International cricket umpire and Te Awamutu local, John Hastie, was inducted into the town’s prestigious Walk of Fame this week at a celebration reflecting his impressive accomplishments.
The ceremony unveiling Mr Hastie’s personalised pou [post] in Selwyn Park was attended by his proud family, friends and several former cricketing greats.
Mayor Susan O’Regan spoke at the event, describing Mr Hastie as a humble achiever, an extraordinary umpire, and an outstanding member of the Waipā community. “John didn’t stumble into his career – it was built on passion, commitment, and a deep love for the game.
“His contribution to cricket spans from the grassroots of our local competitions to the pinnacle of the international game.”
Mr Hastie’s umpiring career was launched in the 1960s and spanned nearly two decades, during which he officiated 48 first-class matches and 12 List A games, including officiating in tests against all of the major cricketing nations.
Mr Hastie, now aged 92, reminisced on his first test match in Christchurch in 1974, when New Zealand scored its historic first win over Australia. “It was quite a ride getting there,” he laughed, remembering the hair-raising flights each way.
“After that first game, it wasn’t until a few years later that things took off. I had some amazing years umpiring four one-day internationals and multiple test matches in New Zealand, when we faced off against England, Pakistan, the West Indies and India,” he said.
Mr Hastie was born and raised in Te Awamutu, with his love for cricket starting right in the heart of Waipā in the late 1950s, playing in local weekend competitions at Pirongia.
He was nominated for the Walk of Fame by his son, Richard, and now joins 34 other Te Awamutu local heroes and role models who have achieved world recognition in their fields. Previous inductees include musicians Neil and Tim Finn, Ngāti Maniapoto chief Rewi Maniapoto, six-time Olympic equestrian Andrew Nicholson and golfer Philip Tataurangi.
This was the first induction since 2022. The Walk of Fame was officially opened by the late Kingī Tuheitia on November 15, 2009.
