THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, · 1952.
BRAATHENS Jack Hobbs Is 70 Not Out Today
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Runs Flowed From His
His Bat
Like Strokes From
An Artist's Brush
By DENNIS HART
Easter Monday, 1905, dawnzd cold and miserable, with rain threatening. Despite this, a large crowd assembled at the Oval to see Surrey play the Gentlemen of England. For this was one of the most attractive fixtures of the season. On view were men whose deeds had become legendary.
i
Leading the Gents was the Immortal W. G. Grace, and opening for Surrey' was the great Tom Hayward. Between them, these two held more bailing records than all the others put together.
even these
In wing perfectly together, the
But, although the shivering (as "that's Hobbs, I remember technical masterpiece, folk, body, crowd did not toallse It, there him before he went off." / shouldern, * ́wrists and fingers was present one destined to outshine ployers. For striding out of the pavilion, tightly gripping his bat to conceal his nervousness at his debut in first class cricket; came a young man named Hobbs, į John Berry Hobbs.
IDOLISED great Yes, Jack 'was' idoilsed,
controlled by a keenly fact, such was his fame that if alert brain. Hobbs was a sound Surrey were playing at the Oval, as Moad, and as brilliant as the first thing the local factory Woolley, Ifo is my ideal of a and once workers enquired on batsman, with my ideal of the leaving work was "le Hobbs temperament a batsman should batting? If so, many a house- have," wife, hud the dinner spoilt be- cause a husband arrived home an hour late.
Today, Jack celebrates his 70th birthday. And it sems like only yesterday that we were watching him scoring centuries at the Oval, or reading of his exploits in the papers.
It was Tom Hayward who first "spotted" Jack and induced him to join Surs
Surrey, But although Jack accepted much of Hay-
SPANNED TWO ERAS
ward's sound advice, it is untrue to But it was in
say that he moulded himself fnct 10 years an
For Jack, who ago that Jack look off his pads on his style. for the last time. This ended never had an hour's coaching in his ife, had no need to copy a career which spanned two eras.
It began in the days of Grace, anybody's style.
Το him, batting was the most and Fry, when fashion-natural thing in the world. Just Trumper able
cricket-watchers arrived al Lord's in a hansom after as others can swim the first time bumping over the cobbled streets they fall in the water, so Jack
of Edwardian London.
ended with Hammond,
Bradman and Hendley as the
recover
heroes of the day, and with cricket beginning to
the body-line' controversy from which had threatened to split it in two.
During those 30-odd Jack Hobba
years
could make strokes the first time he picked up a bat.
He learned the rudiments of the game from his father who was a coach and groundsman to one of the Cambridge colleges. It was at the University that he saw one of his early
favouriten, the great Ranjitsinhjl.
Jack never copied the Indian
made more runs, prince's style, but in his after
scored more centuries than any-
one before or since. His ex-years it was noticeable that his ploits made him the most talked-play contained much of Ranjl's of man in the game. His name ease and grace.
became household word the world over.
But dor all his rung rich wo-
Hobbs did not crash onto the {scene at an
an early age with a series of prodigious feats. He corts, Hobbs was a titanam, not was
was 22 when he entered first a scoring machine. Runs flowed class cricket, and although from his bat dike strokes from made a century on his (county an artist's brush rather than debut, his average for his first mass-produced items k assembly ine.
un
hc
season was a modest 20.52, for 1,317 runs, scored in 51 com- He knew every
stroke in the Pleted innings. Yet this was a book, and cach one he played portend of things to come. perfectly. In fact it was sald of him that he never made a bad stroke.
him to
LESS SEVERE
For all his subsoquent great- ness, however, he was less severe than many batamen, especially in the latter part of his carcer, if the state of the game allowed It, he frequently throw away his wicket after passing the century mark.
When he announced his re- tirement, he had 107 centuries to his credit. Many friends begged
to make it to carry on double century of hundreds.
