One of the real joys of the Hawks Museum is that you never know whom the next visitor may be. One such surprise recently was when 97-year-old Dulcie Baines arrived with her grandnephew, Craig Brown.

Dulcie had come to show the museum two photos that detailed her late husband, Harvey Baines playing career at Hawthorn. One was a team photo depicted Hawthorn’s 3rd 18, Under 20 team who won the Melbourne Boy’s League Premiership in 1941. The second photo was one of her husband, Harvey Baines, a delightful hand tinted portrait of the period. A smaller copy of this photo can be seen in the top right hand corner of the Under 20 team photo.

Dulcie’s memory of the life and times in the Hawthorn district was extraordinary. She recalled events from 1941, 75 years ago as if it was yesterday. The reason she gave for her husband was not in the actual line up in the team photo was because he was then in the Army in New Guinea. He was to be away for more than five years serving his country during World War 2.

Looking at the team photo Dulcie related tales of most of the players depicted calling them by the first name, many of which we didn’t know.  One player that she delighted in pointing out was Albert ‘Butch’ Prior. Prior was to develop a somewhat cult status when he graduated to the senior team winning the goal kicking four times with a best of 67 goals in 1947. He was known for his unusual kicking style in the manner that he would throw the ball onto his foot. Dulcie laughed to herself when she related this tale, the crowd would cheer wildly when ‘Butch’ Prior kicked a goal. She added that the popular ‘Butch’ Prior worked in a butcher’s shop in Glenferrie Road.

Pointing to Alex Nash she related how the war impacted on so many lives. Nash she recalled had a promising career in front of him at Hawthorn as a hard-hitting back-man, playing one senior game in 1942 against Collingwood when he was on leave from RAAF duties. Unfortunately, he was later killed in action when the bomber he was flying was shot down over New Guinea in 1944.

Another player who brought a smile to Dulcie was the Captain, Jack Hester claiming he was so much fun to be with at the dances held in the gym in the red brick stand after the game. On further reflection she added, he seemed to have lost some of that spirit of fun when he later returned back from serving in the Army in New Guinea. Hester went on to play 15 games mainly on the wing with the seniors in 1947-48.

Dulcie was born in 1919 and she recalls going to Glenferrie as a young girl with her parents. With great pride Dulcie emphasised that this has led her to develop a very deep passion for all things Hawthorn that remains today.

She first met her husband to be, Harvey Baines at the Ballroom Dancing Championships held at the Palais in St Kilda. They were members of the Mickey Powell Dance School and competed together as dance partners at many of the popular suburban venues across Melbourne. Dulcie claimed that she liked to tell everyone that dancing made Harvey a more nimble and agile footballer. They married when Harvey was on leave from the Army in 1944. Dulcie, a born storyteller, laughed that on the day she was married she went to the football first at Glenferrie till three quarter time when her wedding party left for the church.

Harvey had just turned 18 when war was declared in 1941. He immediately joined the Army and was initially stationed in Darwin where he served as a gunner when the Japanese invaded. Dulcie made the point that these attacks on Darwin continued for over a month but was never reported in the daily press at the time to avoid national panic.

Returning from the war Harvey was not fit enough to continue with his football career and initially got a job at a shoe company making cricket and football boots and running spikes. He later worked for the Board of Works and took up playing bowls with his good mate from his Hawthorn days, Andy Angwin who won the Best & Fairest in 1940 and later gained lasting fame as a much loved and admired Property Stewart with the Club for over 20 years.

Angwin remains as one of Dulcie’s favourite players along with such stalwarts as Jimmy Bohan, Alec Albiston, John Kennedy Snr, Peter Crimmins and the entire current team.