Denis “Dinny” McKay kicked the first Swans goal in VFL/AFL history.
It was Saturday, 8 May, 1897. South Melbourne played Melbourne in their first VFL match at Lake Oval, and late in the second quarter the 178cm forward wrote his name into the club record books.
According to the Record at the time, he snapped “smartly”, and the ball bounced through the goals.
But this significant historical occasion is only one half of a twin reason for which McKay is remembered.
He also holds a special, albeit sad, place in football history as the first person to die while still an active player.
It was 17 August 1897. McKay, aged 29, died in Melbourne Hospital after he had sought treatment for an internal complaint. He was married with two young children.
According to historical records, he had suffered a burst appendix and died from peritonise, a common cause of fatality at the time
His death was not a result of an on-field injury, as was believed for many years.
McKay died four days after the Swans’ last game in the first VFL season, in which they narrowly missed the finals despite a one-point win over Fitzroy in the last game.
He had played all 14 games, was the Swans' leading goal-kicker with 14, and was equal seventh in goals in the eight-team competition behind Geelong’s James Eddy (27).
In Round 7 against Fitzroy at Brunswick Street McKay kicked two goals in the first VFL draw. Both sides kicked 5.13 (43).
Born in 1867, McKay played originally with South Ballarat and in 1886 joined South Melbourne to play in the VFA, which had been formed in 1877.
He stayed at South until his death except for a brief stint at Richmond in 1892-93.
A regular Victorian representative in intercolonial matches and widely considered “one of the best all-round players in the colony”, McKay was also the leading goal-kicker in the VFA in 1888, when a premiership was formally awarded for the first time.
Records are unclear whether he kicked 49 or 50 goals.
McKay was a key member of the 1888 South Melbourne side which beat Geelong to win the first official VFL flag, and the 1889-90 South teams that beat Carlton in the grand final to complete an historic premiership hat-trick.
In 1896, the final year before the formation of the VFL, McKay also played in the premiership play-off against Collingwood, which is retrospectively considered Victoria’s first grand final.
Collingwood won by a goal but McKay, with two goals, was the only multiple goal-kicker.
In total he is officially credited with 157 VFA games and 125 VFA goals for South Melbourne from 1886-91 and 1894-98, 31 VFA games and 20 VFA goals for Richmond from 1892-93, and 14 VFL games for 14 VFL goals for South in 1897.
