PROUD: Wangaratta's Pat Flynn (right) with Carlton Football Club board member Tim Lincoln and the Hall of Fame nomination Pat accepted on behalf of his grandfather, Jim Flynn. (PHOTO: Jazz Bennett)
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Jazz Bennett
A dual Carlton premiership captain and three-time premiership player who later became St James Hotel manager, Jim Flynn was recently posthumously inducted into the Carlton Football Club Hall of Fame.
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Jim’s grandsons, Pat and Eddie Flynn, and great-granddaughter, Mandy Allen, were among the descendants of nine of the club's 21 greats most recently inducted into the Hall of Fame who attended the presentation, with Pat accepting a certificate on behalf of the family.
Jim was chosen for Hall of Fame induction after the club identified a core group of former players who had contributed significantly to Carlton's fortunes through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as the club marked its 160th year.
Born in Benalla in 1871, Jim Flynn initially followed his football dream to the VFA, where he represented Collingwood in one senior game in 1896.
He then joined Geelong in the VFL's inaugural season in 1897, and played 72 games there to the end of 1902.
Flynn joined Carlton in 1903, and by 1904 had been elevated to the club’s captaincy. He played 77 matches for Carlton, was a part of premiership sides in 1906, '07 and '08, and was captain from 1905 to '07.
In the Blues' 1906 grand final victory over Fitzroy, Flynn led from the front as the team’s ruckman.
As his business interests - specifically the running of the St James Hotel - began to impact on his football commitments, Flynn was given time away on the proviso he could be recalled for finals.
The recalled captain Flynn at centre half-back and his ruck replacement, George Johnson, shared best on ground honours in Carlton’s back-to-back grand final triumph over South Melbourne in 1907.
In 1908, Flynn again expressed an intention to retire before season’s end, and was again convinced to remain on standby.
He returned on the eve of the September 1908 campaign, and was dominant off half-back in Carlton’s semi-final victory over St Kilda, and equally strong in defence when the team completed its hat-trick of premierships in its grand final meeting with Essendon.
Jim Flynn had business interests as well as footy, running the St James Hotel in between being captain of the Carlton Football Club and winning three premierships.
Two years later, Flynn was summoned out of retirement for the 1910 semi-final against South Melbourne, which the Blues lost by 14 points and which finally signalled the end of his league career at the age of 39 and 180 days.
Flynn's former Carlton coach, Jack Worrall, writing a column for 'The Australasian', said Flynn was "a natural centre half back, a splendid centreman with a 50-yard kick on either foot, was a good runner, a great follower and a dangerous forward, as he could both mark and kick. He was an inspiration to the men under him and had the knack of pulling the side together when required…"
Flynn passed away in Wangaratta in August, 1955.
Jim’s grandson Pat said while he had never had the chance to talk football with his grandfather, he had great memories of them going rabbiting together, and of heading into Wilby with Jim to collect mail and groceries while staying at his home as a youngster.
He said the Hall of Fame event was extremely enjoyable, and the memorabilia items - including Jim's 1906 and '07 premiership caps - which he took along on the day attracted plenty of interest.
"It was an honour for the family, to think that after all these years Carlton had recognised him and other players who were part of that golden era for the club," Pat said.
