Harry Beitzel

Henry John "Harry" Beitzel (born 6 April 1927) is a former Australian football umpire, sports broadcaster and media personality best known for his contribution to Australian rules football.

Beitzel's early career consisted of umpiring Victorian Football League matches, of which he officiated in 182 senior games (including the 1955 Grand Final) from 1948 to 1960. After an operation on his achilles tendon, Beitzel regained fitness and intended to continue umpiring, but instead took up a role in the media for the 1961 season. He joined radio station 3KZ as a replacement for Jack Mueller.

Beitzel later covered football for 3AW, 3AK and the ABC radio stations, as well as writing for the Herald Sun, The Truth, The Sunday Telegraph and The Australian. He also worked on television for the ABC and the Nine Network. His innovations included the introduction of statistics during broadcasts of matches, as well as comprehensive previews and reviews of games. In 2005, Beitzel rejoined 3AW as a semi-regular contributor to Rex Hunt's pre-match show. For some years, Beitzel has filed his Footy Week section each week with the Melbourne Observer newspaper.

In October 1994, Beitzel was sentenced to 18 months jail, with a minimum of eight months to be served, after pleading guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception over matters related to his work for a lottery organisation. He served his sentence initially at Pentridge Prison and then at the open, minimum-security Morwell River Prison Farm. Beitzel strenuously denied that he had ever intentionally committed a crime.