Great All-rounders

California Bee

California Bee

Well-known member
Joined
7 Apr 2000
Messages
12,178
Reaction score
9
Location
Tucson, Arizona, United States

Great All-rounders

It was not uncommon at one time to see players who excelled in more that one sport. I believe the great Middlesex cricketer, Patsy Hendren, used to play for Brentford. Can anyone confirm this? I remember both the great Dennis Compton and his brother Leslie, were Middlesex cricketers and Arsenal football players and both won Cup winners medals. Willie Watson played cricket for Yorkshire and England and football for Huddersfield Town I believe. Willie Watson saved England from defeat in the Lords test in 1953 by batting all day after the order had collapsed. The match was drawn and England went on to regain the series 1-0 after 4 drawn games. Can you think of any other ambidextrous amphibians of sport?
 

Great All-rounders

There's a couple of nice pics of the 1932 and 1938 Bees in their cricketing whites on p. 35 and 82 of Dan Jackson's "Positively Brentford." The first game was against Arsenal. The Bees scored 178 for 9 and won by 13 runs.

[This message has been edited by Santa Barbara Bee (edited 30 March 2001).]
 

Great All-rounders

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Alex:
Ian Botham</font>
Click to expand...

Played for Scunthorpe
 

Great All-rounders

Yes Patsy Hendren played for Brentford. The last double international was Arthur Milton who played for Arsenal & Gloucestershire.
 

Great All-rounders

Bill Athey, ex Yorks, Glocs and England opening bat played for Brentford in the Midweek League in the early 80s. Doesn't exactly confer "all-rounder" status upon him though. Bobby Ross is still playing cricket in the Ealing area.
 

Great All-rounders

They say that the Neville brothers were useful with leather and willow. Leslie Compton was club captain at my cricket club (Gerrards Cross) in the 50's. Got all his bats etc. Gary Lineker could have played county cricket too. But the best all rounder of them all has to be Craig White. Makes them sh*t bricks when he bowls and can score a few too................or have i missed the point?????
confused.gif
confused.gif
wink.gif
wink.gif
 

Great All-rounders

Collymore Gazza and Lee Chapman were good with bats
eek.gif


[This message has been edited by Chrisbee (edited 30 March 2001).]
 

Great All-rounders

Apparently C B Fry was an England international at Football, Cricket and Rugby as well as being World record holder for the Long Jump.

He was also allegedly offered the crown of Albania.
 

Great All-rounders

What about Albert Camus and Julio Eglasias? They were both great footballers, Camus went on to be a great existential philosopher and Eglasias went on to be....oh never mind.
 

Great All-rounders

Slightly off topic, but does anyone else get annoyed when people mention Rod Stewart as an ex-Brentford player? I believe that he MAY have been a junior down here. For how long, I neither know nor care. If he was here, then he probably spent most of his time cleaning Peter Gelson's or someone else's boots.

And Albert Camus - who did he play for then? Or the Pope. And another one that annoys me. How many times do you hear it mentioned that he used to be a goalkeeper. At what level? I'm sure everyone's been in goals at some stage of their lives - even if it was in the school playground at lunchtime. Doesn't make them an ex-goalkeeper. And as for his views on contraception.........

And Ian Botham. Played ONE game for Scunthorpe, more as a publicity gimmick than anything else. Hardly makes him an all-rounder.

And I'm now ranting and I can see the nurse coming with the straightjacket, so I'd better stop.
 

Great All-rounders

Rowlands played for Middlesex C.C until signed by Wycombe f.c

[This message has been edited by German Bee (edited 30 March 2001).]
 

Great All-rounders

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Spelthorne Bee:
Slightly off topic, but does anyone else get annoyed when people mention Rod Stewart as an ex-Brentford player? I believe that he MAY have been a junior down here. For how long, I neither know nor care. If he was here, then he probably spent most of his time cleaning Peter Gelson's or someone else's boots.

And Albert Camus - who did he play for then? Or the Pope. And another one that annoys me. How many times do you hear it mentioned that he used to be a goalkeeper. At what level? I'm sure everyone's been in goals at some stage of their lives - even if it was in the school playground at lunchtime. Doesn't make them an ex-goalkeeper. And as for his views on contraception.........

And Ian Botham. Played ONE game for Scunthorpe, more as a publicity gimmick than anything else. Hardly makes him an all-rounder.

And I'm now ranting and I can see the nurse coming with the straightjacket, so I'd better stop. </font>
Click to expand...

Albert Camus played in goal for Algeria.
 

Great All-rounders

I seem to remember that about twenty years ago we were against a team that Chris Balderstone played for (Doncaster?)in the evening and that during the day he had been playing county cricket for Yorkshire(?. The same thing was also true of Phil Neale - not the one who played for Liverpool and was Graham Taylor's parrot in that infamous documentary, but the one who played soccer for Lincoln and cricket for Worcestershire.
 

