IS THE mascot featured in this Carlton team photograph Bruce Bentley, son of the club’s dual Premiership coach Perc Bentley?

Former Carlton player Ron Robertson, one of the only team members still living, reckons it might be.

If it is in fact Bruce, he would have been a boy of seven when this photo was taken – and blown out the candles on his 75th birthday cake earlier this month. At 19, Bruce appeared in his one and only senior game for Carlton – against Richmond at Princes Park in the Round 9 game of 1964, but his whereabouts are unknown.

The Mascot. Is it Bruce Bentley?

The photo is thought to have been taken 67 years ago, just prior to the Blues’ 6th round match with St Kilda at Princes Park on Saturday, May 31, 1952.

Coached by Perc Bentley, the team comprised Carlton Premiership players Jack Conley, Fred ‘Mulga’ Davies, Richie Green, Ollie Grieve, Ken Hands and the captain Ern Henfry. Davies, Henfry, Green and Grieve would all be lost to the club by season’s end, while Bill Milroy and Ron Robertson were first-year Carlton footballers. Robertson, now 86 and one of the few members of this team still living, was 18 years 299 days when he completed his debut in the opening round of the ’52 season.

“1952 was my first year at the club,” Robertson recalled. “I played about half a dozen games in the ones, hen finished up playing in the twos premiership, on the MCG I think against Richmond.

For the record, Carlton knocked St Kilda over by 21 points in the Round 6 game – 14.10 (94) – 10.13 (73) – with Davies putting five over the goal umpire’s hat and Jack ‘Chooka’ Howell three.

Carlton players featured in the 1952 team photograph are as follows:

back row l to r: Doug Guy, John Brown, Harry Dern, Jack Howell, Fred Davies, Vin English, Bill Milroy and Harry Caspar;

middle row: Ollie Grieve, Richie Green, Arthur Hodgson, Ern Henfry, Ken Hands, Bruce Comben, and Jack Mills; and

front row: Doug Beasy, Keith Warburton, Jack Conley, Laurie Kerr, Ron Robertson and the mascot (unknown).

Robertson’s hunch regarding Bruce Bentley might just be right, as he bobbed up in  team photo for The Argus two years later.

The club would like to hear from the ’52 mascot (if in fact it is Bruce Bentley) or are a relative or friend of the man in question, via 9389 6241 or tony.debolfo@carltonfc.com.au