Famous Cricketers No 1 - Jack Hobbs

DEREK LODGE - IN MEMORIAM DEREK LODGE had a lifetime fascination with statistics and each year in his youth eagerly awaited the publication of Wisden searching the bookshops on publication date. He had a fantastic photographic memory, which held him in good stead throughout his life. For 22 years he produced the Statistical Notes for the quarterly Newsletter of The Cricket Society and was the Vice-Chairman of the Society from 1992 to April 1996. Drawing upon a deep knowledge of the history and traditions of the game, he placed records in their overall context - the time, the place, the conditions. At the same time his deeply analytical approach did not lead him into the trap of viewing the past as some perpetual golden era. There was always realism, with no rose-coloured glasses. The apotheosis of Derek’s very individualistic approach was his seminal work Figures on the Green published in 1982. His other books were The Test Match Career of Ted Dexter published in 1989 and The Test Match Career of Walter Hammond in 1990. For many years he was associated with the Middlesex County Cricket Club Annual Review as editor and statistician and his by-line could also be found in newspapers such as The Daily Telegraph and Daily Star as well as in Wisden Cricket Monthly . In 1983 Derek published A Question of Cricket . This was evidence in print of Derek’s most visible persona - cricket quiz master supreme. As a competitor he was simply too good. After winning the Council of Cricket Societies’ quiz three years in succession, he found himself promoted to question-setter. Since then, cricket quizzes have become synonymous with the name of Derek Lodge and, in his memory, contestants in the Annual Event now compete for “The Derek Lodge” Cup. He was co-opted to the ACS Committee in 1989, and rapidly became a great asset, both in discussions and on administrative issues. He wrote the first book in the ground breaking Famous Cricketers series, subsequently acting as editor and overseer for the Series, and developing ideas for the scope and layout of later books. His death at the age of 67 in July 1996 was a great loss to the Association, which is pleased to dedicate this book to his abiding memory. Eric Midwinter, ACS President, writes: Like most of those with a genuine appreciation of and involvement in cricket, Derek Lodge had a genuine appreciation of and involvement in many other aspects of life. An instructive memory I have of him was one morning at the Victoria and Albert Museum, when I was about to speak to a conference about improving museum and art gallery access to disabled and elderly users: there was his smiling face among the delegates - and he made important contributions to that, as to many other non-cricketing fields. The idea of dedicating this revision of the Jack Hobbs book to Derek is a lovely one. His brother, Jerry Lodge , claims to have done little detailed statistical work until 1994, when, on his retirement, Derek gave him the Who’s Who of Cricketers as a birthday present. Since then Jerry has, as the scriptures have it, ‘increased in wisdom and stature’, penning several recent additions to the Famous Cricketers series so brilliantly launched by his brother, and, as importantly, assuming the role of ACS Treasurer with an astuteness and aplomb which is already serving us excellently. That ACS is able to make this fine record of a master cricketer available as a free book to members is because Jerry Lodge wished to make a generous donation towards its cost, as a fitting memorial to his much-mourned brother. The Committee, on behalf of the membership, accepted this touching bequest, all of us aware of the value to ACS, past, present and future, of the Brothers Lodge. 3