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Ray Baartz

Ray Baartz
Personal information
Full name Raymond Henry Baartz
Date of birth (1947-03-06) 6 March 1947 (age 69)
Place of birth Newcastle, New South Wales
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Playing position Striker
Youth career
1963 Adamstown Rosebuds
1963–1965 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1974 Sydney Hakoah 236 (211)
National team
1967–1974 Australia 48 (18)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 August 2007.
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 August 2007

Raymond Henry "Ray" Baartz (born 6 March 1947) is an Australian former soccer player. He represented Australia 48 times, scoring 18 goals, making him the 8th highest goal scorer of all time.

Baartz was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and spent his early years playing for Adamstown. At 17 he joined Manchester United and after 6 months signed on a two-year contract. In 1966 he returned to Australia and transferred to Sydney Hakoah for a then Australian record of ₤5600. He played 236 club matches scoring 211 goals.

Baartz was selected in the Australian squad to play in the World Cup finals in 1974 but his career was prematurely ended after he was felled by a blow from Uruguay's Luis Garisto in a friendly international fixture at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The blow to his throat had damaged his carotid artery.

Ray currently still lives in Newcastle.

Baartz was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.

Baartz Terrace in the Sydney suburb of Glenwood is named for him.

On 5 December 2000, Baartz was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for services to soccer.

On 12 July 2012, Baartz was named in the Greatest ever Australian team.


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Wikipedia

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