Resource New Book: 'A Football Genius, The Peter Hudson Story' by Dan Eddy

[badgrill]

Hi

Wasn't sure where to post this so made a thread (Mods feel free to move if necessary).


Was just given a copy (signed by the great Huddo himself) of this biography, and it is pretty amazing.

The way it's written is more like a tv documentary than anything, mostly made up of quotes from every man and their dog who had anything to do with the great full forward.

As the author says, "For such a unique sportsman, a different form of recounting his life was required. Therefore, his biography is presented in the style of a running narrative told in the voices of those who knew, reported on, officiated, observed, or played with or against Peter Hudson through his life and career..."




Only got up to page 4 and had to stop to re-read the highlighted bit a couple of times (1972 - he had kicked 8 goals before half time and after doing his knee, was writhing on the ground in agony):



lol can't believe that rule was only changed in 1988!


Anyway HIGHLY recommend - from what I've read so far I've already learned so much, e.g. how he used to apparently be so focused on the ball he'd track it even as it was passed through the crowd; "some noted it seemed he could track the ball from the other end of the ground and be there when it dropped" (i.e. ahead of his opponent).

And his kicking style was described once like "a dog trying to make love to a cricket ball". Whatever it worked.

 

[offtherails9]

Great book. I've read through about 120 or so pages so far and I am loving it. Great reading about the fight for clubs to sign young Peter. So good to read about the old history of the club, where it reminds me more of a local footy club in a lot of ways, but in so many other ways it wasn't, like Hudson being papped, stopped in public etc.

Funny that the author is an absolute Essendon nuffie, but he wrote this, the Crimmo book, has a 3 peat book being released later this year, and just started work on a Kennedy book. Not that I'm complaining! So good to have some great books written about such important people to the club and the game. It's been good to learn more about the club lately as someone a little younger.

Maybe this thread could just be the Hawthorn Book thread? There are a fair few to discuss I think.

 

[grumbleguts]

Hi

Wasn't sure where to post this so made a thread (Mods feel free to move if necessary).


Was just given a copy (signed by the great Huddo himself) of this biography, and it is pretty amazing.

The way it's written is more like a tv documentary than anything, mostly made up of quotes from every man and their dog who had anything to do with the great full forward.

As the author says, "For such a unique sportsman, a different form of recounting his life was required. Therefore, his biography is presented in the style of a running narrative told in the voices of those who knew, reported on, officiated, observed, or played with or against Peter Hudson through his life and career..."

View attachment 1414836View attachment 1414838


Only got up to page 4 and had to stop to re-read the highlighted bit a couple of times (1972 - he had kicked 8 goals before half time and after doing his knee, was writhing on the ground in agony):

View attachment 1414839

lol can't believe that rule was only changed in 1988!


Anyway HIGHLY recommend - from what I've read so far I've already learned so much, e.g. how he used to apparently be so focused on the ball he'd track it even as it was passed through the crowd; "some noted it seemed he could track the ball from the other end of the ground and be there when it dropped" (i.e. ahead of his opponent).

And his kicking style was described once like "a dog trying to make love to a cricket ball". Whatever it worked.

It wasn't. It was changed earlier. Leigh Matthews took a kick for Terry Wallace in the 1983 grand final under those exact circumstances.

 

[Dipper]

In the space of 2 consecutive VFL games without an act of thuggery and this injury he would probably have broken Pratt's season goal kicking record and Fanning's game record.

Which, when you think about it, is truly extraordinary.

Sent from my SM-A326B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Tall poppy Syndrome]

Hi

Wasn't sure where to post this so made a thread (Mods feel free to move if necessary).


Was just given a copy (signed by the great Huddo himself) of this biography, and it is pretty amazing.

The way it's written is more like a tv documentary than anything, mostly made up of quotes from every man and their dog who had anything to do with the great full forward.

As the author says, "For such a unique sportsman, a different form of recounting his life was required. Therefore, his biography is presented in the style of a running narrative told in the voices of those who knew, reported on, officiated, observed, or played with or against Peter Hudson through his life and career..."

View attachment 1414836View attachment 1414838


Only got up to page 4 and had to stop to re-read the highlighted bit a couple of times (1972 - he had kicked 8 goals before half time and after doing his knee, was writhing on the ground in agony):

View attachment 1414839

lol can't believe that rule was only changed in 1988!


Anyway HIGHLY recommend - from what I've read so far I've already learned so much, e.g. how he used to apparently be so focused on the ball he'd track it even as it was passed through the crowd; "some noted it seemed he could track the ball from the other end of the ground and be there when it dropped" (i.e. ahead of his opponent).

And his kicking style was described once like "a dog trying to make love to a cricket ball". Whatever it worked.

Q: What would you do if God came to Hawthorn?

A: Move Peter Hudson to Centre Half Forward.

Q: What chapter of the Bible would you read after Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?

A: Peter. Of course!

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I'm a massive Huddo fan, he's the chief reason I became a Hawk, so I have a lot to thank him for. I purchased the book a month ago from Ross Dillon's bookshop in Norwood, couldn't put it down and finished it all too soon, but it was a great read.

You may remember Ross, he played for Melbourne and Victoria before settling in Norwood in SA. Poor old Ross, he got 2 mentions in the book, the first time for being one of Huddo's opponents the day he kicked 16 goals in 1969, and for being his opponent when Huddo kicked 10 goals against Melbourne in 1971. Dillon was a very good player, and for Huddo to kick 10 goals on him is high testimony.

Great book, I think apart from stories of his comebacks for Hawthorn over his career, the parts near the end where he kicked so many goals in Tasmania. I loved the part about when, two years after he retired, the team he was coaching needed a forward so he sat on the bench, about 3 stone overweight and buggered knees, came on and kicked a lazy 14 goals. Only Huddo.

One story that was brushed over was back in 1966, South Adelaide thought they had signed Huddo, I remember stories in the Adelaide newspapers about how they'd signed the champion forward. However, the player they signed was named John Hudson who played for another Tassie team. Once South Adelaide realised they'd signed the wrong player, the deal fell through.

I recommend the book to anyone, and if you are an old Huddo fan like myself, it's a must have.

 

[offtherails9]

I'm a massive Huddo fan, he's the chief reason I became a Hawk, so I have a lot to thank him for. I purchased the book a month ago from Ross Dillon's bookshop in Norwood, couldn't put it down and finished it all too soon, but it was a great read.

You may remember Ross, he played for Melbourne and Victoria before settling in Norwood in SA. Poor old Ross, he got 2 mentions in the book, the first time for being one of Huddo's opponents the day he kicked 16 goals in 1969, and for being his opponent when Huddo kicked 10 goals against Melbourne in 1971. Dillon was a very good player, and for Huddo to kick 10 goals on him is high testimony.

Great book, I think apart from stories of his comebacks for Hawthorn over his career, the parts near the end where he kicked so many goals in Tasmania. I loved the part about when, two years after he retired, the team he was coaching needed a forward so he sat on the bench, about 3 stone overweight and buggered knees, came on and kicked a lazy 14 goals. Only Huddo.

One story that was brushed over was back in 1966, South Adelaide thought they had signed Huddo, I remember stories in the Adelaide newspapers about how they'd signed the champion forward. However, the player they signed was named John Hudson who played for another Tassie team. Once South Adelaide realised they'd signed the wrong player, the deal fell through.

I recommend the book to anyone, and if you are an old Huddo fan like myself, it's a must have.

Awesome post mate, love hearing stuff like this. We need more of this on the Hawks board.