On this day, the 28May, 1934, Sir ‘Jack’ Hobbs, scored his 197^th & last first-class century, aged 51.

Born into poverty in Cambridge in 1882, the first of 12 children, John Berry Hobbs was a professional cricketer who played for Surrey [1905-1934], and for England in 61 Test matches [1908-1930]. 

Known as ‘The Master’, he is regarded as one of the cricket’s greatest batsmen, the leading run-scorer and century-maker in first-class cricket, with 61,670 runs to his credit, including 199 centuries.

On leaving school in 1895, he worked as an errand boy, and enjoyed a summer job as a college servant, assisting the cricket team. Aged 16, Hobbs became an apprentice gas fitter.

Early in 1902, Hobbs was appointed as assistant to the professional cricket coach at Bedford School, working as a groundsman and bowling in the nets. And in late August, he played his first match as a professional cricketer for a fee of ten shillings [50pence].

From an early age Hobbs sought to pursue a career in cricket, and in 1903 applied to join Surrey, scoring 88 runs on his first-class debut, and a century in his next match.

In 1908 Jack made his Test debut for England, scoring 83 in his first innings, and by 1911 had made his place secure after scoring 3 centuries in the Test series against Australia, following which critics judged him to be the best batsman in the world.

Following service in the Royal Flying Corps during World War 1, he returned to cricket in 1919. When, threatened by appendicitis, he became a more cautious batsman and played some of his most acclaimed innings, scored prolifically in both Test and domestic cricket until his retirement.

In 1953, Hobbs became the first professional cricketer to be knighted. He died in Hove, East Sussex in 1963, aged 81, a few months after his wife Ada.

28 May, 2019

On this day, the 27 May, 1971, Great Britain & Ireland won their first Walker Cup since 1938, defeating the USA by 13-11, over the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland.

Although GB & I won all the first morning foursomes, the US won six of the eight singles and held a one point lead after the first day. The US lead increased to two points after the second day foursomes, however GB & I won six of the eight singles matches to win the 23^rd Walker Cup for the first time since World War II.

The format for play over two days was 4 matches of foursomes in the morning, and 8 singles in the afternoon, 24 matches in all..There were 10 players in each of the teams. GB & I had a playing captain, while John M.Winters was the US non-playing captain.

The GB & I team included; Michael Bonallack [Captain][E]; Roddy Carr [I]; Rodney Foster [E]; Charlie Green [S]; Warren Humphreys [E]; Scott Macdonald [S]; George Macgregor [S]; Geoff Marks [E]; David Marsh [E]; Hugh Stuart [S]. Tom Kite, Steve Melnyk, and Lanny Wadkins were members of the US team.

27 May, 2019

On this day, the 26 May, 1863, British professional boxer, Robert James Fitzsimmons, was born in Helston, Cornwall. The youngest of seven boys and five girls, in 1873, the family for Lyttelton, New Zealand, where they settled in the town of Timaru.

In the early 1880s, the famous English bare-knuckle boxer, Jem Mace, travelled to New Zealand, and Timaru hosted both his boxing school, and the first boxing championships held in New Zealand. Fitzsimmons entered the tournament, and knocked out four opponents on his way to winning the competition.

Boxing records show Fitzsimmons began boxing professionally in 1883, in Australia. He was nicknamed ‘Ruby Robert’ and ‘The Freckled Wonder’, and progressed to achieve international fame after beating the heavyweight world champion, Gentleman Jim Corbett.

Bob Fitzsimmons is considered one of the hardest punchers in boxing history. He took great pride in his appearance and lack of scars, often appearing in the ring wearing heavy woolen underwear to conceal the poor development of his trunk and leg-muscles.

In November 1894, At a public sparring performance at Jacob’s Opera House, Syracuse, New York, Fitzsimmons knocked out his sparring partner Con Riordan, who sadly died several hours later. Fitzsimmons was later charged with manslaughter, but was later acquitted.

On 17 March 1897, in Carson City, Nevada, Bob knocked out the American Corbett, generally recognised as the legitimate World Heavyweight Champion. Although Corbett out-boxed Fitzsimmons for several of the opening rounds, in the 14th he collapsed in agony, after Fitzsimmons floored him with his infamous ‘solar plexus’ punch, to win the title .

Fitzsimmons married four times and had six children, but with a gambling habit and his susceptibility to confidence tricksters, he did not hold on to his money. He died in 1917 in Chicago of pneumonia aged 54.

