Darrel J 'The Doc' Baldock

The Doc always will be remembered as captain of St Kilda's 1966 premiership side and one of the greatest figures in the club's history.

1962-68 119 games 236 goals. (b: 29 Sep 1938 179 cms 87 kgs). The Doc always will be remembered as captain of St Kilda's 1966 premiership side and one of the greatest figures in the club's history. The Saints recruited Baldock from Tasmanian club Latrobe. His first game against Collingwood created enormous interest as he already was rated a super-star. Baldock earlier had signed with Melbourne and South Melbourne the Saints swooping as soon as the Swans' hold on him expired. He did not let any of his judges down and he quickly established a reputation as a freakish champion with the seeming ability to have the ball on a string. His ground skills were phenomenal and his courage legendary. Although short (177cm.) he played at centre half-forward and controlled the St Kilda forward line. Baldock returned to coach in Tasmania where he became a Member of Parliament. Baldock St Kilda's favourite son returned to coach the Saints in 1987 and lifted them off the bottom of the ladder in his first season in charge. Baldock suffered a minor stroke in 1987 but continued to coach the Saints until the end of 1989. Baldock won St Kilda's best and fairest in 1962-63 and 1965. He also topped their goalkicking from 1962-1965 and was club captain from 1963-68. Baldock played cricket for Tasmania before coming to Victoria.

Player profile © The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby and Jim Main

My Memorable Moment with Darrel Baldock

Ian Woodland

Saints Hall of Fame Memorable moments

My Dad was a radio announcer in Colac in 1963 and we went to Terang on March 29 to watch St Kilda play a trial match. I was a keen 7 year old dressed up in my St Kilda gear. One of Dad's fellow workmates Doug Jennings' father Jack Jennings of Geelong fame asked me at half time if I would like to meet the players.

He introduced me to Allan Jeans the coach and a gentleman named Darrel Baldock who then proceeded to kick the football with me for 5 minutes or so. He then has every player sign the programme for me. To name a few who I met and signed for me – Ian Stewart, Carl Ditterich, Bryan Mynott, Ross Smith, Rodger Head, Verdon Howell – The list goes on – and guess what I still have the signed programme which reads Sunday March 29 at Terang – St Kilda v Terang Programme 3/- Umpire Jack Irvine.

I will never forget that day – I wonder if any of the players can remember it some 40 years on.

Regards
Ian Woodland
Hervey Bay, Qld

Mr. Magic

Paul Bird

Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments

One very muddy match against the Lions we couldn't distinguish who was who. Having come especially to see Mr. Magic, I asked Dad how would we know Doc? He said "He'll be the one that comes out of the pack with the ball . . . and probably bounce it perfectly." Well, he was pretty right, except Stewie did his share of it too.

Paul Bird

Baldock Day

Gerry Carlin

Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments

I think the date was June 6th 1962. Darrel Baldock had joined the Saints that year and had not yet made a real mark on the VFL. That day changed all that. The Saints played Hawthorn at Glenferrie and the "Doc" played the best individual game of football that I think I have ever seen played.

All his magical skills were on display that day, playing on a half forward flank and later in the day at full forward. So dominant was the Doc that the Hawthorn stand gave him a standing ovation at the end of the day. Needless to say that he got the three votes in every award going and if my memory is accurate, The Sporting Globe in its summary of his three vote game said "June 6th will always be remembered as "Baldock Day". The Doc had arrived.

Gerry Carlin

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

Doc and Barks

Jackie Elward

Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments

I may have been a lifelong supporter of the Saints, but one day will stay in my heart forever. I won a 'Sports Fantasy' competition on Channel Nine's Wide World of Sports in 1989 and my fantasy was to watch the Saints train and meet them.

I was lucky enough to have won the competition at a time when Trevor Barker was still playing and players like Tony Lockett, Danny Frawley, Nicky Winmar and many others were in their early years. Last, but by no means least, Darrel Baldock was the coach.

Unfortunately, I have only been a witness to the sheer brilliance of Doc via the black and white video I have of the 1966 Grand Final and a couple others. I still marvel at how brilliant he was and how fortunate we were to have him as one of ours.

Although I am only in my 30s, when I was being introduced to the coach and team, it was actually the introduction to Doc that I was most nervous about. He is, after all, our only premiership captain. I could not believe he was asking me if I wanted to meet the rest of the team before training. Like I would ever say 'no' to Doc.

It would not be the only time I would meet some of those players over the years having attended several of the Best and Fairest Nights. However, that day in 1989 will always be the most special because Trevor Barker was out injured and I was lucky enough to have a conversation with possibly the most loyal footballer to ever play.

I have on tape vision of us sharing a joke - the shot of a healthy and laughing Trevor Barker cannot be surpassed and while the greatest actual football memory for me would be to watch our beloved team win that premiership that they so richly deserve, Darrel Baldock and Trevor Barker hold a space in this Saints supporter's heart that can never be replaced.

Jackie Elward

Darrel Baldock

Martin Kilner

Saints Hall of Fame memorable moments

Whilst I was fortunate enough to see Darrel Baldock play, I recall with great fondness my fathers recollections of his incredible skills and performances.

My earliest childhood memory was being taken by my father to what must have been Linton St to watch training one night, and entering the rooms, I remember him pointing to this man and saying "that's Darrel Baldock". A defining moment in my life and what was I guess my introduction to a relationship with St Kilda F.C. at 5 years of age.

I had seen a hero of my fathers, so to me as a 5 year old this man that I was looking at in a red, white and black jumper was larger than life, and a memory I will always cherish.

Sadly my father has passed on but I always felt a connection of some description between the three of us, and still do.

My father was a policeman who was lucky enough to have been working on the day of the 1966 Grand Final and appears on the video of the game. So whilst I do not recall Darrel Baldock playing I have watched the tape of the game many times as it contains two people who I hold great respect for, and have very early childhood memories of my father and Darrel Baldock.

So Darrel Baldock gets 2 votes, one from me and the other from my father.

Regards
Martin Kilner

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