The fact that he had made nearly half his centuries after
Hobbs liked his cricket to be The age of 88 showed him fully
struggle. It gave him more capable of doing so, but he re-pleasure to fight it out on a plied:
prople
to sticky than to have runs handed remember me..at my best, I do to him on a feather bed."- not want to hear such mutterings
It was his ability on bad wickets which brought victory to England in
1926 series against Australia.
דיי
want
NOTICE
The Hong Hong JOCKEY · CLUB
Draft Programames and
The first four Tenis had been drawn, and in the final one at the Oval, England were 22 runs behind on the first innings. Torrenttal overnight rain had made the wicket a spin bowlers'
slight Indeed.
Hobbs, who now has a sports shop in London's Fleet Street, has not changed greatly from when he used to delight the Oval crowds. His hair has thinned, and whitened. But his figure i still erect, and the passing of the years has not dimmed the famous Hobbs' amile.
During his playing career he made friends in all parts of the world through his ability and charm. I am sure they will join me on this day in saying "Well played Jack-a happy birthday,"
DRIVING
Against W. Iridies (1033)
-(London Express Service)
Off The Course
Latest picture of Jack Hobbs, taken with the score still at 69.- Express Photo.
Jack Hobbs Says
Old Cricket Was More Fun
By
GEORGE WHITING
The pimply youth, circa 1922, timidly offered the shop-assistant the voucher which said that Jack Hobbs, of Surrey and England, would be pleased to present the bearer with a cricket bat. The assistant, discriminating expertly between voucher-carriers and cash customers, in- dicated a row of bats and turned to more lucrative clients.
Then a hand tapped a shoulder, a quiet voice said, “Can I help you, son?" and for the next half-hour the youth dwelt in heaven as he listened to Hobbs himself drop pearls of cricket wisdom regarding the weight, shape, structure and purpose of what was to become the most highly prized plece of willow in all the land."
Two years later, the youth- Mr Wisten has enshrined the less pimply but more precocious -tearned- with the bat and airily ordered repairs without bothering to look at the sales man
But the salesman was Hobbs, He
quizzed. the
frowned youth on the battered edges of the bat, and murmured: "Dear me, and to think we took such pains to pleic this one. What on
facts and figures of the immacu- late, but most modest, John Berry Hobbs-the 187 centuries, and all the rest of it. My own Hittle tributo is less to the record- maker than to the man-eldest of six boys and six girls born to the groundsmen of Jesus Collego, Cambridge.
old dad used to grumble:
have you been doing with earth at me for drawing away Instead
t? of stand
standing up to the ball," said Whereupon
with 4 the youth woo | Hobbs,
reminiscent vercome with what the lady twinkle in his steady, blue eyes. overcome novelists call conflicting emotions "I could spet the spin even in shamed of his mishandling those early days, but I had no
of the master's selection, and pads, and standing up was easier inordinately proud that Eng- suid than done." land's greatest batsman should
THE GOOD TIMES have
Hobbs smiles
remembered him.
SIGN OF GRACE
Betting Shows pimpics or precociousness, His acquired runs in England. Aus-
Marked Drop
London, Dec. 15.
Off the course betting on the totalisator has shown a marked drop in the first nine months of this year in
Entry Forms for the 7th Races, and England's chones Britain.
supreme.
Tote Investors Limited, the for responsible Meeting 1962/68 to be held on But on his own pitch, before Organisation Thursday 1st and Saturday his own crowd, Hobbs reigned rod betting at tote odds, have informed their ellents that the Australian 3rd January, 1968, (weather
bowlers turnover up to September is Arthur Mailey and Arthur permitting) may be obtained Richardson were in top form down
"at least 780,000 at the Secretary's Office, gave Alexandra House; the Club did nothing away. But neither. sterling."
