Leo O'Brien

Who was Leo O'Brien?

Leo Patrick Joseph O'Brien was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1932 to 1936. His parents were Luke Joseph O'Brien, a Victorian Police Inspector, and Katherine Josephine Ryan. He was the eldest of 4 children and had 2 brothers and 1 sister. He was a 2nd generation Victorian on his father's side. His grandfather had come out from Ireland during the 1850s Victorian Gold Rush.

He attended both Xavier College 1914-1919 and St Patrick's College, Ballarat 1918-1921. Confirmation needed for dates. He married Dorothy Gwendoline in around 1938 and settled in Hampton. He was a left-handed bat of the most determined sort, who played for the Melbourne club Richmond before making his debut for Victoria in 1929-30. O'Brien was also a first-rate baseball player, and an amateur boxer who won every fight except his last. Later, he worked for the tax department, coached in Asia and bred racehorses as a hobby. He was a friendly man and sociable cricketer, who kept playing into his seventies, and for more than fifty years of his life played at least one match a year on the MCG.