Cricket 1907

18 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. F eb . 28, 1907. Mr. C. W . ALCOCK . The news of the death of Mr. Charles William Alcock at Brighton on Tuesday afternoon last must have come as a great bhcck to almost everyone, for only to a very few was it known that his condition hud become critical during the last few weeks. It is no exaggeration to state that bis loss has occasioned a gap which can never be filled. How admirable a Secretary be bad beeu to the Surrey County C.C. only those who were inti­ mately acquainted with him and his work can possibly know. There have been many Secretaries whose names will be remembered as long as cricket is played, but Mr. Alcock was the greatest of them all. WheD, on April 6th, 1872, he received the appointment at the Oval, owing to the strong recommendation of Mr. V. E. Walker, who had known his father, the fortunes of Surrey were at a very low ebb, and a state of affiirs generally had been reached which called jor immediate and vigorous treatment if the County were to again occupy a prominent position in the world of cricket. Fortunately, the man proved equal to the occasion, and the revival of Surrey in the eighties was in no small measure due to the efforts its Secretary was at all times ready aud anxious to make for furthering the County’s welfare. In his j oung days he had been a good cricketer, ana haa made many a hundred in club matches, and this practical know­ ledge of the game proved very useful to him when promising players were sent to the Oval to show their form. He was a most bound judge of the game, a great authority on its history, and a capital raconteur. Mr. Alcock was born at Sunderland on December 2nd, 1842, and was educated at Harrow. It was at the School-on-the- Hill that be learnt the game, but although he developed into a gocd player before be left, he did not obtain a place in the Eleven, as he was delicate in chose days and could not have stood the strain which regular match-playing would have involved. George Parr, who was very fond of batting and did not do much coaching, was the professional engaged there when he arrived, but the tuition be received from that famous player was very scanty. In later years be played occasionally for Essex, the Butterflies, Harrow Wanderers, and Incogniti when­ ever bis journalistic duties permitted, aud once had the curious experience of captaining France against Germany in » match at Homburg. On the last- mentioned cccabion he played under the name of A . L. Gallus, and thereby caused much speculation among the natives as lo bis identity ; some suggested that he was really the Prince of Wales, others that he was some notable exile, but all agreed that he was a great nobleman. Mr. Haygartb, in Scores and Biographies, described bini as " a steady bat, a fair change fast bowler, and an excellent long-otop or long-tield.” Although his appointment to the secretaryship of the Surrey County C.C. practically marked the end of his career as an active cricketer, he was in many other ways identified prominently with the game. It was due chiefly to him that the first meeting between England and Australia in this country —at the Oval, in 1880—took place. For several years he arranged the programmes of the Australian, American, and South African teams which visited this country, as well as those of the Parsees and the Gentle­ men of Holland, whilst he was also a most prolific writer on the game. In 1872 he brought out the first issue of Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual, which ran for almost thirty j ears, and in 1882 founded Cricket, of which he had been Editor from the first. Had he lived until the second week in May he would have conducted this journal for a-quarter of a century. To the very last his inter­ est in the piper was as keen as ever, and even during the past week, when he must have known that he would probably not live to see the present number, he wrote making arrangements for its contents. To all those who know how splendid a worker he has always been, the act will be recognised as very charactei istic of him. Of “ Charlie ” Alcock, as he was known to his friends, it would be possible to write many columns if space permitted, which it does not. It was my good fortune to be associated with him in many ways for several years, and I am glad to believe that our frequent inter­ course created a fiiendship which was valued on both sides. In bis moments of leisure, which seemed all too few, he would often relate stories which were bound to be appreciated by his audience, for the manner in which he told them was inimitable. One such, concerning his first appearance at the Oval, occurs to me at the moment. It is betraying no confidence to state that, when he accepted the Surrey Secretaryship in 1872, he found things at the Oval in some dis­ order. One matter upon which he determined to effect an improvement concerned the payment of the pro­ fessionals. Hitherto they had received their money at irregular intervals, and Mr. Alcock decided that in future they should be paid on stated days. He con­ sulted Jupp in the matter, and concluded by saying,— “ So, by the new arrange­ ment, you will always know exactly when to expect your money. Don’t you think you will find that much more c:n - venient than hitherto?” Jupp was obvi­ ously undecided, and shuffled uueasily from one foot to the other, but, being pressed for a reply, at last said —“ You see, sir: it’s like this. Last year, Mr. Burrup, ’e paid me three times for the Lancashire match at the Oval, and—” But the new Secretary bad heard enough to convince him that the new scheme was quite desirable. Another anecdote he told concerned an invitation ex­ tended by the Surrey Committee to the late Fred Morley to take part in a Gentlemen v. Players match at the Oval. Shortly after the offer had been accepted the old Nottinghamshire cricketer injured his bowling hand, and in consequence was unable to play for some time. Mr. Alcock, chancing to meet him shortly before the great match was to take place, said to him, “ I hope, Morley, you will be well enough to appear for us.” Morley’s reply was, “ Oh ! yes. I’ll play. But I sha'n't be able to bow l!" Those who can recall that player’s form as a batsman will be able to understand how much amusement his answer caused. Although he was so prominently iden­ tified with cricket, it is probable that Mr. Alcock will be best remembered owing to his connection with Association foot­ ball. It is not too much to say that he made the game. He was one of the foremost players of his day, and gained his International cap when be captained England against Scotland in 1875. It was, too, under his leadership that the Wanderers won the Football Association Cup in 1872 and in four subsequent years. He was Honorary Secretary of the Foot­ ball Association from 1867 to 1890, , Secretary from 1891 to 1896, and a V ice-1 President from the last-mentioned year until bis death. He was also editor of the Football Annual during the whole time that publication was issued—a period of almost forty years—and always exerted an influence for good on the game as a legislator. The amount of work Mr. Alcock got through must have been enormous. In his younger days he contributed regularly to a host of papers, and he must have possessed a wonderful constitution to nave withstood the strain for the time he did. Often at the Oval I have seen him writing a letter, carrying on a conversa­ tion with several people, and watching a match out of the comer of his eye simul­ taneously. It was quite the exception to find bim unoccupied in any manner, and even when he walked across the ground it would probably be to attend to some little matter or to speak to one of the men engaged there. No more appro­ priate epitaph for him cjuld be possible than “ He was a worker.” F. S. A.-C. [The photograph on the previous page is repro­ duced by kind permission of Messrs. Longman, Green & Oo. from Surrey Cricket: Its History and Associations, edited by Lord Alverstone and Mr. O. W. Alcock.] THE M.C.C. D IA R Y * This useful little publication, which is issued by the authority of the M .C.C., contains much information concerning the first-class cricket season of 1906, which all followers of the game will be glad to possess in so handy and attractive a form. In addition, the fixtures for 1907 are included, as well as the usual diary information, but wbat will be most appreciated are the official decisions on and interpretation of the laws of cricket. It is a capital little production which deserves a hearty reception. * The M.C.C. Diary, 1907. E. T. W. Dennis & Sons: 26, St. Paul's Buildings, B.C. Cloth, is., leatherette, is. Od.