Chas Brownlow

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For the television character from The Bill, see Charles Brownlow.

Charles "Chas" Brownlow, (25 July 1861—January 23, 1924) was a legendary Australian rules football administrator in the Victorian Football League.

He went to the Geelong College for his schooling.

Also a player, from 1880 to 1891 Brownlow played with the Geelong Football Club in the VFA (before the formation of the VFL). During his career he was also the club secretary, beginning from 1885 and ending in 1923, a year before his death.

In addition to this he was caretaker president of the VFL in 1918 and 1919.

He is most famous for having the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football, the Brownlow Medal, named in his honour. It was first awarded in 1924, the season immediately following his death and is still awarded in today's Australian Football League to the player adjudged by umpires to be the best and fairest player throughout the year. The Medal is engraved the "Chas Brownlow Trophy".

In 1997, Brownlow was inducted as an administrator into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.