A MEMORIAL BIOGRAPHY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12771, 15 October 1919, Page 6

A MEMORIAL BIOGRAPHY.

THE “C.0.M.” OF CRICKET.

Reviewing “The Memorial Biocraphy of Dr W. G. Grace,” issued by tho committee of the M-C.C., Max Pemberton writes as fellows:—

This is a very remarkable tribute to the greatest cricketer of all time, and in its way it is Boswellian. There cam bo few accomplished players of the last thirty years who have not contributed to its pages, and of these there is nono who does not bear willing witness to the faith which is in him. As the Catholic Church says of each individual bishop who dies, “ there was none like unto him,” so do these players cry with one voice, “ there was none like unto the 'Old Man’”—no such figure seen before or since upon the fields of youth or of age—none who could contest his pride of place.

So we have this band of staunch friends fallen in under the zealous captaincy of Sir Home Gordon ; and here is the M.C.C., to whoso coat the Old Mon so long did honour, fathering this literary memorial- From many :nouths: tho witness comes. A canon of High Anglican tendencies writes as cheerfully as a “ pro" who bowled tho Doctor out. Tho House of Lords troops out to the village green. The humble share ink with the mighty in a bond of fellowship ns true as steel. Nor is. there any need for them to tell us that he was a man ” —for we of the middle life knew it almost before we were at our books-

Few figures, perchance, loomed up from the mists of time so soon and set' surely as that of the Gloucestershire doctor did for tho schoolboys of thirty aud forty years ago- Driving a few years ago through the village of Downend, near Bristol, they pointed out to me the orchard in which the Old Man and his four brothers learned cricket, chiefly from a venerable mother .whoso knowledge of the national game was astonishing. As I looked upon it a memory of the year 1870 came to me—the year when France was overrun by the Ilun and our illustrated papers showed us nothing ■ but woodouts of dashing Uhlans and guns going at a gollop. I>r Grace, h-d then been playing cricket for ave years publicly, and wo at school had hoard his name and thought more ol him than of any Emperor who ever dictated an impossible peace. Thereafter tho word “cricket” suggested his name first and pave visions which the years could not change- Wo would sec, in fancy, the green sward find the ring of people about it; tilts pavilion, the great, burly, blackbearded figure emerging therefrom ; we beard the plaudits of the crowd, tho pHck of the well-hit ball; we said, “Dr Grace is in ” and our hearts thrilled, Tho sentiment endured, and many a man of fifty experienced the same thrill afterwards when opportunity took him to Lord’s. Would the Old Man come off? Well, if he did rmt we knew that he would still tower above the game like some gigantic figure of a victory tmwiueed. Dr Grace was before the cricketing fublic from the year 1865 until 1905. t is computed that ha mad© 80.00'' runs and took 7000 wickets. His notable innings included 126 centuries. He made more than 2CO runs in an innings upon six occasions; more than 250 upon four occasions; and three times he exceeded the total of 300- He made three separate hundreds in succession upon five occasions, and in minor cricket he made 91 centuries and once scored; exactly 400 runs in; an innings.

Those statistics, however, were oven less eloquent than the personality or iho man. He knew the game, it may be that he loved it n.<j no other who played it has ever done. It was his' whole life while he was upon, the field, yet he could turn as readily to other sports, run and shoot and play bowls with tho best, and end, as we know, a golfer of no mean achievement.

For half a century ho stood! for all that was typical of us as a game-play-ing nation—a majestic figure to lead us—the big man with the child's heart whom other men loved. This memorial is worthy of him, alike in the diversity of and the reputations of those who have gathered together «•/> gladly to do honour to the u Old Man.”