For an arbitrary infinite field k of characteristic p > 0, we describe the structure of a block of the algebraic monoid M_n (k) (all n x n matrices over k), or, equivalently, a block of the Schur algebra San, p), whose simple modules are indexed by p-hook partitions. The result is known; we give an elementary and self-contained proof, based only on a result of Peel and Donkin's description of the blocks of Schur algebras. The result leads to a character formula for certain simple GL_n(k)-modules, valid for all n and all p. This character formula is a special case of one found by Brendan, Kleshchev, and Suprunenko and, independently, by Mathieu and Papadopoulo.
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