Eric Walter "Fritzy" Freeman (13 July 1944 – 14 December 2020) was an Australian cricketer who played in 11 Test matches from 1968 to 1970. He was also a leading Australian rules footballer with Port Adelaide Football Club, playing 116 games between 1964 and 1972, kicking 390 goals, and playing in their 1965 premiership team.Vale Eric Freeman, David Jenkins, South Australian National Football League, 15 December 2020
Life Born in Semaphore, South Australia, Freeman played cricket for South Australia from 1964–65 to 1973–74. He toured with Australian teams to New Zealand in 1966–67, England in 1968, and India and South Africa in 1969–70. His only first-class century was 116 for the Australians against Northamptonshire in 1968, scored in 90 minutes with five sixes and 13 fours.Wisden 1969, p. 291. His best bowling figures were 8 for 47 for South Australia against the New Zealand team in 1967–68 (11 for 97 in the match).Wisden 1969, p. 860.
Freeman was the first batsman in test history to get off the mark in his test career by scoring a six.
Following his retirement from playing, Freeman was a commentator and statistician on cricket and football for ABC Radio in Adelaide until his retirement in 2010.Eric Freeman puts down his stats pencil
In the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours Freeman was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to sport, particularly cricket as a player, administrator and commentator".
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