BIO

Bill Eimer was recruited with Jim Gallagher in 1898 as Norwood tried to cover gaps left by the departure of mature players to other clubs under the new electorate football system. Originally named Wilhelm, Bill was born at Norwood on 13 September 1874 and educated at Prince Alfred College.  At the annual meeting of the Albert Football Club at the Norwood Hotel in March 1894, Eimer and Charlie Atkins were presented with medals by Messrs Suhard and Glox.

Bill played a game with North Adelaide at the start of the 1895 season but dropped back to the Alberts as vice-captain with Gallagher as a team-mate.  Cleared by North in 1898, Bill  worked hard for an undermanned Norwood team, playing both forward and back.  At the end of the season, The Evening Journal reported that Norwood "sadly missed A. Daly, for Gallagher and Eimer alone were able to cope with the defence of the antagonists". Norwood finished third.

 Bill does not feature in 1899 but performed creditably as Norwood defeated West Adelaide by five goals at the start of the 1900 season. Norwood again finished third that year and Bill left the scene.

 There is good reason to believe he was the William Otto Eimer charged in 1924 with having too many rabbits on his property, Deyrah, at Glen Innes, NSW. He expanded the property and was a prominent farmer and grazier. He was 76 when he died on 27 July 1951, survived by his widow and children Irene (Dismoor), Betty (Lockyer), Jean (Parker), William, Herman, Cid and Rex.

 Rex was lucky to be there.  He, his wife and their baby were away on the night of 11 September 1944 when an RAAF training plane crashed into their Glen Innes home, with the loss of all five crew members and total destruction of aircraft and house.

P Robins March 2018