Lives in Cricket No 27 - CB Llewellyn

87 Chapter Sixteen The Bradford League The Bradford League was formed in 1903. After several permutations, twelve clubs competed in 1911 before they were joined by eight newcomers from the east of Bradford, who took advantage of the recent completion of the Bradford to Leeds tram system. Among the prominent men who became associated with management of the League was John James Booth of Idle, who became its second president in 1908. He was a major industrialist, running a substantial business as a wholesale pharmacist, and an independent, energetic, even authoritarian, leader of the League for 25 years. In 1914 he failed to be elected to the Committee of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club and from then on his energies were mainly devoted to the League and incidentally to irritating Lord Hawke, the former captain and at that time President of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The outbreak of the First World War on 4 August 1914 proved to be the catalyst for change in Bradford cricket. The hostilities soon brought the first-class game to a complete stop. Professional cricketers were actively encouraged, if not coerced, to join the colours. At least two of Lord Hawke’s Yorkshire regulars forfeited payments when they did not do so. J.J.Booth’s determination that the Bradford League should continue in those early days of the war, when the number of volunteers, including famous sportsmen, who were killed grew and grew, won the day. In November 1914, he declared that those who had done personal and national duty through the week, should be allowed two to three hours of ‘manly and recreative sport’ on Saturday afternoons. The League ‘intended to supply during the coming season cricket as usual for all those who were compelled to bear their part in the national burden of commerce’. In December, the Saltaire Club showed their support, confirming that they were engaging three professionals for the 1915 season. Before it began, they advertised for a fourth, a left-arm bowler. S.F.Barnes replied: ‘Will I do?’ He was a right-hander, but as the most famous