Ahern

Although he played just one game of VFL football, William Joseph Ahern has earned a permanent place in Carlton Football Club history. On Saturday, May 8, 1897, he ran out onto Brunswick Street Oval to do battle against Fitzroy, as a member of the first team to represent the Blues in the new competition.

Ahern had been recruited from Preston, and on that auspicious day he roved to a ruck division that was brave, but eventually out-gunned by the Maroon’s big men. Fitzroy comfortably accounted for Carlton by 33 points, showing the Blueboys that the road ahead would be a tough one.

Ahern was joined by three other 'Inception Blues' in Billy Arnott, Harry Gyles, and Herbie Lowenthal in making their only appearance for Carlton, as the harsh but necessary cycle of trying and discarding players began from day one.

He was born on March 2, 1865 at Cork, Ireland and died at Prahran on May 26, 1938 aged 73.

The same Billy Ahern?

"The Carlton Cricket Club revived baseball at Princes Park, when Billy Ahern (secretary), and Charlie Kemp (assistant secretary), got the idea of approaching the leading team of the day (1904), East Melbourne for one of its players to coach the Carlton cricketers at baseball." (Sporting Globe 12 August 1933 p6)

W. T. Ahern was the Carlton delegate to the Victorian Cricket Association (Argus 02 July 1906 p7)

Ahern captain of Carlton Second Eleven in finals match v North Melb. At Arden Street. (Argus 21 March 1910 p5)

Author, L.B.W. Round the Wicket. Victoria. W. T. Ahern. (Davis Sporting Collection No.2 NSW Govt)

On this death, an obituary in the Australasian 31 January 1920 by J.W. (Jack Worrall) mentions William Thomas Ahern's football connections with Fitzroy and St.Kilda. Cricket with Fitzroy, Carlton and Northcote.

The Carlton Football Club's Bill Ahern is not the same person.