Cricket ACT is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of ANU life member Dr John Beaton

Below is courtesy of ANU Cricket Club

Former ANU Cricket Club cricketer, administrator and life member, Dr John Beaton passed away in the early hours of Tuesday 6 November.

John joined ANUCC as a brash young Californian baseballer and surfer (and anthropologist) in the mid 1970’s when he came to ANU to undertake his PhD.  After wandering past the cricket nets at South Oval one afternoon, he became fascinated, and later infatuated, with the game.  He fell in love with cricket and played for and helped administer ANUCC for the next 40 years.

As a player, John’s career extended from the late 1970s to the early 2000s. He was at his best as an effective third grade opening batsman during the early 1980s. And while his bowling never developed the subtlety that cricket requires, like a straight arm, his baseball background ensured that he was a formidable fielder.

John’s initial foray into the club’s administration was in the 1979-80 season when he was the Assistant Treasurer.  His administrative abilities were quickly recognised and he was elevated to be the Deputy President for the next 2 seasons in 1980-81 and 1981-82.  It was during this time that John had a brief illness, when he had a heart attack while training at South Oval, but like many things in his life he overcame it, and in 1982 John leapt up to the Presidency.

John was President of the club in 1982-83, 1983-84 and in 1984-85. 

For the next 8 years, John’s career took him out of Canberra, initially back to his beloved California with his new wife and two lovely young children and then to Melbourne where he developed his passion for footy and, in another of life’s great trials, Carlton Football Club in particular. 

On returning to Canberra in 2003, John was immediately thrust back into the role of club President following a very successful term by Vic Cristofani who had been the President for the preceding ten years.

John remained President of the Club until 2015, serving a total of 16 seasons as ANUCC President. During his time at the helm, John presided over a great deal of change at the club, stabilising and rebuilding both its administrative structures and its playing and training facilities.

He was made the 17th Life Member of the ANU Cricket Club in 2014. Until his death John continued to serve the club as a member of the ANU Cricket Club Scholarship board, a scholarship that he helped establish and was passionate about always.

John will be remembered as a great club man, who loved his club and all of its members. He entertained us all with his quick wit, turn of phrase and, at times, wonderfully quixotic view of the world. He was always happy at ANU North and South Ovals on a Saturday afternoon, where he and his dogs will be missed this season, and for many seasons to come.