BIO

John "Jack" Aloysius Chamberlain was born at Glanville, South Australia, on the 29th August 1884.  One of three brothers to play for Norwood, he was educated at Christian Brother's College, and played first eleven cricket and first eighteen football for his school.
 
He went to Tasmania before moving to Sydney as a 17 year-old, and joining the Paddington Football Club. Chamberlain represented New South Wales against the Carlton and Collingwood Football Clubs. He was named in the back-pocket in the match against Carlton on the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1903. Later that year, he was presented with the medal for Paddington's best all-round player for the season.
 
His employment as an operator for a telegraph company took him to Western Australia in 1905-06. Here he represented WA against NSW in the 1906/07 cricket season, and played 13 games for the Perth Football Club in 1906.
 
He was transferred back to Adelaide in 1907, but received his clearance three days too late for him to play  for Norwood that season.
 
In 1908 he played 15 games for Norwood, and was the team's leading goal-kicker with 30. At 191cm tall, he made his debut in the opening round of the season, kicking four goals against South Adelaide. On August 15 he was in the Norwood side that defeated the Hills Association team at Mt. Barker.
 
During the year he was selected in the S.A. interstate squad and in August played in the inaugural Australian Football Carnival held in Melbourne.
 
Chamberlain played in the Norwood side that was narrowly defeated by West Adelaide in that year's grand final. With Norwood trailing by a few points and, with approximately a minute to go, Chamberlain drifted from his position at half forward to the opposite half back flank. Gathering the ball, he went for an amazing run which saw him cover the full length of the field. The ball ended up with his brother Len, who was unlucky not to be awarded a free near goal; Norwood lost by three points: 6.13 to 7.10. Jack was high in Norwood's list of best players, as he had been in Norwood's win against Port Adelaide in the second semi-final.
 
It had earlier been rumoured that Norwood would be disqualified for playing Chamberlain and William Hutton in 1908 without proper clearances from their interstate clubs.
 
After playing in the first game of the 1909 season, Chamberlain was transferred to the Cocos Islands, and later to Singapore, where he worked as an officer for the Eastern Extension Cable Company,as well as playing rugby union.
 
He returned to Adelaide in 1913, and played one game for Norwood in 1914.
 
Jack's  brothers, Cornelius 1902-1908 (63 NFC games) and Leonard 1907-1914 (84 NFC games) both had fine careers with Norwood.
 
Chamberlain played A Grade cricket for East Torrens in 1907-1908 and in 1913-1914

R Cialini, M Giles May 2019