1960's SANFL

[Adelaide Hawk]

Neil Hawke and Eric Freeman were part of Port Adelaide's 1967-68 District Cricket premiership team. It was their first since 1929-30, and they haven't won one since. Port Adelaide were dismissed for a paltry 96 by a strong Prospect team which included Mallett, Jenner, Clarke, Hsammond, Farrell, Gilbourne and Blewett, but then Hawke & Freeman took 5 wickets each to skittle them for only 53!!

One thing I really loved about football in the 60s were the number of league footballers who also played state cricket for SA. To name a few, there were John Lill, John Halbert, Lindsay Head, Neil Hawke, David Sincock, Graeme Farrell, Bob Gilbourne, Eric Freeman, Kevin McCarthy, Donn Robins, Barrie Robran, John Nash & Bob Simunsen.

There were probably others, but you get the picture.

[Adelaide Hawk]

North's Dasher Hewitt was a state wingman and vice captain of North's 1960 premiership side. He originally came from Crystal Brook and won North's best and fairest in 1961. Like a long line of top North footballers he wore number 6.

I had a fair bit to do with Dasher in the early 80s as a member of the Lockleys Hotel Social Club. Peter Aish and Johnny Stocker were also members. Dasher was a great bloke, with his cheeky grin and wicked sense of humour. I believe he derived the sobriquet 'Dasher' from a famous bookie of the time, also named Hewitt? Not sure about that one, you never knew if Dasher was having you on or not

[mal]

Hewitts everywhere !
WA players Max Hewitt, Peter Phipps, Ken Eustice and Neil Kerley all worked at the same place in the late 1950s
One of their favorite pastimes was playing table tennis
I wonder how good Max was at table tennis...

[robranisgod]

North's Dasher Hewitt was a state wingman and vice captain of North's 1960 premiership side. He originally came from Crystal Brook and won North's best and fairest in 1961. Like a long line of top North footballers he wore number 6.

I believe he derived the sobriquet 'Dasher' from a famous bookie of the time, also named Hewitt? Not sure about that one, you never knew if Dasher was having you on or not

The original Dasher Hewit wasn't a bookie as far as I know, but he certainly was known as frequenter of race courses and tipster. He was a legendary figure in Adelaide up until the 1980s and was usually referred to as a colourful racing identity. Every Hewitt it seemed in Adelaide was then known as Dasher at least until the 1980s.

I know that I am getting off track a bit, but I think all of this is part of the rich tapestry of SA sport and life in general as well as being related to footy.

[mal]

Dasher Hewitt was a race track identity
He was a coat puller, giving tips to racegoers
I used to see him regularly at the tracks
To my knowledge he is not related to the Max Hewitt clan

[mal]

Shearman moved into a pub in the Sturt area and applied for a clearance from West Torrens to Sturt, but West Torrens didn't clear him to play.

Shearman became the licensee of the Waverley Hotel on Unley Rd (roughly where Boho is now) while in his prime at Torrens and rather provocatively (and I imagine good-humouredly) had the exterior neon signage done in blue and yellow.

The Waverley Hotel is exactly the same pub as Boho is now.

Shearman was licensee for some time before he tried to go to Sturt. In fact I beiieve that West Torrens put him into the hotel and as correctly stated he had the West Torrens Eagle emblem on a neon sign on the pub. West Torrens in the very early 60s were considered the wealthiest club in the league but a financial disaster in 1963 caused huge damage. It never really recovered from this financial disaster and though it survived a further 27 years I believe that it was this, rather than Woodville's introduction was the main cause of Torrens demise.

Incidentally Lindsay Head at the same time was the licensee of the Cross Keys Hotel at Cavan.

Was it the Reid Murray collapse in the early 1960's ?

[robranisgod]

Absolutely. Reid Murray was Australia's 4th biggest company and its demise coincided with West Torrens demise. There were a number of books written about it at the time and quite a deal of information can be found by googling Reid Murray and West Torrens

[robranisgod]

Hewitts everywhere !

And then there was Glenelg's Don Hewett who played at the same time. He was a top player who played 4 state games and won the Bays best and fairest. He was from Whyalla and was the father of Torrens and Glenelg player of the 1980s, Mark Hewett.

[mal]

Neil Hawke and Eric Freeman were part of Port Adelaide's 1967-68 District Cricket premiership team. It was their first since 1929-30, and they haven't won one since. Port Adelaide were dismissed for a paltry 96 by a strong Prospect team which included Mallett, Jenner, Clarke, Hsammond, Farrell, Gilbourne and Blewett, but then Hawke & Freeman took 5 wickets each to skittle them for only 53!!

