One of fourteen children, and the son of John Hiskins (1853-1946)[2] and Emma Hiskins (1856-1934), née Thompson,[3] Arthur Hiskins was born inWahgunyah, Victoria, on 9 September 1886. He married Annie Wilhelmina "Minnie" Bett (1897-1986) in 1927.[4][5]
Three of his eight brothers also played senior VFL football:Fred Hiskins (1878–1946), played 50 games with Essendon,Stanley Hiskins (1890–1974), 66 games with South Melbourne, andRupert Hiskins (1893–1976), 74 games with Carlton. His nephew,Jack Hiskins, Fred's son, played 16 games with Essendon.
Recruited fromRutherglen Football Club,[6] Hiskins was a versatile player who was usually used in defence but sometimes pushed up forward. He could kick the ball long distances, and was one of the faster players in the side.
Over his career, he played in six Semi-Finals, three Preliminary Finals, and one Grand Final, selected at centre half-forward,[9] in the 1909 premiership team.[10][11]
He did not play in 1916, 1917, and 1918 due to his war service. He immediately resumed his career, upon his discharge from the army (on 1 September 1919),[12] in the match against Carlton on6 September 1919.
He was reported twice; and was suspended on each occasion.
1912: 31 August 1912 (round 18) — reported by VFL stewardFred Fontaine for striking Collingwood'sTed Rowell, he was suspended for 4 matches:[16] "the investigation committee held that the charge … [of] striking Rowell … was sustained by the evidence, and that being so, they rightly determined that the pugilistic tendency [of Hiskens] should be checked by rustication" (The Leader, 14 September 1912).[17]
1914: 6 June 1914 (round 7) — reported, again by Fred Fontaine, for striking Richmond'sTed Farrell, he was suspended for the rest of the season (i.e., 13 matches).[18]
