Background
Eicke was the younger son of George Augustus Eicke (died 28 March 1927) of Saint Kilda, Victoria, and Jessie Forrester, eldest daughter of Thomas Thompson of Acheron, Victoria, grazier.
Eicke was the younger son of George Augustus Eicke (died 28 March 1927) of Saint Kilda, Victoria, and Jessie Forrester, eldest daughter of Thomas Thompson of Acheron, Victoria, grazier.
In 1909, Eicke debuted with Street Kilda at 15 years and 315 days old – becoming one of only six VFL/American Federation of Labor-Congress football players to have played at 15. Eicke began his career playing as a rover, but became known as one of the VFL"s greatest defenders. He was a fine kick and a great mark, despite being only 5 foot 9 inches (175 metres) tall.
He was captain-coach of Saint Kilda in 1919 and 1924.
In Round 12, 1924, Eicke was notably the first of only three captains in league history to have called for a head count. The teams were even. In 1925 he coached North Melbourne in their first year in the VFL. Eicke was later a committeeman of the Street Kilda Football Club.
He resigned from the committee in 1964, due to his opposition to the club"s move from the Street Kilda Cricket Ground to Moorabbin Oval. Eicke died in 1980 at the age of 86 in Prahran, Victoria.
He was one of the inaugural inductees into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
He was also inducted into the Saint Kilda Hall of Fame in 2007.