Carl R Ditterich
Ditterich was one of the most feared ruckmen in League history and was a star from his very first game.
St Kilda 1963-72 and 1976-78 203 games 156 goals. Melbourne 1973-75 and 1979-80 82 games 43 goals. (b: 10 Oct 1945 193 cms 90.5 kgs) Ditterich was one of the most feared ruckmen in League history and was a star from his very first game. That was in an opening round match against Melbourne in 1963. Ditterich easily was best on the ground and his ruck play was a revelation. Ditterich mixed brilliant marking and strong ruck play with raw aggression and often was in trouble with the League Tribunal. In fact suspension cost him a place in the 1966 St Kilda premiership side. Ditterich recruited from East Brighton won the Saints' best and fairest in 1968 but joined Melbourne under the short-lived 10-year rule in 1973 and won the Demons' best and fairest that year. He returned to St Kilda as captain for the 1976-77 seasons and after the 1978 season was invited to accept the position of captain-coach of Melbourne for 1979-80.
Player profile © The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby and Jim Main
Carl Ditterich
Graeme
Saints Hall of Fame Memorable Moments
Re: Barrie Murphy's Carl Ditterich memorable moment. I remember the game you are talking about as I was also there. It was maybe 65 or 66.
I remember a Richmond player, maybe Patrick Guinane, badly dislocated a finger right in front of where I was standing. Big Carl killed them and won the game almost single handedly. I saw a friend of mine on the following Monday, he being a Richmond supporter. He asked if I had seen the game, St Kilda beating Richmond. My reply was yes, I was there and saw Carl Ditterich beat Richmond. They were very heady days at Moorabbin. Thanks for the memories.
Graeme
Kicking with Big Carl
Paul Collins
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
As a kid one of my longest memories is attending training with my mum at Moorabbin in 1971. I was 6 & 1/2 and got the pleasure to kick the ball with Big Carl, until the great Yabbie Jeans said "Come on Carl, come and kick with the big fellas now".
I love the Saints
Paul Collins
My first game
Cherry W.
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
My first game was at the St. Kilda Junction oval. I was 16 (I think).
I was taken to the game by 9 of my guy friends. I was the only girl in the group.
The boys thought it was a hoot that a girl was going to the game.
It was also Carl Ditterich's first game... the game he got given the name of the blonde bombshell, and he was the first guy with long flowing hair whenever he took those screaming marks.
Baldock was captain... and we beat the Demons.
After the game, the boys *checked* my knowledge of the game and were super surprised to know that I knew players, positions, mark of the day (Ditterich), goal of the day.
I am glad to see that both Baldock and Ditterich are in the Sainters Hall of Fame. They certainly deserve it.
And now.. so many years later... (I have been living in the States for the past 32 years); I still follow the Saints and come to Australia every year around the beginning of April to see at least the start of the season.
In 1997 I flew in especially just to see the Grand Final -- 28 hours in a plane each way... only to have us lose.
With the 2004 Grand Final only three weeks away... I already have my plane ticket and I am hoping I get to go to the Grand Final again -- this time to see the Saints win.
My heart and hopes are with all the Sainters.
God bless you all and may the Saints finally see victory again.
CHERRY W.
Carl Ditterich
Paul McCartin
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
When I was a kid my mother's sister and her family lived in Geelong and we used to go down to see them from time to time. Dad tried to arrange it so that one of our visits to Geelong coincided with the Geelong v. St Kilda game each year.
I do not remember which year it was, but Dad and I were right behind the Geelong goals. The ball came down and the St Kilda fullback (Verdun Howell? Bob Murray?) went for the mark. Doug Wade jumped maybe a foot higher than our fullback, and Carl (to the best of my unreliable memory) seemed to sit on Wade's shoulders! It was a magnificent mark. But the umpire took the ball off Carl and gave it to Wade. I have no idea what for.
Paul McCartin
Japan
Memorable Moments: The Junction Oval 1963
Bill Carmody
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
Melbourne, my team, had not won the flag since 1961, a long time given their success in the 1950’s. The off season saw me having a chance to play real footy on a Saturday morning. With the involvement of a few locals, including my father, Beaumaris Football Club had formed, and I couldn’t wait for the 1963 season to start.
My family on Dad’s side was St Kilda mad, and the old family home at 44 Greeves Street was alive with red, white and black conversation during the regular Sunday morning gatherings.
