Cricket 1908

CRICKET: a w e e k l y r e c o r d o f t h e g a m e . SEPTc MBER 10 , 1908 . i I > 8 — *“ ■$©!— € = '/ ? S C 0 s ? Z ) .i r 1 i .( i f ^ M C 4 A Z T , r B H M . -•— Llaflc .. -e_. . t- ...j 8 © 6 (— - *— 4 ©S “ Together joined in Cricket’s m an ly toil.”— Byron. No . 795 . v o l . x x v i i . THURSDAY , SEPTEMBER 10, 1908. o n e p e n n y . CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. M e . j . A. H. CATTON. There is probably no more widely-read sporting journalist in the world than Mr. Catton, the editor of The Athletic New*, who, as “ Tityrus,” “ J.C .” and “ lied Hose.” must be well known to tens of thousands of followers of cricket and football. He is not only a most prolific and entertaining writer on present-day topics, but a walking encyclopedia con­ cerning the history of cricket and cricketers: it is, in fact, as easy for him to discuss the introduc­ tion of the third stump as to dilate upon the art of “ googlie ” bowling. Like all those who can speak with authority on the history of cricket, he is a very great lover of the game. In reply to the question whether his devotion to sport was hereditary, he said:—‘‘ N o; I cannot say that [ come from a sporting family. My immediate forbears have been either preachers or teachers. There were several dis inguished people born in 1860, bat not one in whom I have taken greater interest than myself. At that time my father, who was a most scholarly tutor, was the first assistant-master at Dr. Goodwin’s School, Crooms Hill, Blackheath, and as he was engaged afterwards at other well known schools in and around London it may be taken for granted that I grew up — though not so much “ up ” as I should have preferred — in a Southern atmosphere. My father was a great lover of sports of all kinds, and was passionately fond of cricket. Ever since I can remember cricket was a subject of conversation at the family table. At breakfast my father used to turn to the cricket reports in the newspapers before any other portion. Like a good schoolmaster he was interested in the pas'imes of his pupils. I have no recollection of w’ben I began to play as a boy. No more can I remember being taught the rudiments of the game than I can mastering the intricacies of the alpha­ bet. My father used to bowl lobs to me, and he was, in his old-fashioned way, horrified if, boy-like, I hit an off-ball across the wicket to the on, and he was always insistent that I should never move my right foot until I was through with the stroke. I had a little instruction from Tom Plumb, the famous wicketkeeper, when he lived at Northampton. Indeed I think that Tom Plumb was the first man who ever put a bat in my hands. That was on Northampton racecourse, where the boys from Kingston’s School used to play in the mid-sixties.” “ How far back does your introduction to first-class cricket date? ” “ I have a vivid reminiscence of my father taking me to Lord’s in 1870 to see a match between United North and United South. The idea was that I should see W. G. Grace make a score. Among the populace it was said that Grace was g^ing to hit George Freeman all over L ord s ground. The Northern faction declared th»*t the famous fast bowler would bowl ‘ W.G ’ first ball, and gr^at was my disappointment when Freeman did bowl the big man when he had scored two. Freeman bowled so fast that day that he had soon to give over. Grace's wicket was the only one that he took, but to capture Grace for a single figure was a feat when I was a boy at school. Yes, and it is no small matter nowadays. In that year we, the family, removed to Hereford and some­ how or other I was always finding my way down to Widemarsh Common, playing all the boys’ cricket I could and regularly watching the county matches with Worcestershire and others. I remember seeing the present Lord Coventry assist Worcestershire. He played in a silk hat and he hit hard. Two or three other figures linger in my memory as helping Herefordshire and among them was Mr. T. B. Jones, a Glamorgan man, who was played for Oxford University as a lowler, and a certain Mr. E . E. Baker, a com­ pact little man with a considerable beard who rivetted my attention in those days by his scientific batting. As a small boy I used to imagine that Baker was a wonder. Hence I was glad to hear Jack Sharp, the Lancashire professional, pay him a compli­ ment a year or two ago. Said Sharp to me :—‘ When I was at school the headmaster was a good cricketer: his name was E . E . Baker. He was a jolly fine bat and taught me a good bit of cricket. He u«ed to bowl lobs at the school. When I went there first he used to get me out pretty often. Then Mr. Baker would go in batting at night. I never could get him out. I used to bowl round the wicket and many a time I thought I had him leg-before but I never managed it, even though the mystery of leg-before was explained to me on the blackboard at school. Mr. Baker was a fine cricketer and I owe much to him.’ It was pleasant to have one’s very puerile impressions