| Frank Crapper | |
| Fullname: | Francis Gerald Crapper |
| Birth Date: | 22 May 1911 |
| Birth Place: | Raywood, Victoria |
| Originalteam: | Eaglehawk |
| Height: | 183 cm |
| Weight: | 80 kg |
| Statsend: | 1939 |
| Years1: | 1931, 1935–1939 |
| Club1: | North Melbourne |
| Games Goals1: | 27 (56) |
Francis Gerald Crapper (22 May 1911 – 8 February 1991)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Crapper was a prolific full-forward for Eaglehawk in the Bendigo Football League (BFL), who had two stints at North Melbourne. Two brothers, Fred and Harry, played briefly at Richmond and Melbourne respectively.[2]
He had come to the attention of North Melbourne scouts in 1930 when he became the first player in history to kick over 100 goals in a BFL season. Crapper was then signed by North Melbourne but would only play three games for them in 1931 before returning to Eaglehawk.[3]
Crapper beat his own BFL record in 1932 when he kicked 129 goals.[4] He bettered that effort in 1933 with 154 goals in the home and away season and 165 after finals.[5] Both those tallies remain a league record.
The forward made a return to North Melbourne in 1935 and kicked 10 goals from his six appearances.[3] He finally kicked a big haul for his VFL club in the sixth round of the 1936 season, with nine goals against St Kilda.[3] His eventual season tall of 29 goals was second only to Dudley Cassidy at North Melbourne.[3] Over the next three years he managed only five more games but did put in another memorable performance, kicking eight goals against Footscray on his 26th birthday.[3] Despite his efforts he still finished on the losing team, as he had after his nine-goal haul from the previous season.[3]
Crapper served in the second World War.[6]