Historical information

The Keio University Hawks were one of the first two Aussie rules teams in Japan, along with the Waseda University Bombers. Those teams were formed to play a warm-up game at Yokohama baseball stadium before an exhibition match between VFL teams Essendon and Hawthorn. The first visit by the Keio Hawks to Australia was in September 1988,
About 20 students from Keio and two or three from other universities made the trip. Their visit included training sessions at the Hawthorn and North Melbourne clubs. They then played Japan's first international match against the Sunbury Football Club's under-19 team.The following year they returned to Australia and during this visit played a match in Bacchus Marsh in September 1989. The Keio Hawks returned to Australia over subsequent years in the 1990s included some visits to Bacchus Marsh. During one of these visit a Keio Hawks pennant was presented to the Shire of Bacchus Marsh.

Physical description

Football club banner. Three vertical felt stripes in red and blue with the team name KEIO written in white felt block letters across the width of the banner. Along the top of the banner, a narrow strip of white felt with two metal eyelets to allow for display. Gold coloured textile fringe along the V-shaped bottom of the banner. In a whimsical reference to the university origin of the club, there are two gold felt crossed pen-nibs on the central red section.

Inscriptions & markings

KEIO