Former Claremont league captain John Munro, a stalwart of the club in the 1950s, has died at the age of 84.

Tall and agile, he was an outstanding centre-half-forward who made his senior debut in 1948 and played 118 league matches for the Tigers. He kicked exactly 100 goals, was the club’s fairest-and-best player in 1953 and was captain in 1954. He received life membership of the club in 1954.

Munro represented Western Australia in eight interstate matches, including the 1953 national championship carnival in Adelaide.

He was a talented all-round sportsman, who played first-grade cricket for Nedlands as a wicketkeeper-batsman and was WA’s regular wicketkeeper in Sheffield Shield matches from 1948 to 1954.

He appeared in 28 first-class matches, scoring 497 runs, taking 56 catches and making four stumpings. His highest score was an unbeaten 53 against New Zealand at the WACA Ground in March 1954.

Munro was one of only seven men to have played league football for Claremont as well as playing first-class cricket for the State, the others being Wally Langdon, Harry Price, Arnold (Bud) Byfield, Ian Brayshaw, Bruce Duperouzel and Denis Baker.

By Ken Casellas