Opinion Club History: Hawthorn's Mt.Rushmore

[Philhawk]

Interesting thought exercise that's been doing the rounds on social media and the podcasting world.

A sporting Mt Rushmore is the idea of selecting and enshrining only four individuals for their contributions or successes.

The fact that it's only 4 makes it interesting. Who would be your 4?

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Kennedy senior, matthews, don scott, Michael tuck.

Graham Arthur, Jason dunstall were the sculptors.

 

[Philhawk]

Kennedy senior, matthews, don scott, Michael tuck.

Graham Arthur, Jason dunstall were the sculptors.

Oooft. Scott over Dunstall, Clarkson missing? I don't totally disagree, just still .... OOFT

 

[Platten44]

Kennedy
Matthews
Dunstall
Crawford

 

[eldorado]

Kennedy
Matthews
Dunstall
Hodge

 

[Jethro!]

The idea of the 4 on Rushmore was to note those who contributed to the birth, growth, development and preservation of the USA.
With that in mind, I'd go with Kennedy, Jeans, Dunstall and Clarkson.

 

[ahhhhhh]

You simply can't have Clarkson up there after the racism saga...

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Kennedy, Scott, Matthews, Hodge

4 generations - 4 on field leaders, Kennedy and Scott for both also shaping the club and saving the club respectively.

 

[TheFourPillars]

It would be more likely Kennedy, Arthur, Matthews, Dunstall

 

[moginie]

Kennedy, Scott, Matthews, Hodge

4 generations - 4 on field leaders, Kennedy and Scott for both also shaping the club and saving the club respectively.

That's probably my choice as well, but there's a part of me that wants Peter Hudson there.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

For a different spin on the question:

1. An individual by the name of "J. Brain", for proposing that the club adopts brown and gold as the colours of its guernseys back in 1914. The number of professional sporting teams around the world that use brown and gold as their primary colours can be counted on the fingers of one hand I'm fairly certain (I'm aware of only the Hawthorn Football Club, the San Diego Padres and Wolverhampton Wanderers who combine brown and gold for their uniform colours).
2. Roy Cazaly, who persuaded the club in 1943 to abandon the nickname "Mayblooms" in favour of the "Hawks" (after hearing the suggestion by one of his children).
3. With the assistance of his captain Brendan Edwards, John Kennedy Sr for setting the groundwork of modern football through an emphasis on fitness that directly led to the club winning its first premiership in 1961.
4. Ian Dicker, for being instrumental in preventing the club "merging with" (i.e., being taken over by) Melbourne. Don Scott was the fiery face of the opposition and resistance to the merger, but Dicker was instrumental in rescuing the club's finances when they were dire in the late 1990s to set the foundation off the field for the period of sustained success under Clarkson from 2008-2015.

 

[HeHateMe]

If Sam Mitchell wins us a flag as a coach than he sits comfortably along side Kennedy and Matthews.

We are blessed to have so many to choose from but Sammy could become a:

• Premiership Coach
• Premiership Captain
• 4 × Premiership Player
• Brownlow Medalist

 

[Philhawk]

For a different spin on the question:

1. An individual by the name of "J. Brain", for proposing that the club adopts brown and gold as the colours of its guernseys back in 1914. The number of professional sporting teams around the world that use brown and gold as their primary colours can be counted on the fingers of one hand I'm fairly certain (I'm aware of only the Hawthorn Football Club, the San Diego Padres and Wolverhampton Wanderers who combine brown and gold for their uniform colours).
2. Roy Cazaly, who persuaded the club in 1943 to abandon the nickname "Mayblooms" in favour of the "Hawks" (after hearing the suggestion by one of his children).
3. With the assistance of his captain Brendan Edwards, John Kennedy Sr for setting the groundwork of modern football through an emphasis on fitness that directly led to the club winning its first premiership in 1961.
4. Ian Dicker, for being instrumental in preventing the club "merging with" (i.e., being taken over by) Melbourne. Don Scott was the fiery face of the opposition and resistance to the merger, but Dicker was instrumental in rescuing the club's finances when they were dire in the late 1990s to set the foundation off the field for the period of sustained success under Clarkson from 2008-2015.

Love it - particularly the gentle reminder of the vital role Dicker played in our history.

 

[Hodgey 15]

Kennedy, Matthews, Clarkson, Hudson
(Tough to exclude out Dunstall, Hodgey and Jeansy but thems the breaks)

 

[Yardie]

Love it - particularly the gentle reminder of the vital role Dicker played in our history.

Was going to say the same about Dicker. Criminally underrated in his role for saving the club.

 

[Dragz]

Kennedy and Matthews are the mandatories.

Gets hard from there:
Great players? Dunstall / Hudson
Great Coaches? Jeans / Clarkson
Saved the club? Don Scott
Most inspirational? Hodge

 

[Beandip]

Bloody oath that's hard...

Coaches alone: Kennedy Snr, Jeans, Clarkson, Parkin...
Players: Matthews, Hudson, Hodge, Tuck, Dunstall, Crimmins, Knights, Scott, Langford... so many more
Administrators: Dickson et al.

If I were to try and name the four that for me most represented the spirit and values of Hawthorn it's got to be Kennedy, Jeans, Matthews and Hodge (for older statesmen this is probably Scott)... they are brown and gold.

Could I also suggest an 'anti-Mt Rushmore'... the four who have done the most damage to the club! Or is this just a big bronze statue of Jeff with his golliwogs?

 

[KermitJagger]

Kennedy, Matthews, Hodge, Tuck imo.

Kennedy as the greatest Hawthorn coach, Matthews as the greatest Hawthorn player, Hodge as the greatest captain and Tuck as the player who participated in the most of our success.

I feel like Tuck isn't getting enough appreciation in this thread, you simply can't overlook 7 flags. No one in the last 60 years comes close, and it feels like no one will ever overtake it.

 

[Flukey!]

Mine would be:
Kennedy
Matthews
Tuck
Dunstall

Our greatest era was the 70"s and 80's and the period we went from perennial losers to the most successful club in the country.
It all started then.

 

[Yardie]

Just choose three people noting that Kennedy Snr is the shoe-in.

 

[Mopar Jason]

My 3 would be Matthews, Dunstall, and Hodge just ahead of Tucky and Crawford

 

[grumbleguts]

Chris Langford should get a mention on the plaque.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

by 2035 it will be Mitchell, Newcombe, Day and JK Snr

 

[Randall Stevens]

Great thread.

Kennedy Snr - the greatest single figure in the history of our Club

Matthews - our greatest ever player. Still very much in the conversation as the greatest player the game has ever seen

Dicker - without his Presidency - and enormous personal financial contribution - the Club simply would not exist today in its current form

Dr Sandy Ferguson - maybe not as high profle today as others, but in my opinion fits this criteria perfectly. President of our first premiership, and under his guidance the Club was transformed from a laughing stock to a respected member of the then VFL, and eventually a premiership winner. His saying "embrace Hawthorn and Hawthorn will embrace you" is still quoted today.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Great thread.

Kennedy Snr - the greatest single figure in the history of our Club

Matthews - our greatest ever player. Still very much in the conversation as the greatest player the game has ever seen

Dicker - without his Presidency - and enormous personal financial contribution - the Club simply would not exist today in its current form

Dr Sandy Ferguson - maybe not as high profle today as others, but in my opinion fits this criteria perfectly. President of our first premiership, and under his guidance the Club was transformed from a laughing stock to a respected member of the then VFL, and eventually a premiership winner. His saying "embrace Hawthorn and Hawthorn will embrace you" is still quoted today.

I really like this list