Almanac Cricket: If you love cricket, you love initials.

I had some fun with this:

 

http://www.espn.com.au/cricket/story/_/id/17950326/john-harms-cricket-initials

 

No doubt you’ll have your favourites.

 

 

Read Citrus Bob Utber’s challenge HERE

 

 

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About John Harms

JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.

Comments

  1. Phillip Dimitriadis says

    Some crackers here JTH. Laughed with the Jardine gag.
    Found a beauty:
    Easton Dudley Ashton St John McMorris (EDASJ) played 13 Test for the Windies between 1958 and 66. Handy first class bat with 18 centuries.
    The single initial like myself and most Greeks (Orthodox Priests refuse to acknowledge second names at baptisms) has always intrigued me as it stands out in the Anglo-sphere.

  2. No coincidence that we have similar experiences growing up in the same era JTH. My Father, who was no slouch as a cricketer (still opening the bowling for a Gold Coast A grade side at age 39), had a few cricket books lying around as I started getting interested in the history as well as the current players.
    One of my favourite stories comes from ‘My Country’s Keeper’, by ATW (Wally) Grout. As well as the biblical reference in the title, Wally told of the match when Qld played England in a warm up match before the Ashes. West Indian legend Wes Hall was opening the bowling for Qld and due to his strong spiritual beliefs, could not be coaxed into bowling a bouncer at the English opener the Rev David Shepard. After much cajoling, Wes was finally convinced that it was part of the game and so he dropped a short one, which struck the Rev a painful blow and the silver cross Wes wore around his neck, popped up and poked him the eye. It was all they could do to get him to bowl another ball, let alone a bouncer. I think I lent JTH that book to read sometime in our Uni days.
    In the context of this article, I googled David Sheppard just to check the spelling, and discovered that his Mother is referred to only as the daughter of the artist and illustrator J.A. Shepherd. Another anecdote from the 1962 tour of Australia, which The Rev had come out of virtual retirement to make, related to his dropping of a few crucial catches during the Tests. A couple approached Mrs Sheppard and asked would the Rev be able to Christen their baby. She advised them not to as he was bound to drop it. Great article Johnny.

  3. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Robert Arnold Lockyer Massie has been stuck in my scone since 1972

  4. awesome.

    MJK Smith stil playing for the Poms in my first away series (vaguely recall the anger at the sock mopping at the Oval in 68, but more the telling of it, than the actual memory)

    their Gleeson RNS Hobbs played us on that tour too

  5. Luke Reynolds says

    Great piece JT Harms.

    Always liked AIC (Anthony Ian Christopher) Dodemaide as a name and player.
    Have high hopes for PSP Handscomb, really rate him.

    Sadly LJ Reynolds never graced the pages of Wisden.

    Time for the AFL to embrace full initials in their stats. PS Daicos (Coll) 250 games….

  6. TBA May Timothy Brett Alexander May aka to be announced on his arrival,May.A players middle name which has always stood out to me is Wayne Bentley Phillips ( this isn’t a advert is it ? )

  7. Brilliant. The use of initials in cricket represents much about the game and why I love it. No other group of sportsfolk, or indeed, people are known so widely in this way. DK, GS, SK all mean so much. VVS a personal favourite too.

    Curiously, beyond KG Cunningham and Graham Studley Cornes I couldn’t tell you the middle names or initials of any in the football world, and I prefer it this way as it keeps cricket unique.

    Great read.

  8. In light of Australia’s consistently poor form of late SNAFU is the collection of initials i deem most appropriate.

    Glen!

  9. Very big fan of this.
    Beautifully done, JT Harms
    IVA Richards a childhood favourite.

    Re-ignited my quest to bring this back to all cricket stories.

    rgds, etc DJ Wilson.

  10. I love that MEK (Michael Edward Killeen) Hussey and DJ (David John) Hussey are brothers – it’s like the parents ran out of puff after the first name. Although, DJ Hussey does sound like a hip hop artist…

    Of course my initials (DGB) have some value in Australian cricketing terms and may not entirely be coincidental. Sadly, that’s where comparison ends.

  11. DGB- DJ Hussey enjoying a post-feminist residency on the decks in Ibiza .

    MC Randall

  12. Peter Warrington says

    PJ Harvey shows the way in music

    so says PJ Warrington

  13. They don’t come much better than G C J D Haigh.

  14. Michael Atherton had a nickname (as a youth) that was all initials – F.E.C.

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