Great All-rounders

me, under 11 bowler of the year at staines and laleham, and hey jude star
biggrin.gif
 

Great All-rounders

Alistair Hignall played Rugby Union & county cricket. ( Cant remember the county of RU team- Doh)
 

Great All-rounders

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by California Bee:
It was not uncommon at one time to see players who excelled in more that one sport. I believe the great Middlesex cricketer, Patsy Hendren, used to play for Brentford. Can anyone confirm this? I remember both the great Dennis Compton and his brother Leslie, were Middlesex cricketers and Arsenal football players and both won Cup winners medals. Willie Watson played cricket for Yorkshire and England and football for Huddersfield Town I believe. Willie Watson saved England from defeat in the Lords test in 1953 by batting all day after the order had collapsed. The match was drawn and England went on to regain the series 1-0 after 4 drawn games. Can you think of any other ambidextrous amphibians of sport?</font>
Click to expand...

I have an autographed postcard of Patsy Hendren in Bees kit & in cricket whites. If I knew how to post it on here I would.
 

Great All-rounders

I don't know if it has been mentioned earlier but we had Sid Russell playing for us in the late 50's & early 60's.

Sid was an okay fullback and an okay cricketer who turned out regularly for Middlesex. Sadly he did not excel in either sport but was a regular for both senior sides for a few seasons - and a nice bloke.

He died a few years ago (in Canada I think) but certainly remains one of our few all rounders.
 

Great All-rounders

Add Jay Tabb to this exclusive list as he was playing at Brentham CC last Sunday for Paddington CC. Out third ball
 

Great All-rounders

marks said:
Add Jay Tabb to this exclusive list as he was playing at Brentham CC last Sunday for Paddington CC. Out third ball
Click to expand...

'Great All-rounders' ?? :confused:

more like, "Thanks for coming, we'll let you know when the next game is." :sorted:
 

Great All-rounders

marks said:
Add Jay Tabb to this exclusive list as he was playing at Brentham CC last Sunday for Paddington CC. Out third ball
Click to expand...

....................wanted to be a wicket keeper,but couldn't see over the stumps.....................
 

Great All-rounders

Anyone remember Steve Ogrizovic who kept goal for Coventry City for about 50 years? He played cricket too for Shropshire and Minor Counties.

And Ian Botham played 11 times (7 starts) in all for Scunny, not once as posted earlier. :sorted:
 

Great All-rounders

Wisden has referred in the past to Graham Thorpe having been on our books as a youngster.

Am I right in thinking that Mike Gatting played at a good non league standard? And did his brother play cricket as well as football?
 

Great All-rounders

:cool:
Garybaldbee said:
Am I right in thinking that Mike Gatting played at a good non league standard? And did his brother play cricket as well as football?
Click to expand...

His Brother (Steve I think) played for Arsenal and Brighton, not sure if he played for anyone else though.
 

Great All-rounders

Reading George Sands' report in the Chronicle of the Tranmere away game in 1967, noticed that their keeper that day was Jim Cumbes who was a decent cricketer for the Lancashire County team in the summer. He is currently the Chief Executive for Lancashire CC.
 

Great All-rounders

Andy Sinton was a pretty handy cricketer.

There was a one off game at GP, probably mid to late 80's, which andy took part in and looked quite useful.
 

Great All-rounders

I played Darts at a good standard for The Oak every Wednesday...:idea:
 

Great All-rounders

Garybaldbee said:
Wisden has referred in the past to Graham Thorpe having been on our books as a youngster.

Am I right in thinking that Mike Gatting played at a good non league standard? And did his brother play cricket as well as football?
Click to expand...
Thorpe was a useful footballer, no better, he played for Wilsons first X1 in the London Old Boys league
 

Great All-rounders

MarkyBee.................

GPG cricket 11 stalwart & BFC fans 11 left sided thing.
 

Great All-rounders

Dr Kevin O'Flanagan was a great all round sportsman. He played a few games for Brentford in 1949-50, after previously being at Arsenal, where he would alternate playing for them with turning out for London Irish at Rugby Union. He was an Irish international at both Football and Rugby. O'Flanagan was also an Irish national champion at Long Jump and 100 yards and reached the last 8 of the Irish national golf chamionship. He was also renowned as a great Hurdler, High Jumper, Gaelic Footballer and Tennis player, being involved with all of them to a decent standard. After retiring he became team doctor for the Irish Olympic team and joined the International Olympic Commitee.
Had it no been for the Second World War, he would almost certainly have been in the Irish Olympic athletics team- which would have made him an international in 3 sports. His brother Michael also played football and rugby union for Ireland.
 

Great All-rounders

michaelo said:
Dr Kevin O'Flanagan was a great all round sportsman. He played a few games for Brentford in 1949-50, after previously being at Arsenal, where he would alternate playing for them with turning out for London Irish at Rugby Union. He was an Irish international at both Football and Rugby. O'Flanagan was also an Irish national champion at Long Jump and 100 yards and reached the last 8 of the Irish national golf chamionship. He was also renowned as a great Hurdler, High Jumper, Gaelic Footballer and Tennis player, being involved with all of them to a decent standard. After retiring he became team doctor for the Irish Olympic team and joined the International Olympic Commitee.
Had it no been for the Second World War, he would almost certainly have been in the Irish Olympic athletics team- which would have made him an international in 3 sports. His brother Michael also played football and rugby union for Ireland.
Click to expand...

he must have been knackered
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom