James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annnual 1881

T H EL A T EM R. G E O R G EF R E D E R I C KG R A C E. 9 first -rate amateurs to sacrifice personal convenience andcomfort, and laying aside all feelings of jealousy and vain -glory , to get the entire confidence of their party , and to work night and day for them. You see , Mr. James Lillywhite , how I have tried to get away on other counties , as if I wished to persuade myself that G. F. is not dead , by talking on other subjects ; but it won't do, and we mustspeak out . There was, alas ! a fine handsomebroad- shouldered Englishman, ofsomewhatbrusque manner,but with a commanding appearance , aquick eye , agenial disposition , and remarkable for atotal absence of vain -glory and loss of ostentation and conceit -called by an expressive and slang word , 'side ,' which is amushroom growth , much to be regretted , egretted, amongst some young cricketers of the present day, who, though passing good, are second rate comparedwith our friend who has gone before ; and who, instead of being worshippers of a grand and noble science , take upon themselves to be expounders of it . G. F. was an all -round sportsman, and followed sport for the enjoyment of it ; a very good quick bowler, a desperate run -getter , a great favourite with the public , and a magnificent field , and first -rate captain . As far as we could judge he ought to have been a good manfor his county for another fifteen years , as then he would only have been forty -five at the expiration of that time , and if his limbs had becomestiffer and flesh hadaccumulated, Gloucestershire wouldstill have had the advantage of the wise counsellor and the big heart (as Nottingham nowhas with Daft), andprobably he would have introduced his nephews into the eleven , which belongs to the family . But now the fact is , that it has pleased G o dto take him from us, and nothing is left but his good name, and the story is ended. That such a m a nwho was a true friend should be a good son and brother was a matter of course . H ewas un- married and lived much with his mother at Downend, following the medical profession . Bornon 13th December, 1850, at Downend, the birth- place of all the cricketing brothers , he was in his thirtieth year whenhe died. His father , Dr. Grace, and his uncle, Mr. Pocock, on his mother's side, were eminent athletes ; and, with the greatest respect , it maybe said that his mother was a good cricketer , too , for it was a great pleasure when the sons weremakingtheir markin the cricket -field to see Mrs. Grace and her friends watching every bal as keenly as the oldest cricketer present . There is a story worth telling , for it is true , and it is pleasant to re- m e m b e r, as it does honourto a great supporter of cricket . Nameswill not be mentioned , but the cricketing public will easily recognise the parties . Adiscussion arose in the pavilion during the dinner hour as to whether another eleven could not be formed equally good as that which was then playing for England; and some one criticising the eleven who did play, mentioned the name of a young amateur , who made a great mark at the close of the season for his county and elsewhere , as one who, in his opinion , should have taken G. F.'s place ; arguing ,in favour of his nominee , that he had extraordinary height and reach , was a wonderfully quick run-getter , and a magnificent long-field ; and that the Australians knew G. F.'s play b y heart, but had never seen the novice , and would have caught a 'Tartar,' forgetting that all the bowlers in Englandhad failed in learning G. F.'s play, and that with his name in the eleven the captain had his ' Tartar ' ready cut and dried . The father of that nominee, a m a nof great mark, and an ardent supporter of the game, who follows his son about as proudly as Mrs. Grace does her family , said , " I am very glad he was not asked to play , even supposing at the present moment he is most fit (which I do not believe ), as G. F. has won his spurs and would have felt the slight if