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Sergio Silvagni

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Sergio Silvagni
Personal information
Date of birth (1938-06-28)28 June 1938
Place of birth Carlton, Victoria
Date of death 15 July 2021(2021-07-15) (aged 83)
Place of death Melbourne
Original team(s) Parade College
Debut Round 7, 1958, Carlton vs. South Melbourne, at Lake Oval
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 95 kg (209 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1958–1971 Carlton 239 (136)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1978 Carlton 3 (0–3–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1971.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Sergio Valentino Silvagni (28 June 1938 – 15 July 2021) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL), mostly as a ruck-rover. He was the first of three generations to represent Carlton at VFL/AFL level, followed by his son Stephen and grandson Jack.

Early life and family

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The son of Italian immigrants Giacomo Silvagni and his wife Antonia, Sergio lived with his parents and sister Milena in a single fronted dwelling in Canning Street, Carlton, very close to the famous Lygon Street precinct, the epicenter of Melbourne's Italian community.[1] Giacomo (also known as "Jack")[2] emigrated to Australia in 1924 from the town of Asiago in the northern Italian province of Vicenza.[3] He was also a first cousin of fellow Carlton footballer John Benetti.[4]

Shortly after Sergio was born, World War II broke out and Italians were considered enemies in Australia. According to the law at the time, Giacomo Silvagni was considered an enemy alien since he had not taken up Australian citizenship, and was sent away to an alien camp in Broadford for several months, living in a tent and cutting timber. Silvagni remembered his father's departure vividly, even though he was only four years old at the time.[1]

Silvagni married his wife Rita in 1963. Their marriage produced four children—son Stephen, and daughters Lisa, Danielle and Michelle.[5]

Schoolboy athletics

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Silvagni was educated at St Thomas' Christian Brothers College in Clifton Hill and later at Parade College,[1] and was an outstanding schoolboy athlete. In 1948, competing for St Thomas', he won the Under-11 75-yard sprint at the Victorian Christian Brothers' Combined Athletic Meeting.[6] In 1949, he was the Under-12 handball champion of C.B.C. Clifton Hill.[7] In 1953, running on a rain soaked track, he broke the 440 yard record by half second, clocking 54.4 seconds; he also won the shot put at the combined Christian Brothers Secondary School sports at North Melbourne.[8]

Career in football

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Playing career

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Carlton

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Silvagni made his senior VFL debut for Carlton on 24 May 1958 in the Round 7 match against South Melbourne) at the Lake Oval.[1] Although Carlton lost by 22 points, Silvagni, along with his cousin John Benetti, was one of the best Carlton players on the ground.[9][10][11]

In his playing career, Silvagni played mainly as a ruck-rover, forming one of the game's most celebrated on-ball divisions with ruckman John Nicholls and rover Adrian Gallagher.[12][10][11] He was a member of the 1968 and 1970 premiership teams, and was listed among the best players afield.[13][14][10][11] He also played in the runner-up teams for the 1962 and 1969 premierships. After coming out of retirement in 1970 at the behest of Barassi, Silvagni retired permanently from his playing career at the end of 1971.[1][10][11] Silvagni played a total of 239 games and kicked a total of 136 goals for Carlton from 1958 until 1971[10][11]

Post playing career in the sports administration

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After retiring from playing in the field, Silvagni held various positions at Carlton, first he served as a committeeman and selector at Carlton.[10][11]

Coaching career

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Silvagni then later became Carlton's reserves coach, and served as the club's caretaker senior coach for a few weeks in 1978 between the departure of Ian Stewart as senior coach and the appointment of Alex Jesaulenko as captain-coach.[15][16][10][11]

Honours

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In 1989, Silvagni was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame, and his membership was elevated to Legend status in 2016.[12][17] Both he and son Stephen were named in Carlton's Team of the Century[5] as well as the Italian Team of the Century in 2007.[18][19]

Death and tribute

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Silvagni died on 15 July 2021 in Melbourne at the age of 83 after multiple health issues, including a broken leg.[17] He was survived by his wife Rita and four children.[17]

Upon news of his death, Carlton club president Mark LoGiudice released a statement in tribute:

Sergio was and always will be a legendary Carlton person. He was such an important figure to many Carlton supporters growing up during the 1960s, particularly those who had migrated to Australia and could instantly identify with one of their heroes. He would go on to become one of our greatest ever players and his impact on the club will forever hold a significant place in our history books. On and off the field he embodied what it means to be a Carlton person and we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e De Bolfo, Tony (15 July 2021). "Addio e grazie: A tribute to Sergio Silvagni". Carlton Football Club.
  2. ^ Group of men and women on an outing in the Carlton Gardens, Italian Historical Society.
  3. ^ De Bolfo, Tony (11 December 2014). "Latte's raised with Silvagni's return". carltonfc.com.au.
  4. ^ De Bolfo, Tony (31 October 2013). "Blues' atom bomb John Benetti dies". carltonfc.com.au. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b "AFL community mourn the loss of Carlton legend". wwos.nine.com.au. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Combined Brothers' Secondary Schools' Athletic Meeting: Clifton Hill Wins Aggregate". The Advocate. 28 October 1948. p. 22.
  7. ^ Special Sports Prizes, The Advocate, (Thursday, 29 December 1949), p.8.
  8. ^ Record 440 Run on Heavy Track, The Age, (Friday, 30 October 1953), p.15.
  9. ^ "Convincing Win to South". The Age. 26 May 1958. p. 18.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Serge Silvagni". Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "SERGE SILVAGNI". Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  12. ^ a b Reed, Ron (29 April 2016). "Sergio Silvagni follows son Stephen Silvagni as a Carlton legend". Herald Sun.
  13. ^ Atkinson & Atkinson (2009), p. 284
  14. ^ Atkinson & Atkinson (2009), p. 294
  15. ^ Carter, Ron (20 April 1978). "Silvagni to take over". The Age. p. 30.
  16. ^ Ron Carter (21 April 1978). "Pull up your socks Blues, says Serge". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 28.
  17. ^ a b c Niall, Jake; Ryan, Peter (15 July 2021). "'He's just Carlton': Tributes flow after Serge Silvagni's death". The Age.
  18. ^ Italian Team of the Century Archived 23 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "Italian Team of the Century named". AFL.com. BigPond. 1 June 2007. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011.
  20. ^ "Carlton mourns death of AFL club legend Sergio Silvagni, aged 83". ABC News. 15 July 2021.
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