House, Happy Valley; and the
and
Last year tote betting totalle Playing each ball on its merit, £25,500,000 of which £13,000,- refusing to be tempted into 000 went through the hands of Stables, Shan Kwong Road. having a go despite being tied Entries close at 12 o'clock down by maiden after maiden, he scored a brillant century, NOON on Thursday, 18th and set England art the winning. December, 1952,
By Order,
NOTICE
path.
"SUTCLIFFE'S TRIBUTE
scored
duction of three quarters of a Tote Investors Limited. A IM million on these gured is a considerable loss.
The abnormally long period of hard going in" the stipiner is
ever.
now
into disintegrated
columnist,
of
on
away any IC- 61,221 smoothly That same youth, suns either:ference to the
tralla, South Africa and India a that made him the world's .No.. 1 claim it as redeeming eign 1934. Nothing will
1905 and 1 batsman between grace that when, last week, I
vill tempt Hobbs, went back to salute Hobbs on the brilliantly orthodox fort 70th birthday he achieves this wickets and a genius on sticky Tuesday
I felt exactly the same ones, to ponificate of past eples. sense of hero worship as when The incidents he prefers to recall he stepped down from among are those he enjoyed rather than the gods to pick a bat for me 30 those that made him u legend. years ago.
"My best knock?" he says. would say the 87 I got in about 1921, and you'll not fuld it in'
record books. It was against the
Australia Malley and Gregory, of
India-Pakistan Test Match Ends In Draw
Calcutta, Doc. 15 The fifth and Oral Test match between India and Pakistan end ad in a draw to-day,
Pakistan, who scored- 257 k
on
Attleborough,
private ground at ah, in Norfolk, where WES playing for Lionel Robinson's XI.
"I retired with". a torn thigh mumle, but thes did not worry me. I really did have a shot for every ball that day.
"The Best bowler I ever played against? Undoubtedly, the late Johnny Douglas, of Essex. He was deadly on his day, especially with the new ball.
Modern cricket? It is not for an old man like me to judge, but the wickets seem slower, and the ball does not come up high cough for some of the shots wo used to play.
His opening partner, Herbert blamed for the drop in turn theke first innings, declared their
Thero Is no evidence of
second innings closed at 236 for Sutcliffe of Yorkshire, who also any lessening of the H. MISA,
BHLIA
seven century, said of Hobbs public's love for "something en Secretary.innings
Indio, who scored 807 in the "It was a masterpiece of their faney." mehamia | determined and skilful batting."
fast innings, aeeded 07 to win SMALL FIELDS. Sutcliffo
They scored 20 without loss of opened the England innings
Hard con
going reduced fields in the wing of stump-Better! with Hobbs on many many cases to almost negligible occasions, and shared In
(India thus won the series. numerous three-figure partner-decrease in place betting. It is and third matchen,
proportions, with a consequent They were victorious in the first Paki-for ships with him.
likely that the results More than anyone, he is have been worse for the Told was abandoned baton of rain); would way the second and the fourth qualified to comment on Hobbs
"Ho is the
best had they not extended the technique. batsman I have ever ecen," says scope of forecast pools, a popular which form of betting Sutcliffe. "Each, stroke is. a
backers have to name
me the win in correct order. Italian Davis Cup ner and sxeond
For ara this form belting
THE HONG KONG JOCKEY- CLUB Annual Hace Meeting 1953 17th, 21st & 24th Janitary And
Kong
+
: Hong
Derby 2nd May, 1953
Draft Programtrics and Entry Forms for the above at the may be obtained Secretary's Office, Alexandra House:
Club Hourd, the Happy Valley and the Stables, Shan Kwong Road,
Entries close to the Sétro- fary, Alexandra House, 8th floor, at NOON on Saturday, 20th December; 1962.
Kri:
Please enclose entry form the green onvélope
Hly Order..
Becretary.
