Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Gerald Edmund Bahen

Known as
Gerry Bahen

Born
17 February 1929

Died
24 April 2012 (aged 83)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 22y 77d
Last game: 22y 133d

Height and weight
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 77 kg

Senior clubs
North Melbourne; South Fremantle

Jumper numbers
North Melbourne: 33

Recruited from
North Melbourne (1952)

Family links
Clem Bahen (Father)

Gerry Bahen

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
North MelbourneV/AFL1951810.1350%———0
South FremantleWANFL1952-195669110.16—————
Total1951-195677120.16—————

AFL: 6,096th player to appear, 8,789th most games played, 9,088th most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 424th player to appear, 676th most games played, 706th most goals kicked

Gerry Bahen, South Fremantle backman, played 8 games with the strong North Melbourne side when in Victoria in 1951. He is in his 2nd season with South, considers the side ‘very nearly’ as good as the top Melbourne 18’s. Game in the 2 States differs considerably with Vic the ‘tougher’, WA the more ‘enjoyable’.¹

Gerry Bahen, who was the son of former Subiaco great Clem Bahen, was no mean footballer himself. Having played under-age football with South Fremantle he moved to Melbourne for work-related reasons in 1951 and ended up playing eight games and kicking one goal for North Melbourne. Upon returning to Western Australia in 1952 he re-joined South Fremantle and commenced what would end up being a five season, 69 game, 11 goal senior career, highlighted by participation in winning grand finals in 1952, 1953 and 1954. He also represented Western Australia against Victoria at Subiaco Oval in 1954, a match which was won by the visitors.

Bahen retired as a player comparatively prematurely in order to concentrate on his business interests, which were many and varied. He later served South Fremantle in a number of administrative and support capacities.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. “Sunday Times”, 13/9/53, page 28.

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications, Crème de la Crème

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.