Always highly regarded by teammates and opponents, his popularity with the public grew remarkably late in his career, especially after his Adelaide heroics. A testimonial (Mackay, like most Australian cricketers of the time, was an amateur) with the slogan 'A Bob in for The Slasher' raised the then substantial sum of five thousand pounds, and a street and the main oval at Toombul District Cricket Club were named in his honour. His autobiography, Slasher Opens Up, is regarded as one of the very best cricketer's books, as much for its humour and honesty as for its heroics. Mackay died early in 1982 but, as Jack Pollard wrote in his definitive 'Australian Cricket, the Game and the Players', "while cricket is played in Australia, he will be fondly remembered". He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to cricket in 1962. External links 1925 births 1982 deaths Australia Test cricketers Queensland cricketers Queensland cricket captains Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire Australian cricketers Cricketers from Brisbane Sportsmen from Queensland