E.A. (Ted) Pickett

As an all rounder, Ted Pickett must rank in the top echelon of Tasmanian sportsmen. He did not concentrate on one sport and that decision probably cost him national representation. Regarded by many as probably Tasmania's best local-born wicketkeeper, Pickett played for Tasmania nine times in the days when interstate and international matches were rare occurrences in the sporting calendar of this state.

He was also an excellent footballer, winning the Tasman Shield Trophy for the NTFA best and fairest in 1935: he played for the combined northern side for six years against visiting VFL sides Fitzroy (1930), St Kilda (1934) and Richmond (1935).

Not content with those two major sports he also was an excellent tennis player winning the Pardey Shield in 1926 in his last year of school then going on to represent the North in that sport. He also played badminton at a high level in the intrastate series. He was a low handicap golfer.

As an athlete, he won numerous quarter mile events at the popular coastal carnivals. In 1928, he won the Smithton and Latrobe quarter miles and finished second in the Latrobe Gift.

He was also a fine billiards and snooker player. He played in the Australian billiards championship four times and was the first player in 1955 to win the Tasmanian billiards and snooker titles in the one year. He played in three Australian snooker championships, and won the national title in 1955 becoming the first Tasmanian to do so.

Pickett was an outstanding natural, unassuming sportsman who excelled in at least eight sports and his exploits place him high amongst Tasmania's finest athletes.