Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Gary Dempsey (born 22 November 1948) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Footscray and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League. Dempsey made his debut for Footscray in 1967. In 1969, he spent six weeks in hospital after being burnt by a bushfire near his home in Truganina and was told he would never play football again. Despite this, he defied the odds to return to the playing field and then win his first club best-and-fairest award in 1970. Dempsey would win the club best-and-fairest award five more times, underlining his importance to the underachieving Bulldogs.