Lives in Cricket No 7 - Richard Daft

Chapter Sixteen America Over a period of twenty years, Richard had refused all offers to join overseas tours, even when he was asked to name his own price. His obligations to the business of the brewery at Radcliffe-on-Trent; to his ‘Cricket, Football, Lawn Tennis and British Sports Warehouse’ at 1 Lister Gate, Nottingham; and to his wife and family of five children had provided more than adequate reasons for his wintering at home. Now he followed the first overseas tourists from Britain who had ventured to Canada and the USA. His county career could not continue for much longer, and this could be his last chance to raise a strong side and a substantial sum from playing cricket and selling cricket paraphernalia. American cricketers on their side were anxious to receive further visitors: a letter published in Bell’s Life on 1 February, 1879 was addressed to ‘Teams Intending to Visit New York’, inviting them to communicate with the President of St George’s Cricket Club of New York. A member of the Nottingham Town Council, John Parr Ford, who was then in Philadelphia, made the arrangements for Daft’s side and accompanied them on the tour. He had already acted as manager to George Parr’s team in 1859. He was helped by Edwin Browne, who was Assistant Secretary of Notts C.C.C. from 1877 to 1894. With such an experienced administration to back him up, Richard had little to do but run proceedings on the field and enjoy the novelty of the trip. The team was made up of professionals who were the crème de la crème , seven from Notts and five from Yorkshire. Richard, Arthur Shrewsbury, Alfred Shaw, William Oscroft, John Selby, Fred Morley and William Barnes were from Notts, accompanied by Yorkshiremen Ephraim Lockwood, George Ulyett, Billy Bates, Tom Emmett and George Pinder. They had arranged to play twelve matches, almost all against odds, in seven towns and cities in the eastern part of USA and Canada, between 9 September and 24 October. 91