Outside Cricket
After returning from World War II, Hassett operated a sports store in Melbourne; one of his staff members was Victorian Test teammate Neil Harvey. After retiring from cricket, Hassett joined the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a radio commentator in 1956, remaining in that position until 1981. During his time in the commentary booth, he was known for his self-deprecating humour and frequently made fun of his conservative approach to batting during the latter half of his career. Hassett was known for his disapproval of some of the aspects of the modern evolution of cricket, particularly the more aggressive player conduct that contrasted with the more sedate and gentlemanly style of his era. He also served on the executive committee of the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, along with fellow former South Melbourne, Victorian and Test cricketer Laurie Nash. Hassett ran for election as South Melbourne’s delegate to the VCA in December 1953, but was defeated. During the 1954–55 Ashes series in Australia, he wrote for The Daily Telegraph. In 1942, Hassett married Tessie Davis, a Geelong accountant, and they had two daughters. His nephew John Shaw went on to play for Victoria in the 1950s and 1960s. A batsman, Shaw was a regular member of the state team and was selected for an Australian Second XI that toured New Zealand in 1959–60. The MCG has a function room named after Hassett, as does the VCA, which launched a monthly luncheon club in December 1990 named in his honour. In the first year of its operation, more than 500 people joined and a profit in excess of AUD12,000 was made; this money were reinvested in the VCA's promotion of junior cricket. In his final years, Hassett moved to Batehaven on the south coast of New South Wales to pursue his love of fishing. He died there in 1993.
Read more about this topic: Lindsay Hassett
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