BIO

William "Billy" Hutton grew up in Thebarton where he impressed early as an all-round sportsman and a born leader. After captaining most of the junior teams he played for, Hutton joined West Torrens in 1903. He made his senior debut and showed he had the pace and skill to develop into a quality centreman.
 
After a couple of seasons with the club he travelled to Kalgoorlie and Boulder City in Western Australia in search of work. He joined the Mines Rovers football club, winning a premiership in his first season. The football in the goldfields was of a high standard, as many prominent players were recruited from the other States. Hutton also played senior cricket whilst in the west.
 
He returned to South Australia in 1907, and joined the Norwood Football Club the following season, playing predominantly in the pivot. Hutton played 13 games in his first year and was a member of the Norwood team that travelled to New South Wales to play three matches against a combined State team on the Sydney Cricket Ground. Norwood lost that year's Grand Final to West Adelaide by three points.
 
In 1909 he played eight league games. He appeared in another nine in 1910 and toured Tasmania with the Norwood squad that played matches against combined association teams in Hobart and Launceston. Hutton was practice captain in 1910, but unfortunately missed a large part of the season due to injury.
 
Hutton then played 37 league games for West Torrens from 1911 to 1914. He captained the side in 1913 and 1914, and was named best and fairest in 1913.
After World War 1 he went back to Norwood as their league coach. Ill health robbed him of the opportunity to lead the side on the field.

In his three years at the club, Hutton guided Norwood to seventh position in 1919, and runners-up in 1920 and 1921. In 1922 he was re-appointed as coach, but decided against going on due to work commitments and was replaced by Tom Leahy. Hutton continued to serve the club as a committeeman.  
 
He also found the time to coach St. Peter's College from 1919 to 1921, and Adelaide University to the 1921 and 1922 premierships.
 
Hutton was a fine cricketer for East Torrens over many seasons, as an all-rounder and an accomplished wicket-keeper

R Cialini June 2020