Vale Ken Beck, 1971 premiership Hawk

[eldorado]

Vale Ken Beck

Hawthorn Football Club wishes to advise the sad passing of premiership player and Life Member, Ken Beck.

www.hawthornfc.com.au

1971 Premiership player

A bit before my time, but some of our older members may remember him.

RIP

 

[CD Xbow]

Vale Ken Beck

Hawthorn Football Club wishes to advise the sad passing of premiership player and Life Member, Ken Beck.

www.hawthornfc.com.au

1961 Premiership player

A bit before my time, but some of our older members may remember him. One of our inaugural premiership legends.

RIP

Yes, I watched him play. Bean poll ruckmen, about 6'7''. Couldn't kick over a cherry tree. He didn't play in the 1961 grand final IIRC, he was the reserve in 1971.

Vale Ken.
I will light a candle for him tonight. Been doing that a bit lately.

 

[eldorado]

He didn't play in the 1961 grand final IIRC, he was the reserve in 1971.

Thanks for the correction, came on with 10 minutes to go, apparently...

 

[Mississippi]

Very sad news.
I think his teammates would say he was one of their most popular and liked teammates.
The problem with the last half of his career was that he was competing for a ruck position with a fella called Don Scott.

Ken’s passing caused me to check his game in the 1971 GF. He came on earlier when Les Hawken did his hammy.
He got 5 possessions for the game, but gave away 5 frees so sort of cancels out his game. But he did his job.

Interestingly, Scotty had 22 possessions (and played a magnificent game) but he got 10 frees - unheard of in today’s game.

RIP Ken.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Anyone who pulls on the Hawthorn guernsey and spills blood sweat and tears for this club has my respect.

May you rest in peace and condolences to the families touched by your passing.

 

[Dave Id]

Gentle giant with the biggest hands I have ever seen.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Gentle giant with the biggest hands I have ever seen.

Marc Pittonet dislikes this post

 

[Dave Id]

Marc Pittonet dislikes this post

Beck also represented Victoria and won a Premiership

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

R.I.P. Ken.

 

[speedpeck23]

Big Becky. Only just saw this. Such a dedicated player.

He was also first ruck in the 1963 Grand Final against the Cats. His immediate opponent of course that day was the legendary Polly Farmer. It was fair to say Polly took the honours.

We were only 10 points down at 3/4 time in that match but it was a blisteringly hot day.
As an 8 year old sitting on the top deck of the Northern Stand (original Olympic Stand) I cried all through the last quarter as the "Colossal Cats " (that's what there banner said) took us apart.

The rumour was Becky had to go to bed for a week after that match he was done in playing on Farmer.

He made the State side for Victoria playing in the Carnival in Tassie in 1966.

He was at the end of his career when he played a lot of reserves footy in 1971. Les Hawken had an absolute stand out year in 1971 as the back pocket ruckman. Les was a great one grab mark...so consistent. Then of course Peter Knights was injured in the second semi and Les Hawken was injured early in the first quarter of the 71 Grand Final against St Kilda and was off for the game.

I remember the apprehensive sigh which seemed to go around the ground from the Hawk supporters as Becky loped on to the ground early in the first quarter of the Grand Final . . He was all gangly...My dad's best mate said he looked and ran like a praying mantis. Becky had 4 kicks for the day in my memory. One in each quarter.

John Kennedy was interviewed in the rooms after the 1971 Premiership.... Morton Browne interviewed him ( I still have the 3KZ long play LP). Browne asked Kennedy about Beck as 19th man. Kennedy in typical serious tone said "We knew Ken was underdone" "But he did a very good job for the club Ken "

If you played for the Hawks under John Kennedy in a Grand Final you won't get a better accolade than that from the coach.