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Born 29 Sep 1938, 179 cms high and 87 kg, his nick-name was "The Doc". He will always be remembered as Captain of St Kilda's 1966 one and only premiership side (they were runners up in 1913, 1965, 1971 and 1997) and one of the greatest figures in the club's history. He was recently named Captain of the Saints' Team of the Century.
He played cricket for the Tasmanian State Team before going to Victoria, where he played 119 games and kicked 236 goals with Saint Kilda from 1962-68.
Darrel made his football debut with East Devonport in Tasmania in 1955 under legendary coach Lindsay Webb
and played for the Tasmanian State Team when he was 18. He was captain-coach for Tasmania's Latrobe team in 1959. The Saints recruited him from Latrobe in 1962.
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 The 1969 Tasmanian Carnival team that failed to win a match in Adelaide. Darrel Baldock was the vice captain and is pictured third from the right in the front row.
The following year saw what some people have called Tasmania's greatest ever victory. On June 14th 1970, Tasmania came from behind to seal an eleventh hour win against Western Australia at North Hobart. The Tasmanians were fired up by remarks made by Western Australian captain Graham 'Polly' Farmer who stated on TV that if WA could not beat Tasmania "we ought to give the game away".
The Tasmanians took the initiative from the first bounce with Baldock proving he was far from "too old" as claimed by some critics. He kicked 1.1 and was named amongst the best players for Tasmania.
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The 1970 Tasmanian team - vice captain Darrel Baldock is pictured on the left of the back row.
The game, which Tasmania won 18.10.118 to 17.14.116, was only the fourth victory against WA over 16 clashes since 1911.
Baldock was instrumental in sealing victory, taking a mark from John Devine
a minute before the siren and then kicked the ball to John Bingley
hitting him on the chest about 40 yards out on a flank. Bingley was a notoriously bad goalkicker but in one of the most tense finishes to a game scored and the crowd went wild.
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Darrel Baldock , playing coach of the 1972 Tasmanian team is pictured fifth from the left in the front row.
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 Darrel Baldock was the non playing coach of the 1975 Tasmanian team. He is pictured in the centre of the front row wearing the tracksuit.
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His first VFL game was against Collingwood and it created enormous interest as he was already rated a football 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. Also known as "Mr Magic" his ground skills were phenomenal and his courage legendary, turning and weaving to storm past his opponents. Although short (177cm) he played at centre half-forward and controlled the St Kilda forward line.
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A Mobil Photo Card of Darrel Baldock from 1966 |
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The 1966 St.Kilda premiership side. Darrel Baldock is pictured sitting third from the right in the front row. |
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Baldock won St Kilda's Best and Fairest Award in 1962-63 and 1965. He also topped their goalkicking from 1962-1965 and was club captain from 1963-68. He captained Victoria in 1966-67 and the all-Australian team in 1966.
He returned to coach in Tasmania in 1969 and became an integral part of North-West Football Union - now the NTFL. "Mr Magic'' captained his beloved Latrobe Demons to a record four straight NWFU premierships from 1969 to 1972.
Once back in Tasmania he became a Member of Parliament, which included the portfolio of Minister for Transport in the House of Assembly.
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Darrel 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. He suffered a minor stroke in 1987, but continued to coach the Saints until the end of 1989. He has now retired to Tasmania where he races horses.
At the launch of the NTFL's 2001 season Darrel Baldock was honoured by having the Northern Tasmania Football League 2000 Best and Fairest medal named after him.
Darrel Baldock is a member of the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame along with other Tasmanian Football Legends such as Arthur Hodgson
, Rex Garwood
, Horrie Gorringe
, Bruce Carter
, Terry Cashion
, Roy Cazaly
, Royce Hart
, Peter Hudson
, Laurie Nash
and Ian Stewart
.
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