John Peck (footballer)

John Peck
John Peck
Personal information
Full name	John Leslie Peck
Date of birth	7 August 1937
Date of death	2 February 1993 (aged 55)
Original team(s)	Canterbury Colts
Debut	Round 1, 1954, Hawthorn vs. Essendon, at Glenferrie Oval
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	91 kg (201 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club
1954–1966	Hawthorn
	1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1966.
Career highlights
	VFL premiership player: 1961; 3× Coleman Medal: 1963–1965; 8× Hawthorn leading goalkicker: 1956, 1958, 1961–1966; Hawthorn captain: 1965; Hawthorn Hall of Fame;
	Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

John Leslie Peck (7 August 1937 – 2 February 1993)^[1] was an Australian rules footballer, who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Football

Hawthorn

John Peck, the brother of Graham Peck, played for Hawthorn from 1954 to 1966.

He was the first Hawthorn player to win the leading VFL goalkicking award. Peck won the award in three successive years in 1963–65.^[2] He Kicked 78 goals in 1963, 66 goals in 1964 and 58 goals in 1965. In 1960 Peck kicked the winning goal in a match against Collingwood at Victoria Park, It was Hawthorn's first win after 35 years at that venue. Peck was the last player to win the Coleman Medal from the wooden spoon winning side until Brendan Fevola from Carlton won it in 2006.

He played in the 1961 and 1963 Grand Finals.

Brian Sawley

In the third quarter of the interstate match between Victoria and South Australia in Adelaide on 7 July 1963, playing in the ruck, Peck knocked Norwood's Brian Sawley^[3] unconscious.

A South Australian Tribunal found Peck guilty of striking, but left the penalty to be determined by the VFL^[4] — displaying controversial leniency, the VFL only suspended Peck for two weeks.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Port Melbourne

He played for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association in 1967 and 1968.^[8] Most notably during his time at Port Melbourne, Peck was reported for abusing and disputing the decisions of field umpire David Jackson in the second quarter of the controversial 1967 VFA Grand Final; the incident prompted captain-coach Brian Buckley to lead the Port Melbourne team off the ground (a forfeiture was averted when club officials instructed the players to return to the field), and Peck was suspended for six matches for the incident.^[9]

Honours and achievements

Hawthorn

VFL premiership player: 1961
2× Minor premiership: 1961, 1963

Individual

3× Coleman Medal: 1963, 1964, 1965
8× Hawthorn leading goalkicker: 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
Hawthorn captain: 1965
Hawthorn Hall of Fame
Hawthorn life member

Death

Peck died suddenly on 2 February 1993 from a heart attack at the age of 55. His death was received with great sadness within the footy community, and he was buried at the Euroa Public Cemetery.

Footnotes

^ "Hall of Fame - John Peck". Hawthorn Football Club. Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
^ de Kretser, C. & Timms, D., "Hawk Elvis made sure opponent was all shook up", The Courier Mail, Friday, 9 September 2011.
^ John Peck at AustralianFootball.com.
^ Carter, R., John Peck Admits Hitting S.A. Half-Forward: 'I was Kicked'", The Age, Monday, 8 July 1963), p.20.
^ Carter, R., "Tribunal Will Hear Statement by Peck on Incident in S.A.", The Age, (Tuesday, 9 July 1963), p.22.
^ John Peck Treated for Slight Injury to Spine, The Age, (Wednesday, 10 July 1963), p.20.
^ Carter, R. "Two Weeks Suspension for Peck: Fails in Attempt to Change Plea, The Age, (Thursday, 11 July 1963), p.22.
^ Jacob, Tom (25 June 1974). "Comeback for Peck, 36". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 35.[1]
^ Carter, Ron; Hobbs, Greg (4 October 1967). "Peck Out – Six Games". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 22.

References

Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0