DOB: 4 July 1877
Died: 15 July 1927
Debut: Round 15, 1898 against Geelong at Corio Oval
Last MFC Game: Round 17, 1901 against Fitzroy at Brunswick Street
From: Brighton (Tasmania)/St Kilda
Honours
Premiership Player - 1900
Australian Football Hall of Fame member
150 Heroes selection
Games: 50 (176 total)
Goals: 15 (87 total)
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 25 | 1 | 24 | 50.00 |
Melbourne-born, Harold Vivian "Vic" Cumberland moved to Tasmania as a youngster, and started his senior football career at 15-years-old. He returned to Victoria in 1898, and went to the Junction Oval for a St KIlda practice match. He got his chance in a junior side that was short of players, and after starring Cumberland was convinced by a Melbourne official to sign for them instead.
The 6'2" ruckman formed one of the best ruck combinations in the early days of the league alongside Fred McGinis and George Moodie and played in the 1900 premiership. After being linked with a move to Western Australia before the 1902 season, Cumberland instead asked for a clearance to St Kilda. He was denied, and instead spent the season with amateur side Collegians. Cumberland finally landed at the Junction Oval in 1903 and immediately helped lift a previously disappointing side up the ladder.
In mid-1904, Cumberland moved to New Zealand in an attempt to establish Australian Rules Football, playing for the Auckland Imperial club. On returning to Australia he captain-coached Broken Hill. In 1907 he went back to St Kilda, playing two years and helping the club to its first finals appearance before crossing to Adelaide to win a Magarey Medal with Sturt. In 1912 he returned to the VFL again, playing in St Kilda's losing 1913 Grand Final side.
Cumberland joined the army in 1915 and was posted to Europe where he was wounded three times, but managed to return in 1920 to play nine games. Cumberland debuted before the turn of the century and ended his career - ironically against Melbourne - a month after his 43rd birthday, setting a record for the oldest player in VFL/AFL history that lasted for over 100 years.
Cumberland died after a long illness in July 1927. He was later named to the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame.
His brother Cecil also played five games in 1899.
| Year | Games | Goals | |
| 1898 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1899 | 14 | 2 | |
| 1900 | 18 | 7 | |
| 1901 | 15 | 6 | |
Notes
ECH Taylor's history of the club says he spent 1902 in Western Australia. While some sources claim he died in a motorbike accident and The Australasian and the Referee both suggest natural causes, but a 2015 article suggests his death was of natural causes probably influenced by the motorbike accident several months earlier.
Media
Herald - 18/04/1902, 30/05/1902
Argus - 16/07/1927
Australasian - 23/07/1927
Referee - 27/07/1927
Age - 06/05/2015
Links
Australian Football profile
Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
War record
Wikipedia profile