PriHold THE DÖVERS"
operated three-four and five runners,
had
but
scason
only on neids of Team To Play In
Manila Series
during the last flat racing
the totalisator authorities extended it to cover fields zix and
runners.
of
BETWEEN WICKETS
"Running between the wickets, seems slower, too. You had to
life or Andy Sandham, will Will Rhodes or Herby Sut- hurry when you were batting
Was
always fucky in my parmers, though I used be
ما
was out before me. He was a bit
JACK HOBBS MILESTONES
Here
ard some mailen stories in the career of Jack Hobby:
1995: Scored a 100 in his Arst county game at The Oral.
1907: Hobbs and
Hay. wand soored more than 100 together for Burroy's first ово wicket, four lines in
week, Hobbs and ''H***
1909:
ward his 852 for Surrey's first wicket azalant" "War- wlok. M
−1911-12: Hódum” ↑and1W. Rhodes made 383 t AD opening stand against Anse tralia at Melbournés - di record
Anglo-Arison tralian Tests.
for
1020: Scored four 100s iu
1933; Hit his 100th 100. 1921-5: Hobbs And Shi
cline
In consecutive opel- stands for England Auténtia, stado
agaluft 157. 110 and 288.
1926: Scored 3,024 run (average 70.32), including
16 100s, aged 43.
10203 Made
highest
Bouro - 316 not out, ́ ́ SUF Survey against Middles Re-Lord's,720
Orvi
1920: 11obbs and 'Band- ham hit for Barrey's
Wickes
Bastnet Oxford Unive played
1934
kili fark séa
son of first-class erickas.
Hobbs moored altogether
81,221 runs in 1,915 fömlings. (äveriga 59,63) .*`: Ho`nikde 5,410 runs in Tesla (80.96) and 3,635 against Ausgesis (84.28);
He hit 244-hundrede in all cricket and 197 in firefa class matched us a rodord)
SIR DONALD
pladsed whani akt. Tom Hayward IS WANTED ON on the heavy side, and nono to THE BOARD
koen", on" having a youngster
n!
the offer and saying when d
Melbourn, Dec. 15. should run. Then Ernie Hayes would come in, and we'd go. New South Wales, cricket do
ministrators want -Sir DonALE "Present-day cricket: seems Brodmed back on the Australian Manila, Dec. 10. more commercial than our sort Bourt & Cricket Control, Tho Italian Davis Cup team. It makes my mouth water to Sporting Globes, cricket wrilén, making a ready appes! to victors in the Inter-Zone inatch read about some of there moderna de Lacy said fecentlyER backers by the big dividends between Italy and India, will benedits. I got about £4,000, The Leal Bhadistally the which often emerged. Odds of play in the Philippines in including a testimonial for when man to bring extus redorra in
invitational" serier I Staku. Oried's record, of 125
This ma ́a great success,
four and five hundred to one Christmas
were pold on forecasts during from December. 35. to December centuries. But I bet we had Australian cricket
the. sooneuter,
28-here.
Captain Bong
of the 1
stitutional melts..
more fun than they do now.
"Souvenirs? No, I got rid of Constitutional team, in a cable from Brisbane most of my stuff. All I have diartised, es; do diterplative; HKFA MEETING on Monday, nouded the Philly-left in my first bat, and the one tharént (ty
pine Amateur “Athlette: Fodera-i scored a hundred with in my South Waled to móc The Grounds, Sub-Committee, tion that i the Italians would
make
1905" the trip,
"Round, fable ! 'došk
of the Homikong » Toolbell Ar=| deftritt&Milppino Davis Cup |
waciation's held to private meet, The
first county gate at the Oval in
the Oval in Boans of Control
|ing gerborday, to, make, erwagon, trio, Felicisimo. Ampoù, Ray LANE
cricket, rabbits:sploté | Lojde
monia regarding, the Governor's mundo. Deyro, and Cesar Car you. In you we have seen what end Cu mnatomy the lampore intens mor will hand the Jocul | wa durselves would have sold port game and Big Forshatting playmw, to thods the vialtors. our birthilènt, to liave been | visit of an" "Pantelity" pung
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