Vale Eric Pearce

Kookaburra #148

Hockey Australia pays tribute to Eric Pearce, the first Australian hockey player to compete at four Olympic Games, who passed away recently, aged 94.

Widely regarded as one of the finest forwards ever to represent Australia, Pearce was a powerful centre-forward renowned for his courage, skill and exceptional goalscoring ability. He represented Australia at the 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, becoming the first Australian hockey player to achieve the feat of four Olympic appearances.

Eric played a key role in two of Australian hockey’s most significant achievements, helping secure the nation’s first Olympic hockey medal, a bronze at Tokyo 1964, before winning silver at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games. In recognition of his contribution to Australian sport, he was honoured as Australia’s flag bearer at the closing ceremony in Mexico City.

Among his many career highlights, Pearce scored both goals in Australia’s historic 2-1 victory over Pakistan in 1964, the first time Australia had defeated the international powerhouse. At the 1960 Rome Olympics, he produced one of the great Olympic performances, scoring all eight goals in Australia’s 8-1 victory over Japan.

Born into the legendary Pearce hockey family, Eric was one of five brothers to represent Australia alongside Cec, Mel, Gordon and Julian. Following the family’s migration to Western Australia in the late 1940s, the Pearce brothers played a significant role in the growth and success of hockey in Australia. Remarkably, Eric shared each of his four Olympic campaigns with at least one of his brothers.

At domestic level, Pearce was Western Australia’s leading strike forward for 19 years and represented the state in 12 Australian Senior Championships, helping WA win seven national titles through his remarkable goalscoring prowess.

His achievements were recognised with induction as a founding member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985, where he was the only hockey player included among the inaugural inductees. He was later inducted into the Western Australian Hall of Champions and the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame in 2008.

Hockey excellence extended through the family, with daughter Colleen Pearce representing Australia, winning bronze at the 1983 World Cup and competing at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Hockey Australia extends its deepest condolences to Eric’s family, friends, former teammates and all those touched by his contribution to the sport. He will be remembered as an Olympic pioneer, a Hall of Fame member and one of Australian hockey’s true legends. Forever Kookaburra #148.