A SPECIAL memorial service for Midland born and raised sportsman and businessman Keith Slater will be held later this month.

The service will feature tributes from the Slater family, the Midland Guildford Cricket Club and the Swan Districts Football Club.

In a statement a friend of the Slater family Brian Rakich said Western Australia has had several outstanding and champion sportsmen who excelled in both cricket and football.

He said most of them played in Keith Slater’s era before it became virtually impossible to play both sports at the elite level.

“It is fair to say that Mr Slater’s achievements in playing both test cricket for Australia and state cricket for WA, his state football representation including captaining WA to an historic win against the mighty VFL at Subiaco Oval, his triple premiership wins with Swan Districts and his award of the Simpson medal in the 1961 premiership win against the great Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer, rank Keith at the top of the tree,’’ he said.

“His back-to-back cricket premiership wins with Midland Guildford in 1968-69 and 1969-70 were the pinnacle of an outstanding pennant cricket career with Midland Guildford.

“For the state, he was the first WA cricketer to make more than 2000 runs and take over 100 wickets for WA.

“Mr Slater was made a Member in the Order of Australia for his services to sport.

“He is also remembered by the Midland community as the founder, with his great mate Kevin Gartrell, of Slater Gartrell Sports, which continues today as a leading supplier of sporting goods to the Midland and wider state community.’’