Earlier this month on January 17, a year after Graham Arthur passed, a small band of his loyal family and friends gathered at the Harp of Erin Hotel in Kew to unveil a commemorative plaque.
The plaque read – Mort’s Corner – in fond memory of Graham "Mort" Arthur, captain of Hawthorn’s first premiership side in 1961. At this spot Graham regularly dispensed football wisdom, glass in hand.
Above: The plaque, Mort’s Corner
Mary Arthur was given the honour of unveiling the plaque assisted by one of her grandsons. MC Kevan Carroll introduced former teammates and close personal friends of Graham - John O’Mahony and David Parkin - to speak of Graham’s on field and off field achievements.
The small audience soaked up every word particularly Graham’s dislike of any early morning training session.
When the social club closed at Glenferrie in 2005, Graham needed a venue to meet and continue the weekly planning for social activities he convened for his beloved Hawks.
He did not want these two key fellowship groups, the Happy Hawkers and Talk Sport with Mort to disappear, such was his commitment to the social fabric of the club. They had to continue.
Graham played golf regularly at the Burnley Golf Club on a Wednesday afternoon with his good mate Mick Boyes. Needing a suitable venue, the nearby hotel, Harp of Erin was a logical choice.
For 27 years Graham and Boyes, joined by Carroll and Michael Derum, met over a glass or two and plotted the agenda for Talk Sport with Mort, which was held on a Thursday night, and the monthly function, Happy Hawkers, held at Box Hill on a Friday.
The four lads were adopted by the barmaid, Mandy, a stalwart of long standing at the Harp of Erin.
‘Her boys’ always sat at the same table, deep in discussion about who would be the next former player to interview. Mandy also made sure that her boys were well supplied with a good lunch and the all-important beverages.
Above: Kevan Carroll, John O'Mahony, Mary Arthur, Michael Derum and David Parkin.
Graham became more than a player, a captain, or a coach of his beloved Hawks when he returned to serve the club in the marketing department in 1983.
In the social club, where he was to reign supreme, he brought something else. The importance of fellowship, connection, and the embracing ‘you are one of us’ feeling to countless fans and members of the Brown ‘n Gold.
His evenings on a Thursday night were a must-attend event, for all levels of the club, be it the Confreres, the gold pass, the cheer squad, the WASH, the Thornbirds, the golf club, the Punters Club, Hawks Forever, the past players or just individuals wanting to belong.
For many fans of the brown and gold, Thursday nights were almost as important as game day. There was the all-important training to watch, the past players raffle, a chat and a feed of dim sims and chips in the trainer’s room, and then the social club.
At 8 o’clock the bell would be rung in the social club and the team for Saturday read out.
This was followed by the spinning wheel and who would win the weekly prizes. Graham was the heartbeat of the evening as he presided overall.
Thursday night’s special event in the Crimmins room was always booked out. Graham hosted the very popular Harford’s Half Hour, followed by Time on with Thommo, and then the ever-popular Talk Sport with Mort, first with Johnny Hay and then with the two walking encyclopedias of sporting fact, Carroll and Derum.
Another very popular event in the social club during that era hosted by Graham was the Yabbie Cup held each year during the finals. It was a quiz event with teams of players drawn from the cubs nine premierships. The questions were adjudicated by Graham’s assistant quiz masters Carroll and Derum much to the delight of the audience as Jason Dunstall and Richard Loveridge argued over ever question. The Yabbie Cup is now on display in the Hawks Museum.
When the social cub closed its doors in 2005, Graham’s loyal audience for Talk Sport with Mort continued, first at the Grace Park Tennis Club, then The Tower Hotel, both upstairs & downstairs, then at the Fire Chief in Camberwell, with a final home at The Glenferrie Hotel.
Another institution at the social club in which Graham played a leading role was the Happy Hawkers. It was first introduced as a Friday luncheon for businessmen with guest speakers drawn from the wide world of sport, golf, horse racing, cricket, athletics and, of course, football. With the closure of the social club, the Happy Hawkers moved to Box Hill and continued until COVID-19 hit, closing such popular functions.
Graham’s engaging and popular personality also saw him MC many a President’s Lunch, club auctions, Family Day, The Kennedy Club and in-house events with the Confreres, Gold Pass and nobody wanted to miss the Thornbirds Oaks Day special.
When the Hawks Museum opened its doors in 1994, he became a much-loved tour guide on a Wednesday afternoon at Glenferrie with former teammates Garry Young and Col Youren. These tours resumed at Waverley in 2009 with Mike Derum, Alan Fraser and Mike Warren until Graham decided it was time to step aside.
Graham’s input to his beloved Hawks didn’t stop there. His amazing knowledge of Hawthorn and its people led to him being invited as an inaugural member of the Life Members Committee and the Hall of Fame Committee.
Graham holds a special spot in the hearts of thousands of Hawks fans who knew him. Graham enjoyed talking to them all… he was the glue that reinforced the term, 'The Family Club'.
Grahams Arthur’s Record
Born June 9, 1936 - Died January 10, 2021
Recruited: Sandhurst FC
Played: 1955 - 1968
Debut Order: 453
First game: Round 1, 1955
Final game: Round 20, 1968
Games: 232
Goals: 201
Guernsey: 2 (1955 - 1964, 1966 - 1968) 28 (1965)
Captain: 1960 - 1968
Premiership: 1961
Night Premiership: 1968
Best & Fairest: 1955, 1958, 1962
2nd Best & Fairest: 1967
Coach: 1964 - 1965 (36 games)
Marketing Department / Social Club: 1983 - 2006
Hawks Museum Tour Guide: 1994 - 2005, 2009 - 2012
Life Members Committee: 2007 - 2019
Hall of Fame Committee: 2007 - 2019
Club honours
Life Member: 1963
Team of the Century: 2001 (Captain)
Hall of Fame Inductee: 2003
Legend of the Club: 2005
VFL/AFL Honours
State Rappresentative: 12
AFL Hall of Fame Inductee: 1996
VFL / AFL Life member: 1999
