“Bert” Avery Finished

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 129, 22 August 1927, Page 7

“Bert” Avery Finished

GREAT FOOTBALL CAREER

From Fourth Grade to N.Z. Captain

AS a result of a serious injury sustained in a club match last Saturday week, H. (“Bert”) Avery, the Athletic Club, Auckland rep. and All Black League captain, has decided to retire from the game. Avery was able to leave the Auckland Hospital on Friday, but the doctor’s certificate was to the effect that it would be impossible for him to play again this season at any rate, and in the circumstances Avery has decided to give the game best.

V TRAGIC feature of the injury that resulted in Avery’s retirement is the fact that the fatal illness of his brother, Henry, arose indirectly from t he same source. In the anxiety of ascertaining the extent of his brother's injury, Who was unconscious for six hours after the match, Henry Avery contracted a chill, which developed into pneumonia, and brought about his news of the retirement of Bert Avery will be received with genuine

regret wherever the game is played. During his career, he has established a great reputation both on and off the field, and his leadership, under most trying circumstances. of the fc New Zealand team which toured England last year, earned him the highest praise from English critics.

A WAR FOOTBALLER Bert commenced his football career in 1915 when he took the field for the Ponsonby fourth grade Rugby team which that year won the championship

In 1916, at the age of 20, he left for the wax*, and while on the other side, represented the army teams in France. On arriving back in Auckland three years later he turned out for Maritime, which to-day is called Grafton Athletic, and has thus stuck to the one club throughout his career at League Rugby. He was a member of the All Black League team which toured Australia in 1921, and from that event on he has been selected to play in evei*y Auckland and New Zealand representative team chosen. In the 1925 Australian tour, he was vice-captain for the flx*st two games, but later took over* as captain. He was again elected captain of the All Black team which toured England last year, and after a strenuous tour Ire returned to play for his old club, Gi'afton Athletic, where he proved himself a shining light until his recent accident. During the English tom* he played 29 games and scored 23 tides. Berk who was 31 years of age last June, xs the youngest of a family of great footballers. Although termed a v etei-an by reason of his many achievements in the code and his long experience, he leaves the 13-a-side game at the height of his career, with an enviable record as a player and a sportsman.