Ron Sharpe

Ronald Maxy Sharpe (11 March 1905 – 24 October 1972 in Adelaide, South Australia) is regarded as South Australia's and Australia's finest ever baseball player.

Sharpe began his representative baseball career when he played his first interstate game for South Australia as a pitcher in 1921 at the age of 16. He then went on to represent South Australia for more than 18 years, becoming vice-captain and selector in 1928 and again in 1930 before taking over the captaincy from 1932. Sharpe was one of the first players in the Claxton Shield, helping South Australia to victory in the inaugural 1934 Claxton Shield as well as 1935 where he pitched 15 innings in the final against New South Wales and the 1936 Claxton Shield. He retired in 1946, missing only 1926 and 1939 through illness and the war years. His most notable performance was striking out 19 batters while conceding only three hits and four walks against New South Wales in 1931.

He played, pitched and coached the Goodwood Baseball Club in the South Australian Baseball League competition from 1922 to 1946, during which time the club won 16 premierships and was runner up four times. He won a number of league and club best-player awards in his time. His deeds also caused the Helms Foundation to present to the Australian Baseball Council (now Federation) a perpetual trophy to be awarded to the most valuable player in the Claxton Shield series each year. It is called the Ron Sharpe Trophy and was presented in his honour.

Ron Sharpe (businessman)

Ronald Douglas Sharpe, OAM (born 1950) is an Australian businessman.

Life and career

Sharpe is a joint managing director of Industrial Holdings Pty Ltd. Sharpe is an award winning Carpenter, a Licensed Commercial Builder, a Licensed Mechanic and has built a career in the field of civil engineering. Throughout his life he has been involved in civil infrastructure and road maintenance through the Sharpe family business. His sons, Richard, Hayden and Michael Sharpe are now Joint Managing Directors of Sharpe Bros (Aust.) Pty Ltd. Sharpe Bros, a leading Australian roads company, was named 2008 New South Wales Family Business of the Year by the peak body of families in business, Family Business Australia.

Ron Sharpe was the Founding Chairman of the Road Profiling Association of Australia, which evolved to become a part of the Australian Asphalt Pavement Association. As part of the celebration of AAPA's 40th anniversary in 2009, he was recognised for his services to the industry.