Sutton Coldfield CC Story
ISSUE 6
Sutton Coldfield CC Story April 2013 Inside This Issue 1
View from the Chair
1
Playing cricket the Right Way
1
Summer Nets Reminder
2
2nd XI Captain
2
Spot the Olympian
2
Juniors- the Club’s Future
3
What’s in Store?
3
History in the Making
3
Curry & Quiz Night Report
4
Who is Godfrey?
View from the Chair There is a great deal of optimism within the Club and everyone appears so eager for the season to start, which is a very good sign. We have wintered well, generating a feeling of goodwill towards the Club and there is a strong sense of "team spirit". To progress we must strive to operate on a higher plane with everything we do, both on and off the field. On the playing front we need to compete consistently and maintain high standards at al l times, ensuring we achieve promotion back to the B&DPCL and then moving on up through the divisions must be the priority for our Club. We possess a wealth of talent, some of it very young, and this needs to be coached at appropriate levels so that skill levels continually improve. Important too is that we continue to recruit quality experienced players who will strengthen and motivate sides. Doing these things should ensure that we play attractive high quality cricket for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to the Club gaining much more all-round success in 2013. Colin Greetham Chairman SCCC
The Start of the Season!
Practice in both Summer and Winter Nets is a vital part of learning to play cricket
Summer Nets NOTE: Will all players of whatever age, please make every effort to attend outdoor nets throughout the season! Practice is vitally important.
As we look forward to a great summer (weather permitting) we can reflect on a great winter. The nets at Bishop Vesey’s have been a big success and combining skill, work, fielding and nets have made the sessions beneficial and rewarding. Our numbers have been excellent and there has been a good spread of players attending from 1st, 2 nd, 3rd and junior teams. We have enjoyed much help and commitment from the club’s coaching staff and it is exciting to see so many good young players improving their skill levels. At the senior level we have made some excellent signings. Ranvir Singh and Rishi Khokani have joined SCCC from Wednesbury and will be formidable players. James Hunt has joined from Streetly and has a big future. We are delighted to have such a talented all-rounder join our ranks. All three are county players and will make a huge difference to our side. Other new players to join the Club are: Michael Stones and Prayesh Vaja. We welcome them all and wish them and everyone else at SCCC great success for the coming summer. We have a Club Day on 13 April followed by a Friendly fixture against Four Oaks Saints before the League kicks off on 27 April. The Club Day should be a great success with both squares being used, and the nets together with the bowling machine should permit ‘Batters’ to groove their technique. We feel that a practice day for Club Members is more beneficial as everyone will have the chance to do ‘their bit’ and being involved. Being out for nought with a consequent lack of worthwhile practice can be a real turn off! We wish all the Club Captains success during the summer and everyone is now looking forward to outdoor practice and to actually playing. The Club is also trying to set up some coaching in Schools by using level 2 Coaches for a three week course (one lesson per week) to introduce cricket to lots of youngsters who we hope will enjoy the sessions so much that they will come down to the Club on a Friday night and then join as members. We’ve generated a lot of momentum at the Club and a big ‘THANK YOU’ must go to everyone who has contributed whether in a small or large way. Let’s look forward to a great summer of cricket and enjoyment for all.
Steve Perryman (SCCC Club Coach)
SUTTON COLDFIELD CC STORY
Juniors are the Club’s Future!
Adam Mist SCCC Saturday 2nd XI Captain for the second year – returned to SCCC two seasons ago having played for Erdington Court CC for several years. Adam began playing cricket at SCCC when 12 years of age and actually played in the U13’s for part of a season. When still only 13 years of age he played for the SCCC Saturday 3rd XI, in a team containing rather more senior players than the current 3rd XI squad at SCCC (the average age of the 3rd XI then was the wrong side of forty). He then switched clubs and joined Erdington Court CC to gain experience in senior cricket. He subsequently played for ECCC for some 11 years and in the 2008 and 2010 seasons he was 2nd XI Captain. There may be no actual connection to events but it did come as something of a surprise to hear that ECCC had become a casualty of the current economic climate and had closed down the season after Adam left ECCC at the start of the 2011 season to return to SCCC. Adam was elected SCCC Saturday 2nd XI Captain in 2012 and was re-elected earlier this year for the current (2013) season. The Club wishes him and his young side well!
