The Summer Field

12 Where in a town could anyone find a place to play? Youths had to rely on a council park, such as the ‘Corporation field’ in Hull. An unnamed Hull Daily News reporter found an ‘exciting’ but ‘curious’ game, one evening in July 1914. ‘For a wicket there was nothing more elaborate than one of the broad iron columns supporting one of the shelters – a wicket certainly in favour of the bowler. The fieldsmen stood pretty close in, and one player was told off to deputise for the batsman when any running was needed; for the batsman was handicapped by a crooked leg.’ When the ball hit the ‘wicket’, ‘instantly ensued a keen argument as to whether or not the batsman was out’. Boys could always make do, they knew no better; men could do better. Chimneys and Fields