Dolph Heinrichs

Who was Dolph Heinrichs?

Adolphos Heinrich Julius Carl "Dolph" Heinrichs was an Australian rules footballer who played with East Fremantle and North Fremantle in the West Australian Football Association. He also represented the Western Australian cricket team in two first-class cricket matches.

Heinrichs was born in Germany and immigrated with his family to Australia shortly after his birth. He spent some of his childhood in Victoria but played his junior football in Western Australia, prior to joining East Fremantle in 1899.

He played with East Fremantle for two years and then went to the Western Australian goldfields where he played with Kalgoorlie in the 1901 Goldfields Football Association season. The following year he was back in the WAFA, but this time at North Fremantle, who were playing their inaugural season.

In 1904, while still with North Fremantle, Heinrich was called up to the state team, for a tour of Victoria and South Australia. He made his interstate debut on 8 August, against Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, playing from the back pocket. Although a defender, he was tried at full-forward for the match two weeks later against South Australia at Jubilee Oval. He performed well, kicking five of his team's 10 goals in a nine point win.