One thing I really loved about football in the 60s were the number of league footballers who also played state cricket for SA. To name a few, there were John Lill, John Halbert, Lindsay Head, Neil Hawke, David Sincock, Graeme Farrell, Bob Gilbourne, Eric Freeman, Kevin McCarthy, Donn Robins, Barrie Robran, John Nash & Bob Simunsen.

There were probably others, but you get the picture.

I can remember Kevin McCarthy the fast bowler
I would often see this ,
Kev walking back to his bowling mark, and running his fingers thru his hair pushing it over and forward to cover a bald patch !
Kevin was an under-rated bowler, we used to applaud his efforts, he was a favorite of mine

I had not known he played League Football
Has anyone any details of Kevins SANFL career ?

[robranisgod]

Neil Hawke and Eric Freeman were part of Port Adelaide's 1967-68 District Cricket premiership team. It was their first since 1929-30, and they haven't won one since. Port Adelaide were dismissed for a paltry 96 by a strong Prospect team which included Mallett, Jenner, Clarke, Hsammond, Farrell, Gilbourne and Blewett, but then Hawke & Freeman took 5 wickets each to skittle them for only 53!!

One thing I really loved about football in the 60s were the number of league footballers who also played state cricket for SA. To name a few, there were John Lill, John Halbert, Lindsay Head, Neil Hawke, David Sincock, Graeme Farrell, Bob Gilbourne, Eric Freeman, Kevin McCarthy, Donn Robins, Barrie Robran, John Nash & Bob Simunsen.

There were probably others, but you get the picture.

And they played against Allan Aylett, Ian Law and Peter Bedford who represented Victoria in both sports at that time as well as Ken McAulley, Derek Chadwick, Keith Slater, Bruce Duperouzel and George Young who represented Western Australia in both sports. Like Adelaide Hawk there were probably others as well.

I know that it is an SANFL thread and I am slightly off topic but interstate footy was such an important part of the footballing landscape at the time. e.g. it seemed as though we would see Derek Chadwick twice a year for about a decade at the Adelaide Oval, once as a cricketer and once as a footballer.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I can remember Kevin McCarthy the fast bowler
I had not known he played League Football
Has anyone any details of Kevins SANFL career ?

He played 10 games in 1965 and kicked 22 goals. Best efforts were 6 against West Adelaide at Richmond, and 5 also against West at the Bay. I believe he kicked 100+ goals in the Under 19s the year before. Perhaps someone could tell us why his league career was a brief one.

[Adelaide Hawk]

And they played against Allan Aylett, Ian Law and Peter Bedford

A funny story involving Neil Hawke and Ian Law. Law was 12th man for Victoria when they played SA at the MCG in 1963-64. SA's 1st innings began with Les Favell & John Lill opening. A Vic fielder was injured early and they sent for Law to substitute. He couldn't be found at first, and then found he was in the toilet.

Neil Hawke volunteered to act as sub fielder while Law was indisposed. In that short time, Favell decided to hole out .. hitting a catch to none other than Hawke.

[mal]

1960s participants Ive met at the racecourses 3

MAX HEWITT
The Hewitt name is well know in South Australia
Max Hewitt played for WA from 1949-1960
It appears he played about 129 games
In his last season it is listed that Max played 5 games in 1960
Max has been described as a good half back flanker
Cant find any records , but I reckon he played state footy

BREEDING
He has bred exceedingly well
Daryl and Glynn Hewitt are his footballing sons, who have played in the SANFL + VFL
Both different sorts of players , both very good footballers
Glynn bred Lleyton Hewitt the youngest ever ranked number 1 tennis player when Llyeton was 20 years old
Max had a much younger brother Peter Hewitt who played mainly as a defender in the late 60s for WA

RACECOURSE
Max is a punter
Ive caught up with him on numerous occasions over the years
One of our favorite haunts was the Morphetville auditoruim in the 1990s
Son Daryl , is involved in the racing industry
As for Max, he is one of the most pleasant racecourse personalities you could meet


QUESTIONS
I noticed he played as a regular 1950-52 and as a regular in 1956-58
In 1953 -1955 he only played 6 games, and listed as playing no games in 1955
I have heard he played state footy, so why would Max have had 6 games in 3 years , was he injured, was WA a strong club ?[surely a state player would have been more of a regular]
MORE HEWITTS
There was a J Hewitt who played at WA in 1963, any relation ?
Also a G Hewitt who played 18 games in 1953-1954, any relation ?

