Few people would have passed through school with a sporting résumé comparable to Ken Slater.

Attending Camberwell Grammar School, Slater excelled in a quartet of sports – cricket, tennis, football and athletics.

In the summer of 1941, his final year of school, Slater started the year in scintillating batting form for the cricket team, posting knocks of 172 not out and 140 in a matter of weeks.

In the winter, he was named vice-captain of the football team.

In the spring, he took out the one mile race at the Associated Grammar Schools athletics championships.

To finish off the year, Slater entered the boys’ singles and doubles events at the state tennis championships.

He won both titles.

To the surprise of some, Slater initially chose the football path following his schooling.

He debuted for Hawthorn in Round 11 1943, playing six games for the season for six goals.

Across the next two years, the half-forward added another 21 games and 14 goals to his career tallies.

Following a spate of injuries that restricted him completely in the second half of the 1945 season, Slater decided to finish up his career with Hawthorn.

His decision was also likely influenced by his tennis career gaining traction. 

Less than six months after his last VFL game, he entered the singles and doubles events of the 1946 Australian Championships, now known as the Australian Open.

He was afforded a bye in the first round before easily accounting for South Australian Tom Warhurst in the second round.

His championships were swiftly ended in the third round when 1939 winner John Bromwich proved too strong for Slater.

Slater and his doubles partner John Heathcote were unable to surpass the opening round in the doubles event that year – a result he would repeat in 1948.