Herb Howson
Herbert Howson was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in both the Victorian [Football League#VFA formative years (1877–1896)|Victorian Football Association (VFA)] and the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family
The son of Harry Josiah Howson, and Margaritta Armstrong Howson, née Firman, Herbert Howson, widely known as "Bert", was born at Newstead, Victoria on 11 August 1872.His brother, Henry Josiah Howson (1872-1948), also played for South Melbourne in the VFL.
He was the cousin of the world-famous soprano, Emma Howson 1844-1928).
Football
A wingman, Howson played with South Melbourne for four seasons in the Victorian Football Association including the 1896 premiership match loss to Collingwood, in which he played on the wing before he joined their inaugural VFL side in 1897. He was part of the team's 1899 Grand Final one-point loss to Fitzroy.1899 team of "champions"
At the end of the 1899 season, in the process of naming his own "champion player", the football correspondent for The Argus, Reginald Wilmot ("Old Boy"), selected a team of the best players of the 1899 VFL competition:- Backs: Maurie Collins, Bill Proudfoot, Peter Burns.
- Halfbacks: Pat Hickey, George Davidson, Alf Wood.
- Centres: Fred Leach, Firth McCallum, Harry Wright.
- Wings: Charlie Pannam, Eddie Drohan, Herb Howson.
- Forwards: Bill Jackson, Eddy James, Charlie Colgan.
- Ruck: Mick Pleass, Frank Hailwood, Joe McShane.
- Rovers: Dick Condon, Bill McSpeerin, Teddy Rankin.