I was invited to go with Dad, Uncle Ted and cousins (Mitchell, Morphessy – yes we are Catholic) to see the Saints take on Melbourne in Round 1 of the 1963 season at the Junction Oval.
Amongst a sea of Saints I’m standing in my Melbourne jumper, comfortable that Dad and my uncle would look after me. The cousins had their St Kilda jumpers on, still with No. 10 on the back. One can only assume that, with the retirement of Neil Roberts, and to avoid the chore of sewing, their mothers convinced them to wait and see how good the new boy in No. 10 was before changing numbers.
We had a hot, roof of the mouth burning pie, and licked the sauce off our fingers and sleeves, I’m quietly smug in the knowledge that my team will win easily, and march onto another flag. We had a new gun, Graham Wise, to replace Bob Johnson, who left for money and East Fremantle. No worries.
From the first bounce he captures attention. Tall, agile, over enthusiastic, aggressive and the straight long blonde hair. A star! All around me, the barrackers are excited. Big Carl steals the show, and the Saints win easily.
As we leave the ground, I can only look at my feet, and amid the sounds of a winning home team crowd leaving the ground I hear “Where’s he from?” “Can’t he jump!” “Wasn’t he great!” and there’s already talk of the finals.
My disappointment was more to do with the fact that I played on a wing at primary school, and my hair was black. Still, I was only 10, and time was on my side.
Big Carl had an amazing impression on my mates and I, all looking to play in the VFL. No matter who we barracked for, we all wanted blonde hair and a growth spurt.
That day was unforgettable.
In commiserating with me, as only a father whose team has won can, and amid the playful ribbing comments of how much better the Saints are than the Demons, Dad made the comment that another recruit, No. 5, Stewart looked a decent type of footballer.
Bill Carmody
Big Carl
Barrie Murphy
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
The time was early in Carl Ditterich's career, probably in his first year when all the excitement about him was new and memorable.
The Saints were playing the Tigers at Moorabbin and big Carl was killing them. He was everywhere - marking, rucking and in his special way making his presence felt.
I was standing in the outer waiting for my mate to arrive (a Tiger supporter) but he did not do so until late in the second quarter. By the time he arrived, the Saints were well in front. He stood beside me for a couple of minutes in which time big Carl took three contested marks and turning to me my mate said "how long has this been going on?". To which I joyfully replied "all day".
What a wonderful moment - what a wonderful memory.
Of course the Saints won.
Barrie Murphy
One Night after a Geelong Game
Bernie Dunn
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
My story is not so much about a football game, but what happened after a match at Geelong in the early 60's.
I'm not even sure who won or lost that day. It was probably 1963 or 1964, the first two years of Big Carl's career and a time so important to the Saints....the years of development towards our 1966 flag.
My earliest memories were back at the Junction Oval in the 50's, parked in front of the grandstand with my father Bill, Uncle Frank and his brother, standing on empty cans of beer which were never in short supply. If that wasn't enough, after the game I would sometimes spend an hour or two on the external window sill of the Junction pub being fed an endless supply of lemon squashes while the boys relived every kick inside.
Back to the Geelong game. Naturally the boys could not be expected make it home all the way to Melbourne without one pub stop. I don't know where it was, but we stopped half way home and headed in the direction of an inviting lounge bar. I will never forget the evening which lay before me.....I walked into a room full of super heros, they were all there.
I would have been in my early teens, and naturally I was overawed by what lay before me. But my older companions found a new lease of life as well. We pulled up a table, some ales and yet another lemon squash, right in the middle of my dream team.
You often hear of the term "the life of the party", well that night I met the only bloke who could ever fill that role in my eyes...Darrell Baldock.
He danced with every female in the room, talked to all and sundry, and led the room in song throughout the evening. Ian Stewart was there yet he seemed to be withdrawn or shy, but there again....so did everybody in the presence of the Doc.
One player was missing. I had not sighted Carl Ditterich. This was soon to change.
At one point, I can vividly recall that the world stopped. The incessant chat, the music, the clatter of glassware all seemed to abruptly cease. One of our group tapped me on the shoulder and pointed towards the entrance......and there stood Big Carl.
But Carl was not alone. On each arm he supported two of the prettiest girls I had seen in my long teenage life. The girls had all the trappings...bouffy hairstyles, mini skirts, and a crowd stopping hero. And that's exactly what happened, Ditterich and the girls stood there before a roomfull of complete silence....that is until the Doc brought the room to order, grabbed one of the girls, and the night wore on.
