A Game Sustained

91 Running out of steam: 1917 groundsman. Keighley secured the services of J.W.Hearne of Middlesex (who appeared for the county between 1909 and 1936, taking over 1,800 first-class wickets) instead of Frank Woolley, while Saltaire still had S.F.Barnes as well as Herbert Sedgwick (Yorkshire on three occasions and Staffordshire between 1910 and 1931). Hearne was engaged in munitions work and then obtained ‘national work’ with one of Keighley’s major engineering firms so as to be available. Undercliffe again contracted with Cecil Parkin, one the big successes of the League in 1916, and C.B.Llewellyn, while most other clubs appointed a professional. As ever, J.J.Booth, the League President, defended the policy of engaging professionals, arguing that ‘the policy of providing reasonable recreation for the workers, raising funds for local charities and wounded soldiers, and keeping alive interest in the game has been justified.’ ‘Public support’ he said, ‘has proved public necessity. The nerve-strain has been relaxed and recuperated…We know, from innumerable letters received, that our efforts are closely watched and warmly approved from our men at the front, who are looking forward to a return to their game.’ His comments inevitably drew criticism. Happy to revisit their old antagonisms, ‘Old Ebor’ reported correspondence from a man in Goole, who complained at his reference to ‘nerve strain’, pointing out that if Booth had experienced a Zeppellin airship raid as he had (like ‘the heavens is falling in’) then he might understand what that really meant. The season of 1917 Despite the state of the war and the country, the Yorkshire sports press tried to give an impression of normality. In April 1917, the Sports Green’un commented that it had attempted to get in touch with all clubs associated with the Hallamshire, Norton and other leagues, and asked them to provide any bits of gossip on a weekly basis. Some of these clubs prepared as best they could in the run up to the 1917 season. Aldwarke Park, for example, benefited from a fresh influx of players from clubs at Greasboro’ and Rawmarsh,