Bob Hawke’s legacy in politics is legendary, but his love of sport is perhaps one of the main ways he chose to interact with Australians before and after his Prime Ministership.

Indeed, one wonders if summer telecasts of the Test cricket will ever be the same without the sight of the 1954 world record holder for beer skolling downing a drink at the urgings of a raucous crowd.

The 23rd Prime Minister not only used sport to meet his countrymen, but made it the platform on which some of his greatest political achievements were based.

The Australian sport colours of green and gold were adopted as the national colours in 1984 at Hawke’s instigation.

Former Australian cricket captain (in green and gold) and former PM Bob Hawke share a moment at the SCG in 2015. Photo: Getty 

A year earlier, Hawke famously wore a red, white and blue Australian logo suit jacket when celebrating Australia II’s win in the America’s Cup.

In Perth when the race was won, an ebullient Hawke told the nation on live TV that any boss who sacked workers for not turning up “is a bum”.

Hawke told the ABC in later years  “I’m very proud of it in one way [and] very disappointed that all the other, many brilliant things I’ve said are never mentioned. ‘What’s the most brilliant thing Hawkie ever said?’ It’s the ‘bum’ one.”

Given yachting, until that time, had been seen a rich person’s sport, the longtime unionist also put the win in context, claiming it represent more than just a sporting achievement.

“America was the leading technological nation in the world and this was one of the things I loved – here was little Australia popping up with [winged keel designer] Ben Lexcen’s new technology and knocking the buggers off,” he said.

Bob Hawke with Australia II skipper John Bertrand and yacht owner Alan Bond (centre) in 2013 at a luncheon for the30th anniversary of the America’s Cup win. Photo: Getty 

As Prime Minister, Hawke also took a leading stance in opposition to the South African government’s apartheid policies, first campaigning against it as ACTU president and then standing by the earlier Whitlam and Fraser government’s ban on Australian sport team’s touring there.

His love of horse racing was also legendary, with a famous Fairfax photo capturing him at the ACT Racing Club cheering on the Bart Cummings trained Bau Zam while in the company of a more restrained Queen Elizabeth II.

Tweet from @TroyBramston

Hawke’s former press secretary Barrie Cassidy told the ABC this week that he had a bad first day in his new job when he inadvertently threw out the PM’s racing form which contained detailed handwritten notes on every race.

Cassidy also gave ABC Breakfast an insight into Hawke’s attitude when among Australians at sporting events – basically, anything goes.

Tweet from @BreakfastNews

Hawke often took to the cricket field, at one time famously opening the batting with British PM John Major at a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

Perhaps his most famous cricketing moment was when he almost lost an eye while playing against the parliamentary press gallery.

In 1985, the Hawke government also established the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), having moved towards a more balanced funding model for Australian sport in which resources were made available for both elite competitors and greater participation at a community level.

Bob Hawke with Hawthorn’s winning skipper Michael Tuck in 1989. Photo: Getty  

The ASC was designed to give sports organisations a greater say over the development of sport in their areas.

During his Prime Ministership Hawke was a regular at sporting events, on hand often at the NSW Rugby League grand finals and also at one of the greatest VFL grand finals of the modern era between Hawthorn and Geelong in 1989.

On Friday the flags of the MCG were flown at half-mast to acknowledge Hawke and his life as one of the nation’s most high profile sports enthusiasts.