For a very impressionable teenager, this was my legends night.
Bernie Dunn
Big Carl
Carey Redenbach
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
I noticed on the St Kilda website and also emails from St Kilda concerning hall of fame nominees that stories regarding our favourite St Kilda players were requested. For me, there has always been only one favourite - and he still is the best - Carl Ditterich.
Big Carl was simply inspirational. He was the reason I followed the Saints and the reason I still do. 40 years a Saints supporter. As an 8 year old, I remember watching in awe the sheer brilliance of Big Carl. In those days, all the kids at school had a local WA team and a Victoria team to support. It was 1963 when I really started my passion for the Saints - all because of Big Carl.
Things were really different then for us. We had black and white TV, and no direct (live) coverage of the games. In fact, we had to wait up late on a Sunday night for ABC TV to show highlights of the Victorian games from the day before. Some Sundays, the aeroplane carrying the videotape was delayed due to strong headwinds, and so it was either not shown or shown a lot later than advertised. It was a real treat to stay up and watch VFL Playback on the Sunday night. If the Saints were playing, I was allowed to stay up - otherwise it was off to bed!
I recall in about 1965 the Vics came to Subiaco Oval for a State game and Big Carl was playing. I was fortunate enough to be able to see it - that was in the days when no more than 2 players were selected from each Victorian club side to represent the State. Watching Big Carl wear the Big White V was awesome. He sorted out one of the renowned tough men of WA football (Mal Atwell) as well as playing brilliantly. My Dad went up to Big Carl after the game (when you were allowed onto the ground and could get your star's autographs) and got Big Carl's autograph for me. What a hero my Dad was for getting me the prized Carl Ditterich autograph!
The other vivid memory for me concerned my best friend. He barracked for Geelong (because of Polly Farmer) and always shook his head when I said that Big Carl was the greatest footballer ever to pull on a football boot. During the Sunday night news program, they featured some footage of the Victorian games (it was in the 70s I think). This time, they featured a game at Moorabbin, and who else but Big Carl. He got the ball in the backline and took it the whole length of the field - handpassing and then receiving the handball back and ended up shooting truly - a six pointer. Absolutely magnificent, I immediately phoned my friend and he didn't even let me speak - he knew it was me and just said, Yes Carey, it was good and Big Carl is good. I replied, He is not just good - he is the greatest footballer ever to pull on a football boot!
Many thanks to Big Carl for the memories.
Sincerely
Carey Redenbach
Carl Ditterich Tribute
Barry Kanpol
Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments
It was 1964. I was barely 8 years old. I recall sneaking down to the goal areas, standing right behind goal. The match was between the Saints vs I think Melbourne. It was the debut of one Carl Ditterich. St.Kilda footy would never be the same for me. His high flying style, dazzling blonde hair and aggression jazzed the crowd - jazzed me. He was best on ground in his first game and forever became the one for the opposition to fear.
I left Australia in 1973 to move to the USA. I was a talented footy player and in my one year with the Saints, played reserves footy. I recall flying high for my first mark as a reserves footy player at Waverly Park and calmly kicking a goal. I remember Cowboy Neale passing me the ball. Most of all, however, I remember training one Tuesday night and standing next to big Carl in the locker room. That moment matched my excitement as an 8 year old. Only, now I was 16. Big Carl nodded his head as I said hello. I felt very special wearing no. 44 then, but more special saying hi to my idol. His memory and style linger on within - he walked the fine line and succeeded, despite some setbacks. Life is like that. Thanks big guy!
Barry Kanpol - former Under 19's and reserves footy player, 1972
Carl Ditterich
Britt Ditterich
Saints Hall of Fame Memorable Moments
Carl Ditterich, though frightening to his opposition and almost defiantly an enemy to all the men in white is also a great dad.
Carl Ditterich is my dad and I think he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame because he was an outstanding player in his time and is still very much in love with the game of football.
He has always been a very modest person, even when I'd like him to brag to my friends. He is a footy legend and my number one football player. When St Kilda were in the Grand Final in 1997, when the siren blew and we had lost, it was one of the only times we have ever seen dad cry. He loves St Kilda as a footy club which is why he should be in your hall of fame!
Sincerely Britt Ditterich
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