Former Australian cricketer Eric Freeman has passed away at the age of 76.
The first player in Test history to get off the mark on debut with a six, Freeman died on Monday after a brief illness.
An all-rounder, Freeman played 11 Tests for Australia between 1968-1970 and was also a top Australian Rules player, turning out for Port Adelaide in 115 SANFL matches. He was the leading goalkicker in the 1967 season with 81 goals.
Juggling his cricket and AFL careers meant he missed most of the 1968 SANFL season while he was in England with the Australian side, but that didn't stop him appearing for the club in the semi-final the week after returning home.
"Probably one of the most remarkable things came at the end of that 1968 Ashes tour," Freeman's teammate Ian Chappell told Wide World of Sports.
"We were in England for just over four months, and he got home and Port Adelaide picked him for the semi-final the next week against Sturt.
"It was quite amazing that they picked him, given he hadn't played a game all year and he'd been in England playing cricket.
"He was great all-round athlete, very strong.
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/er...e-legend/6bf3df5f-95d9-4757-8ef7-b0b287c8eb74
The first player in Test history to get off the mark on debut with a six, Freeman died on Monday after a brief illness.
An all-rounder, Freeman played 11 Tests for Australia between 1968-1970 and was also a top Australian Rules player, turning out for Port Adelaide in 115 SANFL matches. He was the leading goalkicker in the 1967 season with 81 goals.
Juggling his cricket and AFL careers meant he missed most of the 1968 SANFL season while he was in England with the Australian side, but that didn't stop him appearing for the club in the semi-final the week after returning home.
"Probably one of the most remarkable things came at the end of that 1968 Ashes tour," Freeman's teammate Ian Chappell told Wide World of Sports.
"We were in England for just over four months, and he got home and Port Adelaide picked him for the semi-final the next week against Sturt.
"It was quite amazing that they picked him, given he hadn't played a game all year and he'd been in England playing cricket.
"He was great all-round athlete, very strong.
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/er...e-legend/6bf3df5f-95d9-4757-8ef7-b0b287c8eb74
