For the past 40 years, the old Western Australian mining town of Jarrahwood near Busselton has been home to 64 year-old Mark Cannon.

But back in ’71, Doncaster was home to the then 11 year-old, who supported the old dark Navy Blues, in keeping with the Cannon clan edict.

At that time, Mark’s home away from home was the Royal Children’s Hospital. Born with a mild cerebral palsy, his formative years were punctuated by regular hospital visits and a series of surgeries to correct his leg and assist with his mobility. He also wore calipers through this time.

In early 1971, Mark’s uncle Grindon Cannon, a loyal Carlton Member, contacted the club to ask if a player or two might be able to pay the boy a hospital visit. But as Mark’s younger brother Phil recalled: “Mark was okay to leave not long after the operation and the players missed him”.

“However, the club was kind enough to organise something else for him,” Phil added, “and a letter signed by Bert Deacon later arrived in the mail”.

The letter, dated July 19, 1971, addressed to Master Mark Cannon and signed by Deacon (Carlton’s then Secretary and its inaugural Brownlow Medallist), read as follows:

“Dear Mark, It has come to our notice that you are an ardent Carlton supporter and that you have just come out of hospital after an operation on your leg. Enclosed is a Carlton Year Book and a copy of the autographs of our players for you and we hope you will soon be fit and well again. Yours faithfully,”

Deacon died suddenly whilst in office in January 1974, but his precious correspondence remained in the family’s keep for more than 50 years. And the page of autographs - which included the likes of Nicholls, Jesaulenko, Crosswell, Doull and Coach Ron Barassi – was framed by Mark’s parents and fixed to the wall of their son’s bedroom. 

“When my brother headed west years later the letter and accompanying autographs were passed on to me,” Phil said. “I’ve had them for ages and ages, and we both thought they might be appreciated by the club, as many of the players who signed the paper were Carlton Premiership players who were like gods to us.”

The fact that Carlton has joined North Melbourne in pooling its resources for the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal has not been lost on Phil or his brother.

As Phil said: “In the context of the players’ support for my brother when he was in hospital all those years ago, it’s nice that there’s still this Carlton connection with the kids”.