To ensure the future of SCCC, it is vital that our junior section continues to grow. As many of our readers are already aware, we actively encourage our junior members to bring their friends and relatives to practice nights, (details of which are below). If you are a junior member of SCCC or a parent of a junior, please extend our best wishes to all of your contacts and urge them to attend any of the appropriate practice sessions. Outdoor Summer Nets for SCCC U14-U17 players take place every Monday evening at 6.30 pm thereafter until the end of the cricket season (weather permitting). Following the junior registration evening on Friday 19 April, junior practice will take place every Friday evening thereafter starting at 6.30pm (again weather permitting). Junior Fixtures are now live on the Club’s website so please visit: http://suttoncoldfield.cricketclubwebsite.com - click on fixtures then go to the junior section and look for your team. If the fixture has a time next to it is confirmed if it has no time it is a provisional date TBC. I hope that the Parents of our junior players will continue to bring their offspring to the club and to bring friends and family each Friday night, have a drink and a hotdog and to enjoy the atmosphere! We are always looking for new junior members regardless of ability and we encourage juniors to spread the cricketing philosophy. Please bring any friends along even if it is only for a free taster session with no obligation! Again, may I remind everyone about easyfundraising - club members/players should register online as fundraisers to allow the Club to raise money without it having to spend a single penny!
It’s Free, so sign up today at: //www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/sccc
Spot the SCCC Olympian?
Rear L-R: HM (Harold) Abrahams (110m Paris 1924); HH Whitlock (50km Walk Berlin 1936); JC Ainsworth-Davies (4x400m Relay Antwerp 1920); David Hemery (400m Hurdles Mexico 1968); L (Lyn) Davies (Long Jump Tokyo 1964); V Matthews (20km Walk Tokyo 1964); AGK Brown (4x400m Relay Berlin 1936); FF Wolff (4x400m Relay Berlin 1936); GL Rampling (4x400m Relay Berlin 1936). Front L-R: TW Green (50km Walk Los Angeles 1932); DH Jacobs (4x100m Relay Stockholm 1912); Mary Toomey (Rand) (Long Jump Tokyo 1964); The Marquis of Exeter (400m Hurdles Amsterdam 1928); DGA Low (800m Paris 1924 and Amsterdam 1928); GM Butler (4x400m Relay Antwerp 1920)
SUTTON COLDFIELD CC STORY
What’s in Store? 5th May 26th May 15th June 22 June 26th June 17th August 14th September 4th October November 21st December
Junior Super Sixes Senior Super Sixes Misty’s Treat President’s Day Race Night Clarky’s Celebrations End of Season Knees Up SCCC Awards Presentation SCCC AGM (date TBA) Christmas Drinks
Curry & Quiz Night Report Despite dreadful weather, more than 70 people attended the recent Curry and Quiz Night at the clubhouse and all had a brilliant evening. Quizmaster John Howard posed the questions and Colin Greetham and Brian Wright prepared the food. Syd collated the scores and the assembled crowd happily expressed their thanks to this brave band of workers. Everyone had a great time, with some disputed answers causing many ribald comments. The crowd comprised parents of junior players (it’s great that many parents wish to get involved in the club), senior players, many friends and club members, some hockey players who were most welcome and perhaps even more pleasing, a team from the ranks of The Friends of Rectory Park. We’ll draw a veil over the winning teams’ details but suffice to say that the prizes stayed within the club’s sphere of influence. It is not about winning though, it was about creating a friendly atmosphere within the Club and of encouraging people from outside the membership to come along and join in the fun.
This Crop will be the Stars of the Future I am proud to have been re-elected at Captain of SCCC’s Saturday 2 nd XI side for the 2013 season. We had a reasonable year in 2012, but we could have done so much better. We had a very young Saturday 2 nd XI side which was, and still is, full of rich promise and which in 2013 has the benefit of last season’s experience. Our 2012 mid-table finish allows me to look forward to 2013 when I believe, if the 2nd XI plays to its full potential, we have a good chance of promotion. With 11 opponents in our division, four of which have been promoted for a variety of reasons, there are teams that are something of an unknown quantity. However, because these clubs have been promoted i.e. were in a lower division last season, I believe that, weather permitting, we can achieve a minimum of 11 victories from our allotted 22 games. My second target for the SCCC Saturday 2 nd XI is to go undefeated for the season, not unreasonable given the circumstances! However, we have to learn to bat for our full allotment of 50 overs if we take first knock. My initial target for our batters is a minimum of 200 each innings, a score which we failed to reach on a number of occasions in 2012 even though we won several of those games. League cricket is all about pressure and how players react to that pressure. The more runs a side scores the more pressure is exerted on the opposition. I am all for playing fairly, but I still want the 2nd XI to win every game, if possible! Supporting the above hopes and aspirations are a number of plus points, the first of which is that we have a more than decent opening bowling attack, supported by two further attacking bowlers at first change and then a very promising spinner to follow when appropriate. We also have another really major asset in our fielding - we have a very promising wicketkeeper and our fielding is as good as you can get with young athletic team members who can not only catch and throw, but who are like lightening in the field, hugely important when games are tight. Restricting the opposition to a total of less than 200 runs can often make the difference. I hope everyone enjoys the coming season (a winning one would go a long way to achieving this) and that the future stars of SCCC play up to their full potential! Adam Mist (SCCC 2nd XI Captain) SCCC Saturday 2nd XI Captain
