Jim Taylor (Australian footballer)

James "Jim" Taylor (6 January 1932 – 18 April 2000) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1950s.

He was an outstanding schoolboy athlete, and displayed great talent both a sprinter and as a high-jumper whilst at Caulfield Grammar School.

At the 1947 Associated Grammar Schools Combined Athletics Meeting, Taylor won both the under-16 high-jump and the open high-jump — his winning jump in each event was 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) — and, according to Wilkinson (1997, p. 151), he was part of the winning team in the under-16 4x220 yard relay.

At the 1948 A.G.S. Combined Sports he won the open high-jump, setting a new record of 5 ft 11 ⁵⁄₈ in (1.82 m), and won the open 100 yards (in 10.7 secs), which was an extraordinary feat, given that he had badly strained his ankle a week earlier, and had been unable to train at all for the five days prior to the competition. He also competed in the long-jump.

At 15 he had already cleared 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) using a "scissors jump" technique. His best-ever jump was 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m). He eventually gave up high jumping because he became too heavy; and, in particular, because no up-to-date high jump coaching was available to him.

He played in Caulfield Grammar's First XVIII; and, in 1949, he was recruited from the V.A.F.A. team Caulfield Grammarians.

Promoted from the Third XVIII, and then the Second XVIII, Taylor played his first senior match for South Melbourne, at 17, on 16 July 1949 (round 13) against St Kilda at the St Junction Oval. Playing as a forward pocket and in the second ruck, he kicked one goal and was one of South Melbourne's best players.