The man who shouted Bob Hawke a beer at the Sydney cricket test has described the former prime minister as a "legend".
Glenn Brandon, from Berry in NSW, took the opportunity to have a drink with the 82-year-old as he walked past with wife Blanche d'Alpuget on the second day of the test on January 4.
As the crowd "went wild" Hawke downed the cup of Carlton Midstrength in a single gulp.
"I'm 28 so he was a bit before my time," Mr Brandon told ninemsn. "But he's just a bit of a legend.
"You wouldn't give Paul Keating or John Howard a beer if they walked past but you'd definitely give one to Bob Hawke."
Mr Brandon said he was surprised the Labor Party elder was able to skol a beer so efficiently at 82 years old.
"(But) he has had a lot of practice," he said.
Mr Brandon's video of the feat has gone viral on the internet and featured on the television news around Australia and on UK news websites.
After only a couple of days the video had been watched by around 250,000 people on YouTube.
Mr Brandon said Hawke was unlike any politician of the modern era.
"He's a great Aussie bloke. That's why he got that reception from the crowd even before he drunk the beer, just while he was walking through," he said.
"(NSW Premier) Barry O'Farrell and little Johnny (Howard) were just waving from the grandstand. Hawke's not afraid to get down there and get dirty with the people.
"I think it just proved he's got that same sort of attitude and is a likeable bloke."
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