Cricket 1899

2 O AJUL jjr L ' l cv 7 Jfck > 8 — *•: _)J© mff V»v f W - ic— 3 - P f j yJpfra* -JeJ— lb Br *- . ,.j 9 <p e p p f / i i ^ ) M c ....- “ Together joined In Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. no . : b 2 3. v o t . x v i i i . THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1899. p r ic e aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD- M E . W ALTER B AD E L E Y PATTISSON . A partner in the well-known firm of solicitors, Messrs. Hores, Pattisson, and Bathurst, M r. W . B. Pattisson left Ton­ bridge School at the age of sixteen’ to enter a solicitor’s office. The result of this was that he was only able to play inter­ mittently for Kent, which is very greatly to be re­ gretted, for it was admitted on all sides that he would have been one of the pillars of the county if he had been able to practise and play regularly. Even as it was, with no serious practice at all, he was a valued mem­ ber of the team for several years, for, in addition to being a good bat, he was a good wicket - keeper, although on account of pressure of business, he was continually obliged to de­ cline invitations to play. In two or three matches he captained the team. He made his first appearance for Kent in the Sussex match at Brighton, in 1876, and made 0 and 3 6 ; but he was bom in Essex, at Witham, and was often asked to play for that county. He entered Tonbridge School at Michael­ mas, 1863, when he was nine years old, and was in the eleven in 1869, 1870 and 1871, being captain in his last year, and always keeping wicket. Among his contem­ poraries in the eleven were the Bishop of Hongkong; Mr. C. M . Chapman, the newest Metropolitan Stipendiary; and Mr. Walter Slade, the amateur ex­ champion long-distance runner. After he gave up first-class cricket Mr. Pattisson was elected on the Committee of the Kent C.C.C., in 1888; he is vice- chairman of the managing committee of which Lord Harris is chairman, and is also a member of all the sub-committees. From 1872 to 1880 he was hon. sec. of the Tonbridge C.C., and in 1886, 1887, and 1888 he was hon. sec. of the Bickley Park C.C.. for whom he made many hundreds. A t that time he was a distinct thorn in the side of the Beckenham C.C., for although he married and went to live at Beckenham in 1881, he made 128 against the club that year, and a year or two later 110, 90, and 100 in three following matches against it. In 1885 he had a fine run of big scores, between the August 17th and 28th, for Sevenoaks Yine, Tonbridge, etc., scoring 102, 70, 105, and 112, while in the following year for Bickley Park he made 111, 118, 95, and 69 in four successive innings. It was only to be expected that*when Mr. Pattisson and Mr. W . H . Patterson were playing in the Kent team at the same period there should sometimes be confusion because of the similarity of the names. “ This began in the very first match that Harry Patterson played,” said Mr. Pattisson. “ I had been play­ ing for Kent at Huddersfield v. Yorkshire, and was then recalled suddenly to town. As Kent had to go on to Old Trafford, a telegram was sent to W . H . Patterson, who, up to that time, had not played for Oxford or for Kent, and was comparatively unknown. When I opened the papers in London on the morning after the Lancashire match began, I found in all of them that W . B. Pattisson had gone in first and made 26, not out, and various nice references were made to my style, etc. The mistake was a natural one, for we both went in first and seldom, if ever, played for the county together. The confusion in the names has gone on ever since, to the considerable increase of my reputation even to this day, and you would be surprised at the number of people that I have to undeceive. I suppose that the majority of my corres­ pondents give my initials as W . H . In Kent the reflected glory which I derive from Harry Patterson’s fame is a standing joke.” “ Was not the match at Huddersfield to which you re­ ferred a little remarkable ? ” “ The Yorkshiremen had made a big score and we had to go in on a wicket which was absolutely ruined by the rain and was exactly suited to Bates and Peate, who were then at their best. W e gave a shocking exhibition in the first innings. I remember that Lord Harris made thirteen— the top score— and that he gave several chances during his innings. Of course, we chaffed him considerably when he came in, with MB. W. B. PATTISSON. (From a Photo by Lavender , Beckenham, Kent.)