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Richard Pratt, whose unswerving commitment to the Carlton Football Club as a player, sponsor, director, president and patron spanned nearly 60 years, and whom history will unquestionably record as the man who saved Carlton, has died after a long battle with prostate cancer.
He was 74.
Richard’s presidency of his beloved Blues lasted just 499 days. But few club presidents before or since could justifiably lay claim to having achieved more in office, or of making such a profound imprint on a place and its people.
Carlton President Stephen Kernahan, the key figure who somehow convinced “The Cardboard King” to take on the job in February 2007, has conveyed the sympathies of the entire Carlton Football Club community to Richard’s devoted wife of 47 years Jeanne, son Anthony and daughters Heloise, Fiona and Paula.
Kernahan said that Carlton was forever indebted to Richard for having delivered the once-great sporting institution from the darkest days in its otherwise illustrious 145-year history.
“He made things happen at this Club – giving inspiration, leadership and above all else – belief.
“Even now I feel like I’m still holding the fort for him,” said Kernahan, who assumed the presidency from Richard when the latter stood down in June last year.
“It’s a very sad day for the Carlton Football Club family. Dick Pratt was the man who saved Carlton. There’s no doubt about it.
“He’s as true a Carlton bloke as you will get and what he did for our club in its time of need, when he had other important things in his life and didn’t have to do it, showed his love for Carlton.
“All I can say is that when Dick became President, it was as if everyone at Carlton came out of the hailstorm and into the sunshine. That’s how we all felt.
“February 9, 2007 will be remembered as one of the most significant days in the long and proud history of our Club, it was the day it was announced that Richard Pratt was the new President of the Carlton Football Club.”
It is in his role as President of the Club that Richard will be best remembered, but his contribution is far greater than that. Originally a player with Carlton’s Under 19 and reserves teams; he also served on both the Carlton Football Club and Carlton Social Club Boards and of course supported the Club in numerous ways for many years including sponsorship.
At the time of his death he was the Patron of the Carlton Football Club.
