Date of birth 7 August 1937 Name John Peck Years Club | Height/Weight 188 cm, 91 kg Died February 2, 1993 | |
Date of death 2 February 1993(1993-02-02) (aged 55) Debut Round 1, 1954, Hawthorn
v. Essendon, at Glenferrie Oval Role Australian Rules Footballer | ||
Original team(s) Canterbury Colts | ||
John Peck (7 August 1937 – 2 February 1993) was an Australian rules footballer, who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
John Peck played for Hawthorn from 1954 to 1966. He was the first Hawthorn player to win the leading VFL goalkicking award. Peck won the award in three successive years in 1963–65. He Kicked 78 goals in 1963, 66 goals in 1964 and 58 goals in 1965. He played in the 1961 and 1963 Grand Finals.
In 1960 Peck kicked the winning goal in a match against Collingwood at Victoria Park, It was Hawthorn's first win after 35 years at that venue.
Peck died suddenly on 2 February 1993 from a heart attack at the age of 55. His death was received with great sadness within the footy community.
Peck was the last player to win the Coleman Medal from the wooden spoon winning side until Brendan Fevola from Carlton won it in 2006.
He played for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association in 1967 and 1968. Most notably during his time at Port Melbourne, Peck was reported for abusing and disputing the decisions of field umpire David Jackson in the second quarter of the controversial 1967 VFA Grand Final; the incident prompted captain-coach Brian Buckley to lead the Port Melbourne team off the ground (a forfeiture was averted when club officials instructed the players to return to the field), and Peck was suspended for six matches for the incident.