LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

81 Disappointment when he broke his ankle in that disastrous Test at The Oval, he came down to be nursed with doctors, masseuse and secretaries coming down from London daily to minister to him. He really was quite a prima donna, but very easy to provide for. Rice crispies for breakfast and buttered toast for tea, otherwise I don’t think he noticed what he was eating. He was writing an article for ‘Wisden’s Cricket at the Crossroads’. Don stayed with us until Jessie arrived from Australia and then the four of us had a very gay time until they sailed away for home! It wasn’t long before Bradman had got back onto his feet and, with the Burnham Beeches Golf Club almost literally on the doorstep, he and Robbie began a series of highly contested matches to aid his complete recovery. There is a well-aired story within the Robins family recalled by Charles Robins that they were evenly matched as RWV by then had had plenty of opportunity to practice and reduced his handicap down to four. On this occasion, in the midst of a very tight contest, while playing the twelfth hole, which is a par 4 but with a blind second shot to a sunken green, RWV said to Don after he had driven down the fairway ‘you need a 4 or 5 iron, and play on that prominent tree which can be seen at the back of the green’ Don was not happy at this and went to the edge of the hill to gauge the shot for himself, took out the chosen club and put the rest down as an additional mark of the line. Very unusually he then topped the ball, which proceeded to ricochet into his clubs at the top of the hill. ‘I suppose you’re going to claim the hole?’ said Don. To which RWV replied ‘well, depends whether we are playing the rules of golf.’ Don picked up his ball and walked to the next tee and the rest of the round was played in total silence. Of course, they made it up, and RWV said afterwards that if Don had not remained silent he would never have enforced the rule, but it was too good an opportunity to miss! Jessie and Don Bradman, Kathleen Robins and Robbie on the golf course at Burnham Beeches, in 1938. Matches between Robbie and the Don could be very competitive.