| Arthur Pearce | |
| Fullname: | Arthur John Pearce |
| Birth Date: | 1881 1, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Bacchus Marsh, Victoria |
| Death Place: | St Kilda East, Victoria |
| Originalteam: | Wesley College |
| Height: | 179 cm |
| Weight: | 66 kg |
| Statsend: | 1901 |
| Years1: | 1900–1901 |
| Club1: | St Kilda |
| Games Goals1: | 27 (6) |
Arthur John "Doc" Pearce (1 January 1881 – 8 March 1902) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]
Born on 1 January 1881, Pearce was the youngest son of Mr Thos G. Pearce and Mrs M. J. Pearce, from Bacchus Marsh.[2]
Pearce, known to everyone as "Doc", was educated at Wesley College where he was a leading schoolboy athlete.[3] [4] He was captain of the school's boats, cricket and football teams in the period from 1898 to 1900.[5]
Pearce won the Victorian Public Schools Mile Championship in 1900. His time remained Wesley College's one mile record for many years.[6]
In January 1901 he won the one mile cross country race at a "Commonwealth Celebration" championship competition on the Sydney Cricket Ground, held to mark the proclamation of the Federation of Australia.[7] [8]
Pearce was one of five new players introduced by St Kilda in the opening round of the 1901 VFL season, a historic and controversial win over Melbourne at Junction Oval. Initially finishing as a draw, St Kilda lodged a protest as a behind scored by Melbourne's Dick Wardill had come after the three quarter time bell had sounded, which was not heard by the umpire.[9] The protest was successful and St Kilda, after 48 losses, won for the first time in the VFL.[9] Pearce was noted by The Argus as having played the best of all St Kilda players.[10]
For the remainder of the season he was a regular fixture in the team and ended the year with a total of 15 appearances.[11]
He played a further 12 games for St Kilda in the 1901 VFL season.[11]
In August 1901 he was an emergency in the Victorian side which played an interstate match against South Australia in Adelaide.[12]
Pearce died at his home in East St Kilda of typhoid fever on 8 March 1902, aged 21.[13]