Darrel Baldock

Darrel John Baldock AM (29 September 1938 – 2 February 2011), commonly nicknamed "The Doc" and "Mr. Magic", was an Australian rules football player, coach, and state politician. In 1966 he captained the St Kilda Football Club to its first premiership. Baldock is a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame and has been upgraded to the status of "Legend". He was also a handy cricketer, playing two first-class cricket matches, once for Tasmania and once for the Tasmania Combined XI. After retiring from football, Baldock served in the Tasmanian Parliament for fifteen years.

Baldock made his junior football debut for East Devonport in Tasmania's now defunct North-West Football Union in 1955 at the age of 16. He was selected in the NWFU team for intrastate matches and won the club best and fairest award that year. Even then, Baldock was already famous for his ball handling skills and balance. Baldock played 71 games for East Devonport before he switched to Latrobe in 1959. At the age of 20, Baldock became the youngest player ever to captain Tasmania.

A ready-made superstar, Baldock ventured across Bass Strait in 1962 to play for St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL), where he had an instant impact. Baldock played at centre half-forward and was made captain of St Kilda's "Team of the Century" in 2002, and named as the initial "legend" in the St Kilda Football Club Hall of Fame in 2003.

In 1969, Baldock returned to Tasmania and captain-coached Latrobe to four consecutive NWFU premierships from 1969 to 1972. Baldock played 158 games for Latrobe before finishing in 1974. He then played four games for New Norfolk in 1975 before beginning his parliamentary career. In state representative matches, Baldock represented Victoria 10 times, Tasmania 15 times and the North-West Football Union 20 times.

Baldock became a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly on 22 April 1972. He was a member of the Labor Party and was a state minister from 1975–1982. Baldock resigned on 30 June 1987 to become coach of St Kilda.

Baldock was the senior coach at St Kilda from 1987 to 1989. In his first year, he lifted them off the bottom of the ladder but also suffered a minor stroke. He continued to coach for a further two years.

Baldock retired to Tasmania where he raced horses. His biography, Darrel Baldock – The Incomparable Mr Magic, was written by his friend Peter Lyons and published in June 2010. Baldock suffered from illness in his final years. He died of pneumonia and kidney failure on 2 February 2011 following a fourth stroke.

A state funeral was held at Latrobe, Tasmania on 11 February 2011.

Baldock was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in its inception in 1996 (as a player) and was upgraded to Legend in 2006. In 2004, he was named on the half forward flank and as captain in the Tasmanian Team of The Century. Baldock was also honoured by having the Northern Tasmania Football League 2000 Best and Fairest medal named after him.

On 26 January 1991, Baldock was named a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of service to the Tasmanian parliament and to Australian Rules Football. On 24 October 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australian Football.

• Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0 86788 009 0.