On This Day – January 23rd

 

It’s easy to tell that it’s mid-January because the Australian Open is on, the Tour Down Under is winding its way through Adelaide and its environs and we’re leading up to the Super Bowl. But where the bloody hell is the cricket? I mean the real cricket – Tests and ODIs. A particularly not well thought out programme of summer cricket has us bereft of our national team in January – sacrilege!  So let’s try to fill the gap with a raft of cricket memories, anecdotes and scoreboards as we continue our On This Day series.

 

But first, a few random tangents from across the spectrum of life.

 

In 1849Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in US history to graduate with a medical degree.

 

In 1910, Django Reinhardt, the jazz guitarist and composer, was born in Belgium. Over time, Reinhardt was considered one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. Savour the video.

 

 

 

 

In 1957, the Wham-O toy company released the frisbee. (No pun intended.) I summon immediate images of beaches, bodies beautiful, sun, surf and sand. Or maybe the local park. Possibly memories of a dog displaying a fine understanding of parabolas as it leapt to catch the flying plastic. Read about the first frisbees here.

 

We can’t have one of these pieces without a touch of politics, so let’s go back to 1973. President Richard Nixon gave a televised speech to announce that a treaty had been signed in Paris to establish peace in Vietnam. Nixon claimed that the deal represented “peace with honour” but, essentially, the Paris Peace Accords were a concession of defeat.

 

Back to guitarists, I loved the jazz, rock and blues bands of the 60s and 70s, especially Blood, Sweat and Tears and, a bit later on, Chicago. So I was particularly saddened on this day in 1978 to hear of the death of Terry Kath, lead guitarist of Chicago. A bit of a wild man but with a lot of soul, Kath died in an accidental shooting. I especially liked his song ‘Hour in the Shower’ from Chicago III. Watch him below.

 

 

Cricket:

 

Birthdays:

 1946 – Asif Masood, Pakistani paceman (generous description), he of the reverse banana with a touch of the J-curve approach to the wicket. A modestly performed swing bowler but I seem to remember that he had a killer moustache;

1952 – Omar Henry, the first non-white player to play Test cricket for South Africa post-Apartheid (1997). Played only three Tests but it was his selection as a coloured player that signalled the start of a change in South African cricket;

1954 – Trevor Hohns, former Queensland and Test leg-spinner, now Chairman of Selectors, debuted at age 34 and played just seven Tests but was a member of Alan Border’s 1989 Ashes team that smashed the Poms;

1960 – Greg Ritchie, Queensland and Australian representative who possibly didn’t fulfil his undoubted talent. Played 30 Tests (three centuries) and 44 ODIs. In the long term, probably better remembered as a comic after dinner speaker of dubious repute! Check out his stats here.

1971 – Adam Parore, NZ batsman/keeper and the first Maori to represent New Zealand in cricket and also score a Test century. Played 78 Tests and 179 ODIs. He holds the NZ record for Test dismissals with 204.

 

Achievements:

1953 – Bob Simpson debuted for NSW at 16 years and 357 days of age. Probably among the best half dozen openers ever for Australia, certainly one of the best two or three first slip fieldermen, resilient batsman, very capable captain and, later, successful national coach. See his record here.

1958 – Hanif Mohammed scored 337 in 970 minutes v. Windies, the longest innings in Test history after batting on days 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the match. This scorecard, with its fluctuating fortunes, is a must to see – have a look here.

1976 – Ian Redpath hit the only two sixes in his 66 Test career, v. Windies in Adelaide. ‘Redders’ was my childhood cricket hero, probably because we had the same first name. But I always admired him because he was the Mr Fix-it of the Australian team for well over a decade, filling in anywhere between opener and No. 6 depending on the need. He didn’t have the style or flair of his contemporaries (think Chappells, Walters, Lillee, Thommo, Big Maxie, et al) but he was Mr Dependable and a great close-in fieldsman. No less a figure than G. S. Chappell said that Redpath was one of only two players Chappell knew who would kill to play for Australia. (The other was R. W. Marsh.) The scorecard from that Adelaide match is here and his overall record can be found here.

1990 – Dean Jones scored twin tons v. Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval. On his day, few batsmen were as good to watch as Jones, and who can forget that innings in India that almost killed him! Curiously seemed to find odd ways to get himself out. I remember seeing him score a simply beautiful century for Victoria on a cold day at Bellerive in late 1996 – full of energy, almost contemptuous at times but not without grace and elegance, a cut above the rest, and with that distinctive scamper between the wickets. Not out at lunch, he emerged from the dressing rooms ten minutes before play was due to resume and sat on the steps signing autographs for the dozens of kids lined up at the gate onto the oval. I’m not sure if it was his innings or his accessibility that impressed me more that day. See the card for that match here.

 

Have a great day!

 

@blenheimboy2

 

 

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About Ian Hauser

A relaxed, Noosa-based retiree with a (very) modest sporting CV. A loyal Queenslander, especially when it comes to cricket and rugby league. Enjoys travel, coffee and cake, reading, and has been known to appreciate a glass or three of wine. One of Footy Almanac's online editors who enjoys the occasional editing opportunity to assist aspiring writers.

Comments

  1. To see the more soulful side of Terry Kath, go to YouTube and have a look at ‘Colour My World’. Lovely flute solo as well.

  2. Thanks for this Ian.

    Looking at the 1976 Adelaide Test scorecard I note that DK Lillee was first change bowler behind Thommo and Gus Gilmour. I can’t imagine Dennis thought much of this. Did it happen often? I was pretty young so don’t recollect.

  3. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Thanks Ian.

    I was at all five days of that 1976 Adelaide Test (we got in free on day 5, which only went for about 45 minutes), but only two things have lodged in my bonce, both Michael Holding related. Firstly I saw him “lob” a return from the scoreboard boundary over the stumps at the River end – it must have gone 100 metres. Holding also broke down in tears after having an appeal turned down. I’m guessing that was a turning point in his career as he was pretty ruthless from that point on.

  4. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    My memory was playing tricks with me. Holding’s big sook was in the preceding Test in Sydney.

  5. Another (very significant) random tangent):

    The first group of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, occurred on Jan. 23, 1986: James Brown, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, and The Everly Brothers were inducted

    “What was expected to be only a dinner with acceptance speeches turned into a historic jam session orchestrated by promoter Bill Graham featuring Berry, Lewis, Domino, Billy Joel, Keith Richards and Ron Wood of The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Steve Winwood, John Fogerty, and Chubby Checker. Paul Shaffer led the “World’s Most Dangerous Band” (from Late Night with David Letterman) including saxophonist David Sanborn, guitarist Sid McGinnis, bassist Will Lee, and drummer Steve Jordan.

    Highlights included Winwood performing “Gimme Some Lovin’ (The Spencer Davis Group) on organ, Fogerty playing “Proud Mary”‘ for the first time in 14 years, and Checker singing and dancing “The Twist.” Berry led the closing jam, duckwalking across the stage to his classic “Roll Over Beethoven” as Joel, Lewis, Fogerty, Richards, Young and Winwood played behind him.”

    https://www.liveabout.com/anniversary-of-1986-rock-and-roll-hof-ceremony-2851573

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