John Hogan 'Jack' Gervasoni (29 September 1929 – 9 February 1992) was an

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er who played for

Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name: **FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) ** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...

in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

(VFL) and captain-coached Northcote in the

Victorian Football Association The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

(VFA). He was educated at St Michael's Primary School and Presentation Convent Daylesford (now

Convent Gallery The Convent Gallery is located in the Spa region of Daylesford, in Central Victoria, Australia. The Convent Gallery's origins date back to the 1860s gold rush, home to the Gold Commissioner, and then known as 'Blarney Castle'. The Catholic Ch ...

) before attending Ballarat Teachers' College (now the

Federation University Federation University Australia (Fed Uni) is a public, multi-sector university based in Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. The university also has campuses in Ararat, Horsham, Stawell, Churchill, Berwick, and Brisbane, as well as online techni ...

). Originally playing for

Daylesford Football Club Daylesford Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football and netball club based in the Victorian town of Daylesford. The club plays in the Central Highlands Football League. The team was formerly known as the Da ...

, Gervasoni was recruited from Ballarat and played as a rover for Fitzroy in the VFL from 1951 to 1956. He was then captain-coach of Northcote in the VFA for two years. Gervasoni was also known for his community work. He was elected to the Kew City Council in 1971 and served as mayor in 1978. He was a trustee of the

Yarra Bend Park Yarra Bend Park park in the Melbourne suburb of Kew. Located 4 km northeast of Melbourne's CBD, it is the largest area of natural bushland left in inner Melbourne. The most notable feature of the park is the Yarra River which flows for ...

and president of many local organisations. The changerooms at Kew's Willsmere Park were named after him.University of Ballarat Honour Roll
/ref> Gervasoni taught and coached sports at Burke Hall ( Xavier College Preparatory School) where an oval was named in his honour following his death in 1992. Two of Gervasoni's children followed him into education, Ann Gervasoni and Clare Gervasoni.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gervasoni, John 1929 births 1992 deaths Mayors of places in Victoria (Australia) Fitzroy Football Club players Northcote Football Club players Australian people of Italian descent Northcote Football Club coaches Ballarat Football Club players Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia) Federation University Australia alumni 20th-century Australian politicians People from Daylesford, Victoria People from Kew, Victoria Australian sportsperson-politicians