26 May, 2019

On this day, the 25 May, 1916, Jack Marsh, the Australian first-class cricketer of Aboriginal descent was killed in a brawl.

Born into the Bundjaling people people at Yulgilbar, New South Wales, details of Marsh’s pre-cricket life are scarce, because Aborigines were not included on the electoral roll, and there were no copies of written correspondence because he was illiterate. His surname possibly derives from that of a property owner of that name

He first made an impression as a professional runner, winning races as a sprinter and a hurdler. Jack also gained prominence demonstrating his boomerang throwing skill, when he was spotted by cricket officials and persuaded to take up the sport.

A right-arm fast bowler, Marsh was regarded as one of the outstanding talents of his era. Although his career was marred by controversy regarding the legality of his bowling action. As a result he never truly established himself and was overlooked for national honours. Often been attributed to racial discrimination.

It was not until November, 1900 that Marsh came to cricketing prominence, in a trial match against New South Wales, when he collected the wickets of Test batsmen Victor Trumper, widely regarded as the most stylish batsmen of all time, Frank Iredale, and the future Test player Bert Hopkins. 

There were numerous calls for Marsh to be selected for Australia, but the selectors rejected him, as well as the touring England cricket team also raised an objection to his selection, citing his controversial action.

Marsh ended his cricket career in 1905, and for a while resumed life as a professional sprinter, after which his activities are unclear, but it is likely he became an itinerant worker.

Marsh eventually turned to drink, and in 1909 was jailed for 14 days in Melbourne for assault. He was killed in a brawl on 25 May 1916, outside the pool room of the Royal Hotel in Orange, New South Wales, aged 42. Two men were charged with manslaughter but were later acquitted.

Marsh was buried in an unmarked grave.

25 March, 2019

On this day, the 24 May,1976, former heavyweight boxer, Richard Dunn, was TKO’d by Muhammad Ali in 2.05 minutes of round five of their world heavyweight title fight in Munich, Germany. The last knockout Ali ever achieved in his professional career.

Just ahead of the fight against Ali, Dunn was surprised by Eamonn Andrews as the subject of ‘This is your life’.

Richard Dunn won the European Heavyweight title with a third-round TKO of Bernd August in 1976, which earned him the opportunity of fighting for the WBC and WBA titles against Ali.

 Seriously overmatched, the 6 foot 4 inch tall Dunn, was floored five times in five rounds, in what fight fans have described as one of the most courageous fights against Ali by any British fighter.

The only Yorkshireman ever to fight Ali, Dunn earned £52,000 for his trouble, worth approximately £700,000 today.

Dunn surrendered all his titles when he lost his next fight to Joe Bugner, to a stunning first-round knockout.

With a total of 33 wins from 45 professional fights, 16 by KO, Dunn retired from the ring after his next fight, a fifth round defeat against big hitting Kallie Knoetze in Johannesburg.

Born in Halifax, West Riding, in January, 1945, Richard Dunn now lives in Scarborough.

24 May, 2019

On this day, the 23 May, 1911, English tennis player, Betty May Nuthall- Shoemaker [née Nuthall] was born in Surbiton, Surrey.

Known for her powerful forehand, Nuthall was ranked in the world top ten in 1927, reaching a career high of World No. 4 in 1929. Her father taught her tennis, and she won the junior championships of Great Britain aged 13, and in 1924-1926. In 1927, at the age of 16, Nuthall tied Elisabeth Moore as the youngest women’s singles finalist, at the time, ever at the U.S. Championships. She lost the final in straight sets to Helen Wills, serving under-hand. 

Nuthall laid claim to several other championship successes, including: the singles final of the French Open [1931];  and in 1930, became the first non-American since 1892 to win a women’s singles title, the U.S. Championship, defeating Anna McCune Harper in straight sets.

Nuthall also won Grand Slam Doubles events including: the French Open [1931]; the US Open [1930,1931, 1933].

And Grand Slam Mixed Doubles Championships, including the French Open [1931,1932]; the US Open [1929,1931]

In 1927, Nuthall played on the British Wightman Cup team and defeated Helen Jacobs in her debut. She also represented Great Britain in the 1929,1931–1934 Wightman Cup competitions.

Nuthall was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1977.

In 1954 she married Franklin Shoemaker, who died in 1982, and in November 1983, Betty died in New York, of a coronary arrest, aged 72.

23 May, 2019