Ern Cowley

Ern Cowley
Personal information
Date of birth	17 August 1892
Date of death
Original team(s)	Brunswick
Height/Weight	178 cm / 72 kg
Position(s)	Forward
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1918–1919	Carlton	24 (51)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1919 season.

Ern Cowley (17 August 1892 – 20 October 1975) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Cowley came to Carlton from Brunswick and had a strong debut season, kicking 35 goals to top the VFL's goalkicking. He played just one more year with Carlton before returning to the VFA where he joined Prahran. Cowley was also a proficient baseball pitcher who represented Victoria in interstate competition.

Cowley invented the football game called "Austus", a combination of Australian and American football which was played between Australians and visiting American servicemen during World War II. He was a journalist with the Sporting Globe and wrote on American sports, particularly baseball.

References

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