Biography
Born: 18 January 1875
Died: 15 October 1951
Grave Location: Private F, Section 10, Row 1, Grave 06
Achievements
The son of Alexander, Angus Greenfield became one of Ballarat’s early home-grown sporting greats, who could excel in almost anything.
He was a high achiever in multiple athletics events including long jump, high jump, pole vault, weight-putting, hammer throwing, and hurdle races, and also rowed with the Wendouree Rowing Club.
As a teenager in the early 1890s, Greenfield played football at Geelong where he was receiving his education.
He would maintain a routine of riding his pushbike from Ballarat to Geelong to play four quarters in the ruck, then ride back to Ballarat the same day.
In 1897, he joined the Ballarat Football Club that his father had founded, and had a role that same year in the club’s maiden premiership in the Ballarat Football Association. He became captain of the club in 1899, the same year he won multiple national and state amateur cycling championships in Brisbane and Melbourne.
His prowess in so many sports earned him a reputation as “one of the greatest all round athletes and sportsmen produced by Ballarat”.
Greenfield served as president of the Ballarat Trotting Club in the mid-1920s.
Did you Know?
Angus Greenfield (1876 – 1951) was a Land Valuer. He surpassed his father Alexander Mackay Greenfield’s achievements as an athlete; Angus was also captain of the Ballarat Football Club and played for Geelong while still at Geelong Church of England Grammar School.
After finishing school, he would ride his bike from Ballarat to Melbourne or Geelong and back every Saturday during football season. He also won national titles in cycling and State championships in both pole vault and shot put. On top of that, he was an excellent rower and was likely the finest athlete Ballarat had to offer.
Angus died aged 75 and was buried in the exclusive Private F location. He was commemorated with one of the streamlined, Deco-inspired stone memorials used throughout the location at the time.
He was buried with his wife Florence Maud (Troup) Greenfield (1879-1943).
