Australian Football

Frank Curcio was a tenacious, hard working ruckman who could also do a more than useful job in defence. Fitzroy recruited him from the Christian Young Men's Society in 1931and he made his senior league debut the following year. All told, he played a total of 249 games and kicked 17 goals in three separate stints which finally ended in 1948. He also represented the Big V on 3 occasions. He spent the 1937 season away from the game concentrating on his career as a bass violinist. On resuming the following year he assumed the captaincy which he retained for four seasons. Curcio was singularly unfortunate in that military duties prevented his fronting up in 1944, a season which saw the Maroons going top for the last ever time. More misfortune followed in 1945 when he sustained three broken fingers during a match bringing the curtain down on his musical career.

In 1946 Frank Curcio became the first Fitzroy player to register 200 games, and when he retired he had played more matches than anyone else in the club's history, although he would subsequently be overhauled by three others.

When Fitzroy announced its 'Team of the Century' in 2001 Curcio was named in the back pocket. He never won a club best and fairest award but these were either not always presented or the records for some seasons have been lost.

Author - John Devaney