Charlie Baker

Recruited from St Patrick’s College in Ballarat, Charlie Baker emerged as a rare shining light during one of the darkest periods in St Kilda’s history. Joining a side that failed to win a match in his debut 1902 season, the sharp-shooting rover and forward shouldered the entire scoring burden, remarkably booting nearly half of the club's total goals for the year. He went on to top the Saints' goalkicking list in four consecutive seasons, providing a consistent avenue to goal for a team that often struggled to move the ball into attack. A talented dual-sportsman who also represented Victoria in cricket, Baker’s promising football career was unfortunately cut short by injury after just five seasons, leaving him as a "what could have been" figure who dominated despite his team's lack of success.