Born in Surrey, England, Puckett emigrated with his family to Adelaide, South Australia, and took up playing both sports early in life.

Puckett was born in Beddington Corner on 21 February 1911, at the time part of the Croydon Rural District in Surrey.

[11] Considered one of the finest players in the state league, Puckett was again named in the South Australian team for the 1934 interstate tournament—the inaugural edition of the Claxton Shield.

[13] Having again represented South Australia at the 1935 and 1936 Claxton Shields, Puckett was awarded the inaugural Capps Medal at the end of the 1936 season, as the best player in the league.

In his first match, against the Melbourne Baseball Club, he only had one hit recorded against him, with The Daily News reporting that he was "the fastest pitcher seen in Victoria for years".

[17] At the season's end, Puckett was awarded the Lansdown Medal as the association's best player, having also represented Victoria at the Claxton Shield.

[18] However, Puckett left Victoria at the end of the year for Perth, Western Australia, where he had accepted a position working for the publishing house of The West Australian.

He maintains great speed throughout a game of any length—this alone is an achievement, and his curves are definite breaks, not just round house deliveries.

His control is exceptionally good, and his catcher knows that whenever he signals knee-high, shoulder-high, inside or outside, curve or speed ball—Puckett will deliver it unerringly.

The Sunday Times noted prior to the beginning of the season that Press would "have as their pitcher Charlie Puckett, the outstanding baseballer in Australia".

[22] Puckett was selected to pitch for Western Australia at the 1938 Claxton Shield held in Perth, which marked the first occasion that the state would participate in the tournament.

After moving to Perth, he took up playing for the West Australian Newspapers side in the Mercantile Cricket Association,[31] gaining a reputation as a fast opening bowler—indeed, in his first four matches for the team, he had averaged at least ten wickets in every game.

[38] Replacing the unavailable Ron Halcombe, also a fast bowler, he took the wickets of two tail-enders in South Australia's only innings, with the match ending in a draw after three days.