1939 Premiership Medal won by Percy Beames

The 1939 Premiership medal won by Melbourne Football Club Hall of Fame Inductee Percy Beames. Superb original condition. Percy James Beames (1911 - 2004) had a remarkable career as an Australian rules footballer of the highest calibre with Melbourne Football Club and, remarkably, was also a first-class cricketer at state level for Victoria. He later became a distinguished journalist, covering both sports for Melbourne's the age until 1976. Beames joined Melbourne in 1931 and soon established himself as the club's rover. He was with the club until 1944, having graduated to the positions of Captain and coach in the later years. As school Captain of the Ballarat College football and cricket teams, Beames had played just two games for Golden Point and was suiting up for his third when a committee man informed him that he was off to Melbourne for an interview with the Redlegs. Upon his arrival, the club arranged for Beames to stay in a local boarding house. During his first night there he heard strange noises from adjoining rooms, only to discover in the morning that he was staying in a brothel. The next day he came out of his interview with a job at chairman Joe Blair's Vacuum Oil Company and a promise of more legitimate lodgings. Having never seen a game of VFL football, Beames was a guest in the MCC members pavilion for the game against Footscray. Not sure what he was going to see, Beames came out of the game believing he could easily match it with these players. Two weeks later he kicked four of Melbourne's nine goals in a reserves match against Collingwood and was promoted to the seniors. In the wet he was voted best on ground. Beames was an instant sensation, being voted best on ground on debut and finishing equal 5th in the 1931 Brownlow medal despite only having played 11 games for the year. During the off-season he was seriously injured playing cricket but returned to play 16 games and finished equal 5th in the Brownlow again in 1932. Beames was voted 'Best all around Player' in 1934, and graduated to the Deputy Vice-Captain the next year and Vice-Captain in 1936. He won the 'Most Consistent Player' award in both 1937 and 1938. After his retirement as Melbourne's last playing coach Beames served as Chairman of Selectors in 1945. He also excelled in the summer months as a state cricketer. First selected in 1932, he scored three first class centuries with a top score of 226. He was still in contention to play for Australia when he retired from the game in 1946. Beames was named in the forward pocket of the Melbourne team of the century. In addition to his eight state games he also played twice for VFL representative sides against the VFA: in 1934 and 1936. The 1939 VFL Grand Final was contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, and held at the MCG on 30 September 1939. It was the 43rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian football League, and attended by 78,110 spectators, was won by Melbourne by a margin of 53 points. Beames was equal top scorer with 4 goals and was widely reported to have been the 'Best on the field'. Provenance: The family, by descent.