Lives in Cricket No 25 - Tom Richardson

7 Preface On the occasion of its hundredth edition in 1963, Wisden identified ‘Six Giants of the Wisden Century’. They were W.G.Grace, Sir Jack Hobbs, Sir Donald Bradman, Tom Richardson, S.F.Barnes and Victor Trumper. With one exception, all have been the subject of at least one biography and it seemed appropriate to remedy that omission on the centenary of Tom Richardson’s premature death. It is a logical follow-on from my George Lohmann biography, Richardson being Lohmann’s heir as Surrey’s leading strike-bowler and also a contrast to my previous contribution to the Lives in Cricket series, Walter Read. I had in mind at one stage a ‘compare and contrast’ study – amateur v professional, gentleman v player, but although they overlap slightly, Read’s last Test being Richardson’s first, they were not quite the same era and it soon became obvious that each merited a biography in his own right. The subtitle A Bowler Pure and Simple is extracted from his Wisden obituary and in its context is intended to indicate that neither Richardson nor his contemporaries took his batting and fielding particularly seriously. It is appropriate in a wider context too. As a bowler, he was among the quickest, but he eschewed the ‘bouncer’ and did not look to intimidate or injure batsmen, just bowl them out. His character off the field reflected that on it. According to his colleagues, he was a genial and sociable man of straightforward tastes – principally a pint or three of ale and an occasional flutter – who related well to his colleagues. Although, like Lohmann he was aware of his professional worth and prepared to drive a hard bargain, ‘Honest Tom’ was no prima donna and even when at the height of his international prestige, threw himself enthusiastically into charitable work and the administrative as well as the playing side of his local club. The attendance at his funeral reflected the popularity of the man. It was all too soon. His drinking, weight gain and unsuccessful marriage perhaps hastened his demise and provided a pathetic postscript to a purple passage which lasted just four years and for bowling brilliance compares with anything in the history of the game. Keith Booth Sutton June 2012 Note: At various points in this book, sums of money are mentioned. As a rough guide to present day equivalents, the purchasing power of £1 (or 20 shillings) in 1895 was about the same as £90 today. 1 1 Measuring Worth website