By Goya Dmytryshchak
The Western Bulldogs’ oldest past player, a former club president, last Thursday celebrated his 100th birthday.
Jim Miller, who was born in West Footscray and now lives in Altona North, celebrated with his family, which indulged him with a cake decorated in the colours of his beloved team.
By age seven, Mr Miller was often at football grounds of a weekend, selling Football Records and watching games.
After leaving school, he moved to First Street in West Footscray, where he met his future wife, Jean, who lived across the road.
They were married just before Christmas in 1940 and moved to Suffolk Street, West Footscray, where they lived for the next 77 years.
Mr Miller enlisted in the army and the RAAF and was stationed at Perth before returning to Benalla in country Victoria, becoming a flying instructor. He later became self-employed as a transport operator of chemicals, bullets and dynamite around Australia.
Mr Miller was part of the first Footscray team to play in a VFL final – in 1938, his first season at the highest level.
The Western Bulldogs say Mr Miller gave the Dogs fine service over 131 games in 11 years.
After retiring from active sport, he became vice-president of the Footscray Football Club from 1957-63 and president from 1963-66.
Mr Miller’s other passions included golf and racing.
He also liked holidaying at Deniliquin and every winter for 30 years, he and his wife would travel with their caravan to sunny Queensland and other places around Australia.
Mr Miller has one daughter, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
