Bob Spargo

Bob Spargo (born 15 October 1939) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

A Braybrook recruit, who was a Stawell Gift finalist in 1974, Spargo started as a half forward but soon established himself in the side as a centreman and it was in that position that he appeared in the 1961 VFL Grand Final loss to Hawthorn. He had his best VFL season in 1962 when he polled nine Brownlow Medal votes, placing him second behind John Schultz amongst Footscray players that year.

Spargo was lured over to West Perth in 1965, as captain-coach and he won a Simpson Medal the same year for his performance against the Victorians in an interstate match.

He came from an Australian rules football playing family, his brother Ricky was a Footscray player as was their father, Bob senior. A son, Paul Spargo, was an AFL footballer at both North Melbourne and the Brisbane Bears.

After football, Spargo continued running on the professional athletic circuit and at the age of 34, he ran 5th in the 1974 Stawell Gift final off 9.75 m behind Peter Durham and later (at the same carnival) won the 200 m Jack Donaldson Handicap.

References

• Bob Spargo's statistics from AFL Tables
• Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.