BIO

Harold Kirkwood was recruited from Prince Alfred College where he captained the college football team. He was outstanding at both football and cricket and achieved the distinction of playing league football and state cricket.

At Norwood he was a very versatile forward. Contemporary reports record him taking excellent marks, possessing great evasive skills and capable of kicking goals from long distances. From his earliest games Kirkwood became a reliable goal kicker. In an era when scores were low compared to current times, he averaged two goals per game over a 25 game career.

One of his most important goals came in the 1901 Grand Final against Port Adelaide. It was one of only four kicked by Norwood that day but it was enough to secure a four point victory. 1901 was undoubtedly his best season when he was runner-up in the club’s goal kicking with 38. (Eventual winner was W.R. Miller with 44 goals which topped the league)

His football career seemed to slowly fade out and ended early in 1903. His last game was against West Torrens on May 2nd.

The same could not be said of his cricket career. In 1905 the local press considered him the best all-rounder in club cricket. Between 1901-02 and 1913-14, Kirkwood played 13 games for South Australia making 476 runs at an average of 21 as a right hand middle order batsman and taking 25 wickets (Average: 29) with his leg breaks.

All things considered, Harold Peter Kirkwood had quite an outstanding sporting career

B Ridge Dec 2018