2008
WA 50 years at Richmond
Played against WWT
Max Hewitt tossed the coin for that match

Some of the past players from 1958 who were listed as being at the game were :

WA
Benton
Debroughe
Eglinton
Max
Lovegrove
Lynch
Phipps
Rossetto
Ryan
Tregenza
Williams
Wright

WT
Caire
Edwards
Graham
Hank . B
Head
Hine
Jarman
Klaffer
Livesey
Morrell
Rawson
Roberts
Taylor

[robranisgod]

WT
Caire
Edwards
Graham
Hank . B
Head
Hine
Jarman
Klaffer
Livesey
Morrell
Rawson
Roberts
Taylor

Many posters here might be surprised to realise that former Australian test wicket keeper and one time Australian test captain, Barry Jarman, played league football for West Torrens although I have been reliably informed that this Jarman is in fact his cousin Trevor who opened the bowling for Salisbury for many years in the 1960s. I think Trevor is a closer relation to Darren and Andrew than Barry is.

[GWW]

And they played against Allan Aylett, Ian Law and Peter Bedford

A funny story involving Neil Hawke and Ian Law. Law was 12th man for Victoria when they played SA at the MCG in 1963-64. SA's 1st innings began with Les Favell & John Lill opening. A Vic fielder was injured early and they sent for Law to substitute. He couldn't be found at first, and then found he was in the toilet.

Neil Hawke volunteered to act as sub fielder while Law was indisposed. In that short time, Favell decided to hole out .. hitting a catch to none other than Hawke.

Did Neil Hawke ever have a season where he played footy for Port with Eric Freeman, and then the following season cricket together with SA (or vice versa, taking into account it may have only possibly happened in one or maybe 2 years given that Neil Hawke moved to Western Australia)..

[robranisgod]

And they played against Allan Aylett, Ian Law and Peter Bedford

A funny story involving Neil Hawke and Ian Law. Law was 12th man for Victoria when they played SA at the MCG in 1963-64. SA's 1st innings began with Les Favell & John Lill opening. A Vic fielder was injured early and they sent for Law to substitute. He couldn't be found at first, and then found he was in the toilet.

Neil Hawke volunteered to act as sub fielder while Law was indisposed. In that short time, Favell decided to hole out .. hitting a catch to none other than Hawke.

Did Neil Hawke ever have a season where he played footy for Port with Eric Freeman, and then the following season cricket together with SA (or vice versa, taking into account it may have only possibly happened in one or maybe 2 years given that Neil Hawke moved to Western Australia)..

Not possible. Eric Freeman was only 13 when Neil Hawke left Port. They did share the new ball in a test against India in early 1968. They were both ex-students of Woodville High a school that has produced many sporting stars and one or two MAL-adjusted posters.

[GWW]

Fair enough, thanks for the answer RIG.

[Brendan M]

Just back to Neil Hawke - fabulous bloke. He knew my father and just after he toured the West Indies in 1965 he came around to our house at Woodville and put on a slide show in our lounge room of his Carribean tour - lots of palm trees, beaches and Wes Hall. This was serious entertainment in the 1960s.

[redandblack]

He was lucky to survive Hall and Griffiths on that tour, I think

[McAlmanac]

One thing I really loved about football in the 60s were the number of league footballers who also played state cricket for SA. To name a few, there were John Lill, John Halbert, Lindsay Head, Neil Hawke, David Sincock, Graeme Farrell, Bob Gilbourne, Eric Freeman, Kevin McCarthy, Donn Robins, Barrie Robran, John Nash & Bob Simunsen.

There were probably others, but you get the picture.

I can remember Kevin McCarthy the fast bowler
I would often see this ,
Kev walking back to his bowling mark, and running his fingers thru his hair pushing it over and forward to cover a bald patch !
Kevin was an under-rated bowler, we used to applaud his efforts, he was a favorite of mine

I had not known he played League Football
Has anyone any details of Kevins SANFL career ?

Ironically, given the last post, Kevin McCarthy actually made one first class century - against the West Indies on their 1968/69 tour of Australia. Wes Hall did not play in the match, but Charlie Griffith did, only bowling 6 overs for 56 plus 9 no balls (which didn't go on to your figures in those days). Gary Sobers and Lance Gibbs did the bulk of the bowling. After being 1-132, SA slumped to 7-166 when McCarthy joined Ian Chappell. Both made tons as they put on 171. SA went on to win the match by 10 wickets against a very strong West Indies batting line up.