Thought this was a good read about Albert Thurgood
https://australianfootball.com/articles/view/the+death+of+albert+thurgood/379
The death of Albert Thurgood
by Argus Staff Writer
In May 1927, The Argus reports on the car accident that killed the former Essendon and Fremantle champion.
One man was killed and six persons were injured in a collision between two motor-cars at the intersection of Kooyong road and Toorak road, Malvern, yesterday afternoon. The accident happened about a quarter past 2 o’clock, when there was very little traffic, and although a number of persons in the vicinity heard the noise of the collision, only one man who was on a balcony several hundreds of yards away from the intersection saw the impact. The names of the killed and injured are:-
Killed: Thurgood, Albert J., aged 52 years, of 18 Dandenong Road, Caulfield, Fractured skull.
Injured: Thurgood, Mrs. A. J., of the same address, Shock and abrasions;
Thurgood, Miss Gwen, aged 20 years, of same address, shock and severed tendons in hand.
Kennedy, Miss Nellie, aged 19 years, of Page Street, Middle Park, Concussion, head lacerated.
Shields, Roy, aged 25 years, of Malvern Road, Toorak, shock, abrasions, fractured leg.
Shields, Kenneth, aged 23 years, of the same address, shock, abrasions, foot injuries.
Shields, Miss of the same address, shock and abrasions.
The car in which Mr. Thurgood and his party were travelling, a double-seated coach, was is passing along Toorak road in an easterly direction when according to the only witness of the tragedy, the small single-seated car, containing the three members of the Shields family, came out of Kooyong road from the northern side.
The smaller car struck the coach on the side, level with the seat occupied by Mr. Thurgood and the force of the impact, combined with the momentum on the two cars carried them across the road. The large car was thrown on its side, and the smaller one, after having occupied a position on top of it, fell back on to the road.
The injured were taken to a neighbouring house where first-aid was given, and whence they were taken in two civil ambulance cars to to hospitals. Mr. Thurgood, Miss Kennedy, and the Messrs. Shields were admitted to the Alfred Hospital, where Mr. Thurgood later died, and Mrs. Thurgood and her daughter went to a private hospital in East St. Kilda.
It is thought that Mr. and Mrs. Thurgood with their daughter and Miss Kennedy, were going to spend the afternoon in the country, as thermos flasks and provisions were found in the back of the car.
Mr. Thurgood was driving, and it is probable that he became pinned to the road when his car overturned on to the driving side. The other occupants of the coach were removed through the broken windows, but the car had to be lifted bodily before he could be extricated.
The smaller car contained Mr. Roy Shields and his brother and sister. Those who saw the cars after the accident could not believe that the occupants could have escaped death, so great was the damage to every part of it. The main members of the chassis were twisted and cracked and the instrument board had been telescoped almost to the back of the seat and yet the most serious injury to a traveller in this car was a fractured leg suffered by Mr. Roy Shields. Miss Kennedy was the only victim whose condition was serious last night but she be reported to be improving.
Famous footballer: Greatest player of all time
The news of the death of Albert Thurgood, perhaps the greatest footballer of all time, will come as a shock to the community. He was born in North Melbourne, and was living in Brighton before joining Essendon about 1889. He was a man of wonderful physique, and excelled in all branches of the game. Although a tall, heavy man, he was as active on the ground as my little man. No greater high mark has ever been seen, and he could play in any position. He was also a fine runner, and a wonderful place kick. He was a member of the famous Essendon team that won the premiership for four years in succession from 1891 to 1894.
He was the outstanding player of that splendid band of footballers, led by Alick Dïck. His great merit as a goal getter was that while he was capable of missing goals like any ordinary player, he rarely missed when the kicking of a goal meant the winning of a match.
There have been many great players but none more deserving the title of ‘champion’ than Albert Thurgood. If the defence required strengthening then it became Thurgood’s job. If a desperate effort in the ruck was necessary Thurgood’s weight and power were thrown into the breach. In fact there was no position on the field in which he did not excel. As a footballer he was a superman and happy indeed the captain who had such a man in the colours.
It is on record that in one memorable match against Melbourne on the Melbourne ground Essendon was three or four goal behind with as many minutes to go. As a forlorn hope Thurgood was sent into the ruck, and he literary carried all before him. He ran half the length of the ground whenever it suited him, marked everywhere and anywhere, kicked goals from all positions and won the match. There are many living at the present time who saw that performance. It is seldom indeed that such pace, strength, activity, and skill are blended in one individual.
It will be news to many that Albert Thurgood played cricket with North Melbourne under the captaincy of E.E. Bean. He was a great hitter and a good medium pace bowler and it was a pity that he did not follow the game up. He was also a fine golfer, and one of the longest drivers it was possible to see.
Mr. Thurgood was well known in racing circles for many years. After retiring from football he took an active part in racing. At one time he was one of the leading bookmakers in the paddock and also owned a few horses. He was part owner, with Mr. G. Johnson, of Chal, when that horse won the Cantala Stakes on Derby Day, 1919. Since then Mr. Thurgood had been interested in other horses and one of the last to carry his colours was the Comedy King mare Devotee. Mr. Thurgood missed very few race meetings in Melbourne, and in recent years he has been one of the pluckiest backers in the State.