The Hawks Museum recently received two outstanding items from former player Roy Baldwin, who kindly donated his 1944 Best and Fairest trophy (second 18) and his Hawthorn guernsey worn in his last season, 1950.
Roy Baldwin first came to the attention of Hawthorn when he was playing for the Mitcham Juniors Under 18 team in the Melbourne Boys League during 1943 when he was attending night school at Swinburne Technical School.
In 1944, his first year at Hawthorn, he played the first 16 games with the reserves then made his senior debut against North Melbourne in round 17 at Glenferrie, where North won by 25 points.
In the reserves, Baldwin had began the season in the back pocket before moving to the wing where his pace and agility saw him attract the eye of the senior selectors. For his outstanding efforts he won the Best and Fairest trophy.
In 1945 Baldwin became a regular in the seniors playing 17 of the first 18 games when he enlisted in the army. He was to serve two years in New Britain as part of a peace making force overseeing the Japanese prisoners being repatriated to their homeland Japan.
Baldwin resumed his football career with the Hawks in 1948, only missing one game for the season. Early in 1949 Club President, Dr Jona (who was also the Club doctor) discovered that Baldwin needed a hernia operation. It took Baldwin some time to recover and he only managed a handful of senior games over the next two years. In 1950, he was a regular with the reserves again when he decided to retire from VFL football.
This brings us to Roy Baldwin’s second donation to the Club Collection, his guernsey that he wore with the second 18. The guernsey has created great interest amongst the students of Hawthorn history seeking knowledge of the evolution of the Hawthorn guernsey. Roy’s Guernsey has a grey collar that appears to be original and he is positive that the second 18 sides did wear grey collars.
In 1951, Roy returned to his hometown of Kilsyth. He had an illustrious career with the Kilsyth Football Club playing 270 games mainly as a nippy rover or centre man.
He was a member of five premiership teams including three in a row, 1951, 1952 and 1953 and won the Best and Fairest a number of times. In later years he was honoured when he was presented the Order of Australia Medal for services to Football and Cricket.
If anyone can shed more light on Roy Baldwin’s guernsey with the grey collar from 1950, please contact the Hawks Museum 9535 3075.
Peter Haby
Hawks Museum
