The Australian cricket is in mourning after the death of Keith Stackpole, who played 43 tests for his country before becoming one of the voices of the game in his work for nine, seven and ABC.
Stackpole, 84, died suddenly on Tuesday afternoon from an alleged heart attack, according to Radio 3AW.
He leaves behind Pat Pat and children Peter, Tony and Angela.
Born in Melbourne of a father who played the role of footballer for Collingwood and Fitzroy, Stackpole made his Adelaide test in 1966 and then scored seven centuries when he scored on average 37.42, with a high score of 207.
“ Stacky ” played alongside legends such as Ian Chappell and Dennis Lillee, was vice-captain of his country for a certain time and won the honor of being appointed cricket player of the year of Wisden in 1973.
After his retirement from the high -level cricket in 1974, Stackpole forged a career in the media, joining the Rebel World Series Cricket Comment Team of Kerry Packer.
Keith Stackpole (Photo) made his mark on Australian cricket on and off the field in a stellar career which saw him named the best player in the world in 1973
“ Stacky ” (illustrated by playing against England in 1972) has become familiar with millions of Australians thanks to his work with nine, seven and ABC
The former Australian vice-captain (photo playing for his country) was known for his aggressive play and his direct commentary
He became a voice familiar to millions of Australians in his work covering the game for seven and nine, as well as for the ABC for more than 20 years before leaving the national broadcaster in 2005.
Stackpole received a MBE in 1974 for cricket services.
He retired that year after undergoing an injury that changes his life.
“I injured my back in the second Sheffield Shield match of the season and I have never played for Australia again,” recalls Stackpole.
“I had a disc injury from the disc. I had an operation. Two discs were merged together.
Stackpole could also play at hand and was initially selected for Australia as an average paste that could fill the ball by hand if necessary.
He then formed a brilliant opening partnership with Bill Lawry of the time, whose cautious approach was an excellent foil for the style of cape and the love of Stackpole and the love of the hanging of short deliveries.
The man who followed Lawry as an Australian skipper, Ian Chappell, paid tribute to his big companion.
Son of a premiere -winning footballer, stackpole
“I could not have asked for a better vice-captain,” he told News Corp.
“He had no obvious fear and was one of the few players I met to kiss against the fast bowling.
“People do not fully understand the guts and skills that must be taken.
“The better, the better for” Humphrey “and he played for his team, not himself.
“He was a wonderful cricket player and a very good friend.
Journalist Jon Anderson, who was Stackpole’s ghost writer, said former test of test Rodney Hogg described Stackpole as the “Victorian cricket godfather”.
Anderson also recalled that the striker who became a commentator had played his first grade cricket match in the same Collingwood team as his father Keith SR in 1956-1957.
“Stack was still so proud of his father,” said Anderson, noting that the former StackPole test teammate Paul Sheahan believed that some of the success of Ian Chappell as a national captain could be filed with the influence of Stackpole.
Stackpole also worked as a columnist for the Herald Sun newspaper in Melbourne and was mentor to test the stars Dean Jones and Brad Hodge.
When Stackpole retired from the ABC, his commentator colleague Dan Lonergan said that the great “ commented the way he played the game; on the front and aggressively.
“There will be a lot of people who are missing, but … Keith obviously decided it was time for someone else to try.”
