Ken Beck

Recruited from Stawell in the Wimmera, Ken Beck served a long apprenticeship in the lower grades before establishing himself as a fixture in the Hawthorn lineup of the 1960s. Standing at 198cm, he was a lanky and mobile ruckman who often shouldered the division's heavy lifting against the era's best big men, including a memorable duel with Polly Farmer in the 1963 Grand Final. While his awkward, "praying mantis" running style sometimes drew attention, Beck was a disciplined competitor who could also drift back to plug holes in defence. He notably etched his name into football folklore during a 1969 match against St Kilda when, following coach John Kennedy’s instruction to distract the man on the mark, he performed a handstand—a tactic that failed to stop the goal but remains a favourite anecdote among the Hawthorn faithful.

Beck’s crowning moment came in the 1971 Grand Final, where he started on the bench but was thrust into the fray just ten minutes in after an injury to Les Hawken. He played out the match in defence, helping the Hawks secure a famous comeback victory over the Saints. It proved to be the twilight of his senior career; the following season, he captained the reserves to a premiership before retiring from VFL football. He later took on captain-coach duties at Dandenong in the VFA and remained a heavily involved figure at Hawthorn for decades, eventually serving as President of the Past Players and Officials Association.