Simon Fraser

Simon Fraser Jr. was the son of Sir Simon Fraser, an Australian businessman and politician. Of the many sports that he practiced in his youth, it was rowing in which the younger Fraser was most prominent, and he competed in the sport while attending the University of Melbourne from 1906 through 1911. After graduating with a degree in mining engineering, he rowed with the Sydney Rowing Club at the Henley Royal Regatta in 1912 and won the Grand Challenge Cup with the eight. The crew went on to compete at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, representing the union of Australia and New Zealand known as Australasia, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Fraser also played three seasons of Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League, from 1905-1906 with Essendon and in 1909 with the University of Melbourne. He also played ice hockey, where he met his wife, Phyllis, who was a figure skater. By career, he worked in his father’s business, but he died after contracting the Spanish Flu, at the age of only 32.