Harry Beitzel

Harry Beitzel (from AFL’s website) officiated in 182 senior matches from 1948-60 – including the 1955 grand final. In later years, he became the league’s director of umpiring in 1980/81. In 2006, he was inducted into the AFL’s Hall of Fame for media.

For over 30 years, Beitzel worked in three mediums: radio – 3KZ, 3AW, 3AK, ABC and community radio; print – Footy Week, The Australian, The Herald, Truth and Sunday Telegraph; and television ABC and Channel 9.

Below, Harry who is 85 years young, responds to the proposal for an AFL Vietnam Veterans’ Day Blockbuster next year.

I was thrilled to hear from Austin “Ocker” Robertson, former champion WA Swans and State Full Forward and WA Newspaper sports journalist who is on my Columns email list. He is currently in Vietnam and has made contact with Phil Johns, President of the AFL Vietnam Swans.

His Club has an ambitious plan to have the Sydney Swans v St Kilda match, set down for Sunday 18th August (Vietnam Veterans’ Day), 2013 be officially nominated to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam. It would be similar to our AFL Annual ANZAC Day blockbuster game between Essendon and Collingwood.

I’m honoured to be asked to help promote the concept to start next year. The details are fully explained in the impressive and professional attachments (click here for Ocker’s first and second articles in the Subiaco Post. To download a presentation prepared by the Vietnam Swans, click onto 2013 Vietnam Veterans’ Day Twilight Match. I urge you to open them and read for yourself. The possibilities of developing our Asian market is already underway with The AFL’s development program under Manager Tony Woods and the national teams from the region who compete in the AFL’s International Cup series.

I’m not sure what extra I can do that ‘Ocker’ and Phil have not already covered. I totally support this brilliant idea. It will do good for our International relations with Vietnam and the respect the Vietnam Vets so justly deserve. I congratulate Phil Johns and his team of volunteers. I shall make certain to contact Sydney Swans’ CEO, Andrew Ireland and my mate Kevin Sheedy (coach of GWS) who was the ‘brains’ behind the ANZAC Day match to offer my help.

The AFL’s two Sydney rivals need a naming tag for their future ‘derbies’ and this could be the answer. After all, Sheedy was conscripted into the Army in this dark period of Australia’s loyalty to America to fight in the Vietnam war which the majority of our nation believed we should not have been involved. Our boys who fought so courageously were treated shabbily upon returning home and it took many years to put them back on the pedestal which they rightfully deserved. Similar to our presence today in Afghanistan. Thank heavens for The RSL and the ANZAC DAY tradition which supported the Vietnam Vets. He doesn’t talk about it but Sheeds was not happy his Club’s hierarchy angled to keep him home in Australia. He would give The Viet Vets Day his imprimatur.