VETERAN UMPIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 269, 13 November 1930, Page 20

VETERAN UMPIRE.

EARLY CRICKETING DAYS.

GIANTS OF THE PAST

MEMORIES GRAVE AND GAY.

Memories of the earliest >days of cricket in Auckland are recalled by Mr. Philip Henry Wilson,' the veteran umpire, who will shortly celebrate hie 74th birthday. Mr. Wilson has vivid recollections of the first English and Australian teams to visit New Zealand, and after those days he umpired in many important matches, one of his cricketing souvenirs being a letter from "Hughie" Trumble congratulating him on his services fn- the match between the Melbourne tourists and Auckland in 1899.

"My first big match was the Plunket Shield encounter between Auckland and Dunedin in 1598," said Mr. Wilson to an interviewer, "and I have had my full share of umpiring since then. I gave it up some years ago when I had the misfortune to lose the sight of one eye. You see I'm not one of those who will trust to their ears alone. I always used to give my decisions on what I saw, not merely because I heard a click. That's a bit of advice any good umpire will endorse.

"While I'm on the subject of umpiring let me tell you about my little brush with a cricketer from Sydney, .who settled in Auckland a good many years ago. This man (his name was Haddon, and some of the old-timers may remember him) was a" very fine bowler, but spoilt himself by over-appealing. One day I asked him why he appealed for an obviously ridiculous lbw, and he answered, "Well, there's' nothing like trying it on." To this I replied, "There's nothing like trying it on,' as you put it, to make an umpire -disgusted with you. It does you a lot more harm than good."

Damaged His Dignity.

Mr. Wilson described a misadventure that befell him in the course of a match at Otahuhu between the home side and Tuakau. G. P. Ewing, one of the visiting batsmen, was a mighty hitter, and he made a big swipe straight towards Mr. Wilson, who was umpiring at square leg. The outfield was very rough, and although he moved instinctively to get out of the way, his feet were tangled in the long grass, and he could not avoid being hit. The ball struck him hard on the chest and knocked him over.

"Were you injured?" queried' the Interviewer.

"No, only my dignity," replied the veteran drily.

Mr. Wilson expressed the opinion that C. I. Thornton was probably the biggest hitter the game had known, with Bonnor, the Australian, a good second. He remembered an occasion when Bonnor broke four bats at practice in the Auckland Domain. F. R. Spofforth was unquestionably the fastest bowler, and Hugh Trumble probably one of the best captains who ever led a side. "We had some fine cricketers in New Zealand in the early days," said Mr. Wilson, "and I should rank Mr. Jack Arneil, the present president of the Rugby Union, as one of the best all-rounders we have ever had."

Barton, the Pioneer.

"The Auckland team of 1899 and the year or two following was a very useful one, with W. I. Stimpson, F. J. Ohlson, A. M. Beale and W. E. Barton as its backbone. Incidentally, Barton was one of the first players to use the pull on a ball that pitched on the off stump. Ini later years George Hirst, of Yorkshire, was ' largely instrumental in popularising it, but it was seldom seen at the time I am speaking of, and was considered most unorthodox."

Mr. Wilson, is confined to bed at the Infirmary these daye, and he said it was hardly likely that he would be able to see much cricket this season, but he still takes a.great interest in the game. Some time-ago he had a letter from C. C. Dacre, now with Gloucestershire, who was' his protege when a boy at North Shore. "I always regard him as my special charge," said Mr. Wileon, "for I gave him some of his earliest lessons. He should do welkin big cricket, for he has a natural eye for the ball, and, what is more, a big heart for the game." A well-known Auckland cricketer in the early days was one Jonathan Mumford, who for a long period had charge of the ground in the Domain. Mumford was also a member of the choir of the Baptist Church, and one day the minister told him, possibly in facetious vein, that 'he was spending too much time in preparing , wickets, and- would be better employed in preparing for the next world. "I'm doing so," replied Jonathan, who had a ready Avit. "Only last Sunday we sang a hymn that said something about 'sweet fields, beyond- the Jordan flood, stand dressed ■in living green. . Surely if the fields are as good sis -all .that, there'd be room for a cricket pitch'or. two}" . "Funny thing, that same Jonathan Mumford died.suddenly whilst-playing," said Mr. Wilson. . "O'or Wally's Bowled Barlow." 'A,'big .f rjend. of Mumford'a was old Peter Larikham, a tremendous enthusiast for the gamej; though never much of a player. He and Jonathan used to have B, standing .joke that whoever died first would get a pitch ready on the other Bide, and they would have a single wicket match.' "Who knows? They may 'be playing in the Elysian fields to this day," said Mr. Wilson, with a smile. The same Lankham had a son who was h.. really good young bowler, and he had the honour of playing for Auckland tigainst the second English team that visited Now • Zealand, in the early 'eighties. It so happened that the youngster • clean - bowled Barlow, the Lancashire stonowaller, . early in the match. Lankham, senior, was standing by the gate, and yelled to the people outside: "Come awa , in, my laddies. O'or Wally'e bowled Barrlowl" Needless to add, he* was a Scotsman.