Former East Fremantle Football Club president, WA Tourism Commission chair and Fremantle Dockers board member Len Hitchen has died aged 90.
Former East Fremantle Football Club president Len Hitchen has died aged 90.
Mr Hitchen – a former chair and chief executive of the WA Tourism Commission, industrial advocate and chair of Perth’s Taxi Industry Board – also provided decades of service to all levels of Australian Rules Football in Western Australia.
In 1964, as a member and supporter, Mr Hitchen began his affinity with the blue and whites, who were known back then as “Old Easts”, prior to their re-branding as the Sharks in the early 1980s.
By 1989, he joined the East Fremantle board as a director, serving until 1991, when he was elected club president.
Under Mr Hitchen’s watch, the Sharks enjoyed a run of sustained on-field success, winning league premierships in 1992, 1994 and 1998.
In 1997, the club’s centenary season, East Fremantle also reached the grand final, however were pipped by a goal against traditional derby rivals South Fremantle.
While naturally disappointed with going down in the 1997 decider, both Mr Hitchen and league coach Tony Micale left no stone unturned in their bid to ensure the Sharks bounced back quickly.
This determination paid off the following year against West Perth in the grand final at Subiaco Oval, with several players foregoing travel and commitments elsewhere to ensure the Sharks reached the top of the premiership summit.
During Mr Hitchen’s reign until the year 2000, which ended in grand final defeat against East Perth, the club ran like a well-oiled machine – mirrored by the on-field feats of Stephen Bilcich, Martin Mellody and Damien Condon at the time.
Mr Hitchen also had a close association with the Fremantle Football Club, serving as a director between 2001 and 2007. Along with this, he was a member of the club’s interim board in 1994 and was elected vice president between 2002 and 2005.
This service was recognised by the West Australian Football Commission in 2008, when he was awarded life membership, as a nod to his dedication and commitment to the game across all levels.
Mr Hitchen was also highly involved with table tennis at state and international level as an administrator and player, receiving life membership of the Australian Table Tennis Association in 1977.
The Sharks have elected to fly the club’s flag and 1998 premiership flag at half-mast in respect to Mr Hitchen until January 13.
