David McNamara introduced his friend Ken Piesse, who is a sporting journalist: a master storyteller and Australian sports most published living author. 
 
Ken has a rare passion for cricket and football.

 

Ken Piesse told she saw his first game of VFL football at old Glenferrie in 1963.

His Dad went to Scotch and barracked for Hawthorn, and the ground became a second home for young Ken growing up.

In time he played a game of cricket there, for the Prahran second XI against Hawthorn East Melbourne and as the youngest in the team (16 turning 17)  his job was to fetch the  straight hit balls onto the railway tracks.

He still loves Hawthorn and many of his 80 books have been written on behalf of past Hawk giants from Dermie and Dunstall to the Rat, the Big Fish and Dipper.

 

Ken worked as a sporting journalist The Sporting Globe and The Herald/Sun, and he told us about some of the interviews he conducted:

Laurie  Nash was a Test cricketer and Australian rules footballer who captained South Melbourne in 1937 and was the team's leading goal kicker in 1937 and 1945. When Ken interviewed him, he had only one question prepared, but as Laurie spoke continuously for over two hours, he had to wait to ask: “Who was the best player ever?”

He received the answer: “The man I see in the mirror every day”!

 

On the other hand Bill Ponsford, one of the finest opening batsmen produced  by Australia, was extremely reticent.  Ken had half-a-dozen questions prepared, but they all received “yes” or “no” answers.  At a loss, Ken asked where were Bill’s cricket memorabilia, only to be told Bill had used the stumps as garden stakes, and blazers as bedding for his dogs.

However, once started, Bill opened up, and told Ken about his experiences in the infamous “Bodyline” Cricket Tests. Happily, this provided Ken with enough material for a four-page story. 

 

His off-field reminiscences included meeting the Archbishop of Melbourne Philip Freyer at a dinner, who asked “What do you do?”

Ken replied that he had just finished a book. 

“You should read another one,” replied the Archbishop. 

 

Ken’s rapid-fire delivery had us on edge, listening to yarns about cricketers from Don Bradman to Dennis Lillee: “Invincible”, the life and times of Sam Loxton, “Born Lucky”, the story of Jack Potter, Australia’s finest 12th man, and his 80th book: “Born to Play”, the Barry Davis story. The interplay between coach Barry Davis and player Peter “Crackers” Keenan was a nice teaser for those who would like to buy the book.

 

Julie Colette thanked Ken for his insights into the stories behind the game which had kept us enthralled. 

 

Ken has been the President of the Australian Cricket Society for 15 years, and he is a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club Media Hall of Fame and the Australian Football Media Hall of Fame.

Cricket Victoria awarded him its Major Media Award for the third time in 2015 for Cricket’s Cinderella Story, Chris Rogers’ extraordinary comeback, published in the ACS’s ‘Pavilion’ magazine.

There is no more published living sports author in Australasia. He will be working again for P & O Cruise Lines as a guest speaker, when cruising resumes.

You may buy a signed copy of his two new books “Favorite Football Yarns” and “Favorite Cricket Yards” via Ken’s website: cricketbooks.com.au

More than a dozen of Ken’s books have been written with leading cricketers Max Walker, Terry Jenner and Brad Hodge and footballers Dermott Brereton, Tony Lockett and Jason Dunstall.