440 |title=Kevin O'Donnel to coach Deniliquin. |newspaper=[[Cobram Courier]] |location=Vic. |date=19 February 1953 |accessdate=5 July 2015 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and was runner up in the 1953 [[Murray Football League]] best and fairest award, the O'Dwyer Medal.<ref>{{cite web |title=1953 - Murray FL - O'Dwyer Medal |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189890787 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=Cobram Courier |accessdate=5 May 2020 |date=3 September 2020| page=2}}</ref>
He was president of the Deniliquin Football Club from 1973 to 1978.<ref name="Carey"/>
==Later life and family==
A builder by trade, O'Donnell remained in [[Deniliquin]], where he raised four children with wife Bernadette.<ref name="Carey"/> The youngest, [[Simon O'Donnell]], played 24 games for St Kilda in the 1980s, but is best known as a cricketer.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hillier, K.|title=Like Father Like Son| publisher=Pennon Publishing, Melbourne|year=2004|isbn=1-877029-73-4}}</ref> He won a [[Cricket World Cup|World Cup]] with Australia in 1987.<ref>{{cite news|title=A whole new ball game|last=Dunleavy|first=Diane|date=11 June 1993|work=[[The Age]]|pages=3, Saturday Extra}}</ref>
Heavily involved in the racing industry, he bred his own racehorses and was a trustee of the Deniliquin racecourse.<ref name="Carey"/>
==References==
{{reflist|1}}
==External links==
*{{AFL Tables | K/Kevin_ODonnell }}
*{{AustralianFootball | kevin+o'donnell/7484 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:ODonnell, Kevin}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne]]
[[Category:St Kilda Football Club players]]
[[Category:Deniliquin Football Club players]]
[[Category:Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:People from St Kilda, Victoria]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Australian rules football coaches]]