Top 5 Cricketing Rockstars On and Off the Field
In today’s era of specialization and hardcore professionalism, it’s hard to find cricketing personalities who’ve expressed themselves in multiple areas. But once in a while comes around the true-blue allrounder who’s not just content in excelling in any one department, but explored multiple avenues and disciplines with glittering success.Here’s a scout over the entire last century, to bring to you the top 5 of a good mix of past and present such cricketers and men.
#5 CB Fry
If ever there was a term called “versatile genius”, it’s hard to find a man to whom it’s better applicable than Charles Burgess Fry, who played for England in the early 20th century.
Here’s a list of C.B Fry’s achievements:
First selected for the England cricket team for the tour to South Africa in 1896-97, he captained England in 6 Test matches in 1912, winning 4 and drawing 2. His Test career included 2 centuries. In first-class cricket, he had the then exceptionally high average of 50.22. In the early part of his career, he was also a successful fast-medium bowler with two 10 wicket hauls in first-class. He also has the distinction of scoring the most (6) successive first-class centuries.
In athletics, Fry won the Blues in all four years at Oxford 1892-95. In 1892, Fry broke the British long jump record with a jump of 23 feet 5 inches. In 1893 equalled the world long jump record of 23 feet 6 ½ inches. In addition to being an outstanding long jumper, sprinter and high jumper, Fry was also a talented hurdler. The champion hurdler of the time Godfrey Shaw was convinced if he took it up seriously, he might win the championship.
In football, he made his debut for Southampton F.C as an amateur and went on to help them win the Southern League. In 1901, he was picked to play as a full-back for England in a match against Ireland. In the season of 1901-02, he played in the FA CUP final for Southampton. As a matter of fact, the following 2 seasons, he changed his position from a defender to a center forward, albeit without much success!
Fry also played rugby union for Oxford, narrowly missing out on a place in an England trial game.
Apart from all these sports Fry was also a decent shot-putter, hammer thrower and ice-skater, as well as a proficient golfer.
Outside of sports, Fry was an established journalist, writer, editor, publisher, academic, politician and commentator. He shared the illustrious podium with writers such as Neville Cardus and Jack Fingleton. In commentary, he was described as one of the most eloquent in history.
As crazy as it might sound, the man was even offered the throne of Albania, which he had declined.
In the words of John Arlott about Fry: “He was probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age.”