Ken ‘KG’ Cunningham to carry Thomas Seymour Hill premiership trophy onto Adelaide Oval for SANFL Grand Final

Sporting and media legend Ken “KG” Cunningham has achieved just about everything in his long career. But it’s his latest honour that has moved him emotionally.

Ken “KG” Cunningham’s beloved West Adelaide won’t be there but he believes Norwood and Sturt will.

When the South Australian media legend and former top SANFL field umpire and state cricketer carries the famous Thomas Seymour Hill premiership trophy onto Adelaide Oval for this year’s SANFL Grand Final, he thinks it will be adorned in Redlegs and Double Blues colours.

“I’d love West to be there but Norwood and Sturt are the two sides who are performing the best at the moment, so it looks like they’ll be fighting out the big one,’’ said an emotional Cunningham after being named the SANFL’s 2024 premiership cup ambassador.

Cunningham, 85, will follow in the footsteps of last year’s cup ambassador, fellow media giant Bruce McAvaney, in playing a starring role on SANFL Grand Final day on Sunday, September 22.

He will have the honour of carrying the premiership cup onto Adelaide Oval prior to the flag decider.

It will be the latest honour in his glittering sport and media career.

Ken Cunningham with the SANFL premiership cup at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“Anything to do with the glorious Adelaide Oval and the SANFL is fantastic,’’ Cunningham said.

“I’ve spent half of my life there, playing cricket and umpiring footy, and it’s always such a pleasure to come to the ground.

“Grand final day in the SANFL is very special to me because I was lucky enough to umpire four of them and to be a part of the day again is a very big honour and something I will cherish.

“My family will be there, so I can’t wait, it will be a very happy day.’’

Cunningham was a SANFL field umpire from 1961-67 and officiated four consecutive grand finals from 1963-66.

He also played 97 first-class cricket matches for South Australia as a batting all-rounder from 1960-61 to 1974-75, captaining the team seven times and being a member of three Sheffield Shield-winning teams.

Cunningham then went on to become one of SA’s most respected sports commentators, where he became famous for his catchcry “Strike me pink’’.

He was an inaugural inductee into the Adelaide Oval Media Hall of Fame in 2016 and in 2022 had the Oval’s media centre, in the Riverbank Stand, named after him.

In a nice coincidence, the SANFL premiership cup was named after former Norwood and SANFL secretary Thomas Seymour Hill following his retirement in 1963 after 37 years service with the two organisations – the year Cunningham umpired his first grand final.

Ken Cunningham with the Thomas Seymour Hill premiership trophy he will carry onto Adelaide Oval on SANFL Grand Final day. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Cunningham’s fondest football memories at the Oval were watching West beat Norwood in the 1961 decider, which was dubbed the “Turkish Bath” grand final because of the furnace-like 35-degree heat, and umpiring the 1964 grand final after South Adelaide came from bottom in 1963 to beat Port Adelaide in the finale.

West and South were both captain-coached by Cunningham’s great mate, legendary SA footballer and coach Neil Kerley.

“That ‘64 premiership was unbelievable, for Kerls to be able to take South from bottom to top in one year, and the unbelievable feeling on the ground afterwards, I’ll never forget it,’’ Cunningham said.

“I remember Kerls’ mother raced out and patted me on the back as she walked into the group and then there was the incredible joy on the South players’ faces, men like Ian Day and David Kantilla.

“I don’t care what anyone says, the SANFL’s a fantastic competition, you can go there and stand on the mound, as I used to as a spectator, have a pie, or a beer like my dad did, it’s real footy, I grew up with it and I’ve never forgotten those days and never will.’’