Cricket 1892

^ Together joined in cricket's manly toil.”— Byron. Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1892 T H E L A T E G E O R G E P A R R . By R e v . R . S. H o lm es . I n June last I called the attention of a group of young cricketers to a newspaper paragraph announcing the death of George Parr. To my surprise it excited no interest in them; further enquiry revealed that to most of them this famous cricketer was almost, if not altogether, unknown even by name. So quickly perishes a great sporting reputation. The author of the “ Cricket F ield” tells a similar experience. One day, at Lord’s, he pointed out an old Hampshire cricketer to a prominent young amateur. “ That’s Thomas Beagley.” “ Beagley — who’ s Beagley ? ” Mused Mr. Pycroft, “ There was a day when men would as soon have asked, “ Who’ s Pilch ? who’s Parr ? Ay, who indeed?” To many of the older generation a great name, that the present race of cricketers ought to know something abaut; for during 27 years Parr took an active part in front-rank cricket, and for at least one-half of that time was known all over the world, in America and Australia, as the “ Lion of the North,” England’s premier batsman. He was born in the same village where he died—Radcliffe-on-Trent —hard by Nottingham, in May, 1826. His father was a gentleman farmer, and there is a tradition that this farm had been in the possession of the Parr family for something like 200 years. We have yet to learn how he acquired in his teens that remarkable proficiency with the bat which at the early age of 20 gave him a place in the repre­ sentative matches. It is a singular fact that, though Nottinghamshire has produced more cricket litera­ ture than any other County, yet nothing has ever been written about the initial cricket experiences of one of her most famous sons. There must have been cricket in the Parr blood, for his elder brother Samuel was a fixture in the County eleven when George played his first match of importance in 1844 (Butler Parr, playing in the County eleven at the same time, was no relation.) And so rapid was his progress that in the following year, and when only just 19, he figured at head-quarters, as a member of the North of England team in their match against M .C.C.; the North won by an innings, though Parr’s contribution was only one run. Next year, 1846, he was chosen in the Players v. Gentlemen’s annual encounter at Lord’s— then the only match under this title, the matches at the Oval not being instituted until 1857. From that time forward Parr was everywhere regarded as the successor of Fuller Pilch, now well on into the fifties; and This portrait is reproduced from the Boys' Ow i Paper by special permission. his supremacy as a batsman remained intact for some 14 years, when Cambridgeshire sent forth her unequalled pair of batsmen in Hayward and Carpenter. For those curious in statistics, it may be of interest to state that in 1845 and 1846, Parr’s average was 11£ and 17£ runs per innings. But in those days there were only few first-class engagements, whilst County cricket had almost disappeared. The Oval was a market garden in 1845, when the present Surrey Club was formed, and the first match on that ground was played in 1846. There was a Kent County Club, and a Sussex, but no Yorkshire, though Sheffield and Nottingham had met regularly ever since the year 1771; this was virtually a County match, for all the cricket of these famous shires was monopolized by these towns. And as early as 1791—the year when the old Ham- bledon Club broke up finally— M.C.C. had paid a visit to the lace- county town. Still the fact remains that at the time of Parr’s debut , and through many successive years, there was but little first-class cricket. Thus, in 1845, Notts played Kent only, and England. 1846 was a blank, whilst in 1847 her only match was with England. Now, this “ England ” match suggests that Notts even then could boast of a team of very considerable merit, and a peep into an old score book confirms this surmise. There were in 1845 such men as the following doing battle for Notts; William Clarke, of whom more anon; Joseph Guy, after Pilch and Wen- man, the best bat of the day ; Tom Barker, Bartholomew Good, both good batsmen and bowlers: Charlie Brown, a splendid stumper; whilst Bickley and Sam Redgate were famous bowlers—the latter was indeed for two or three seasons the first bowler in England, and is deserving of passing mention, even at this distance, if only for the fact that Fuller Pilch, prince of bats­ men, never could play him. So that Parr’ s inclusion in theCounty’s ranks at 18 years of age was a marked tribute to his youthful abilities. Perhaps the reason why County cricket was just then, and through many following years, in so feeble a condition, may be found in the rise and amazing success of the well-known All-England Eleven, which was started in 1846 by William Clarke, perhaps thegreatest lob bowler of all time, and who for many years had captained the men of Notts. The history of the A E.E.has yet to be written; everybody has heard of it. Clarke may fairly be called the “ Missionary of Cricket.” I hope that my friend, Mr. Richard Daft, will have a lot to tell us in his forthcoming book on this most interesting and least known period in the history of cricket. It may fairly be claimed for Clarke’s enterprise that he