Walter Henry "Wally" Naismith (31 May 1881 – 9 January 1954) 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 the Fitzroy Football Club and

Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. It is based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, ...

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). He was the twin brother of Fitzroy player

Charlie Naismith Charles Ernest Naismith OBE (31 May 1881 – 2 November 1964) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy. He was the twin brother of Wally Naismith Walter Henry "Wally" Naismith (31 May 1881 – 9 January 1954) was an Aust ...

. Playing mostly as a defender, Naismith was part of the strong Fitzroy side that won back to back premierships in 1904 and 1905. He left Fitzroy after the 1910 season and joined Melbourne, appearing 36 times for his new club over two seasons to bring his final VFL tally to 179 games. After retiring, Naismith was the field umpire for 11 VFL matches, from 1915 to 1919, but had more success as a boundary umpire, umpiring 207 matches from the boundary, from 1913 to 1927, including the

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

1925 Events January * January 1 ** The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini makes a pivotal speech in the Italia ...

1926 Events January * January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece. * January 8 **Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz. ** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of V ...

and

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General. * January 7 * ...

Grand Finals. In 1910, Naismith married Eva Emmeline Dummett (sister of Collingwood player Alf Dummett). Two of their sons, Herb Naismith and

Alby Naismith Albert Henry Naismith (13 November 1917 – 14 June 1981) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Naismith was a forward, used in the pockets and at centre half-forward. An Alphington ...

, also played VFL football.

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* * 1881 births Fitzroy Football Club players Fitzroy Football Club Premiership players Melbourne Football Club players Australian Football League umpires Australian rules footballers from Melbourne 1954 deaths Australian twins Twin sportspeople Two-time VFL/AFL Premiership players People from Prahran, Victoria {{AFL-bio-1881-stub