David Boon
A pugnacious Tasmanian batsman whose grit and mustache became symbols of Australia's gritty, world-conquering cricket era in the 1980s and 90s.
Born 1960 (age 66)·Australian cricketer·Birthday: December 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Boon emerged from the island state of Tasmania, a place not then known as a cricket powerhouse, to become one of Australia's most dependable and combative number three batsmen. His career was built on a foundation of sheer stubbornness at the crease, a quality that saw him pile up over 7,000 Test runs and become a fan favorite. Boon was central to Australia's resurgence, providing the steel in the middle order during the 1987 World Cup triumph and the subsequent reclamation of the Ashes. Off the field, his famous mustache and fondness for a beer entered cricketing folklore, most notably linked to the apocryphal yet enduring tale of consuming 52 cans of beer on a flight to England. After retiring, he transitioned seamlessly into roles as a commentator and later an ICC match referee, maintaining his no-nonsense demeanor.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 7,422 runs in Test cricket at an average of 43.65, including 21 centuries.
- Was a key member of the Australian team that won its first Cricket World Cup in 1987.
- Played a pivotal role in the 1989 Ashes series victory, scoring 442 runs and helping Australia regain the urn.
- Represented Tasmania for nearly two decades, becoming one of the state's most iconic sporting figures.
Did You Know?
He is the subject of a famous, likely exaggerated, story about drinking 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London in 1989.
His distinctive thick mustache was his trademark throughout his playing career.
Before his Test debut, he worked as a cadet for the Tasmanian Forestry Commission.
“I'm not getting out. I'm staying here until we win.”
