BIO

Alexander Henry Hall was born on 24 February, 1929. As a newborn baby, he was taken to his grandparent's tea rooms at Norton Summit. Whilst he was there, the tea rooms were visited by English Test cricketer Patsy Hendren, who was touring with the English cricket team and had just played in the fourth Test at Adelaide Oval. Patsy Hendren picked up newborn Alexander in the tea rooms and thereafter, Alexander was called 'Patsy' by his family and the name stuck - albeit it was shortened to Pat as he got older.

Pat Hall played for Norwood High School where his his team mates included Brian Burke, Neil Dansie, Ivan Holliday, John Marriott, Denis Potts, and Ron Reimann. He joined the Norwood Football Club in 1947 playing in the colts. In 1948 he was playing for the reserves but by mid-year had made his league debut.
 
Under Jack Oatey, Hall went on to play the last seven games of the 1948 season in the league team, but still managed to finish runner-up for the reserves best and fairest award by only one point.
 
A ruckman / half forward with a good mark and reliable kick, Hall was a member of the 1948 League premiership team that defeated West Torrens.
 
At the end of the 1948 season he travelled to Renmark with the Redleg side that beat Port Adelaide in an exhibition match.
 
Unfortunately he missed the 1950 Grand Final win with a back injury and was a member of the side that was soundly beaten in the 1952 Grand Final. It was in this match that he was part of the iconic mark taken by North's Ian McKay; The Mail showed a spectacular photo of McKay, soaring high above Pat Hall in the Grand Final at Adelaide Oval. McKay not only held the mark, but followed it up with a long screw punt that went through the goals. The News reported :  "The picture of North captain Ian McKay's high-flying mark on the front page of Saturday's Mail has set a new high in photographic sales". Hall called it "The best mark I ever felt." 
 
In 1953, at the age of 23, Hall replaced Johnny Taylor as coach of Glenelg and in his first season coached the Tigers to a win against Norwood in the first semi final. He was player coach in 1953-1954, vice-captain in 1955 and went on to play 47 games for Glenelg.
 
In 1956 he returned to Norwood, playing in the Advertiser Cup night series win over South Adelaide and in the side that beat Carlton the following week.
 
Pat Hall retired after playing in the 1957 Grand Final. He was awarded SANFL player life membership in 1958
 
He later became a football commentator on Channel 7 and is the grandfather of former Norwood player Joel Patfull, who played with the Brisbane Lions from 2006 to 2014 before transferring to Greater Western Sydney. Pat Hall's son John played for Norwood from 1980 to 1991 and his father Alexander played from 1928 to 1932.

Pat was awarded life membership at the Annual General Meeting on 15 February 2023.

Alexander (Pat) Hall passed away on 16 April 2024.

R Cialini Nov 2013, C Brown Feb 2023