John Howard, SCCC Cricket Chairman, is 55 years of age, was educated at Lordswood Grammar Technical School and has A levels in English, Maths st with Stats and Computer Sciences. Was school 1 XI cricket captain, joined Halesowen CC in 1975, then moved to Bournville CC in 1980, playing 6 st seasons there, the last two as 1 Captain scoring 5,000 runs during his time with the club. Re-joined Halesowen in 1987 batting between 4 and 6, when he averaged around 36. Enjoyed playing at Rectory Park against Jamie Ross (now President), Andy Biddle, Mike Mackey (now junior coaches), and Mike Hepburn. John retired from cricket in 2000, and having moved to Sutton, his son Steven joined SCCC as a junior and John helped the U11 through to U17 winning 3 league titles. John was Chairman of SCCC for 4 years and has since continued on the committee. He assisted Colin Greetham when SCCC U14’s won the county cup in 2010, and the following year when the U15’s represented WCB in the National knockout losing in a regional semifinal. John is helping Colin rebuild the club and is grateful for the tremendous support from parents, players and other members. As Cricket Chairman, John attends selection meetings ensuring players are well represented, will always listen to members and is happy to discuss any cricketing matters. ([email protected] or on: 07846 697521)
Groundworks Report The Nat West Cricket Force Weekend was a major success with more than 30 people in attendance on Saturday 6 April when the bulk of the work was completed and 20 plus on Sunday 7 April to finish off the list of tasks. Many thanks must go to the ladies and who fed and watered everyone from 9am onwards – without these two, a lot of work would not have been done – for a person to work hard, there is a need for fuel and these two Club stalwarts provided just the right sort. The ground is really looking good considering the winter we have just experienced and even the bottom corner of the top ground which has been such a worry over the winter months shows some improvement. Let’s just hope we have a decent summer!
SUTTON COLDFIELD CC STORY
Who was Godfrey Brown? The 2012 cricket season coincided with the razzmatazz of the London Olympics and the success of Laura Unsworth Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club’s latest Olympian. Laura’s photograph is on display in the Olympians corner in the pavilion lounge alongside E.B.Crockford previously highlighted in the SCCC Story. A search of SCCC archives has revealed that the cricket club can also boast another Olympian. Arthur Godfrey Kilner Brown who lived 146 Rectory Road and played for SCCC alongside his elder brother Ralph Kilner Brown, later to become Sir RK Brown. Both were elected as members at the 1933 AGM held at the Sutton Council House. Godfrey was a talented athlete who went on to win gold and silver medals in the Berlin Olympic Games of 1936 in the 4 x 400 meters relay and the 400 meters individual event respectively. Godfrey Brown was born on 21st February 1915 in Bankura, Bengal, India but was educated at Warwick School. He played cricket for the school in June 1933 against Warwickshire Club & Ground and in June the following year played for the Club & Ground against the school. Old scorebooks and press cuttings reveal that Godfrey played a limited number of games for Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club from 1933 - 1939 taking a few wickets and scoring some runs. However it was as an athlete that Godfrey really came to prominence, running any distance from 100 to 880 yards, initially at Warwick School and then at Birchfield Harriers before going to Peterhouse Cambridge to read English and history in 1935. As a freshman he was awarded a blue in athletics. He made his first international appearance against Germany in Munich that year and returned to Berlin the following year as a member of the Great Britain 1936 Olympic team in what became known as “The Hitler Games”. 21 year-old Godfrey Brown was the youngest member of the British 4×400 meters relay team in Berlin yet despite his youth was given the responsibility of running the testing anchor stage. In 1937 Godfrey Brown lowered his personal best for 880 yards to 1:52.2 seconds in the USA and later ran a 1.51.2 seconds relay leg in a match against Germany. Godfrey was unbeaten in 1938 and was possibly the world's leading quarter-miler that year. He was the AAA and European 400 meter champion and in the 1938 European Championships he won a silver medal in the 4×400 meters relay. After a strenuous 1938 season Godfrey trained sporadically and the following winter became a schoolmaster and married Mary Denholm Armstrong the daughter of a railway manager early in 1939 which left very little time for serious training. In the 1939 track season, apart from winning the AAA 880 yards title in a modest time, he had an undistinguished season. In the final major race of his career he finished fourth and last in the 400 meters in a match against Germany in Cologne. After the war Godfrey attempted a comeback but met with little success and retired soon after. Godfrey’s sister Audrey won a silver medal at the 1936 Olympic Games and his brother Ralph (later Sir RK Brown) won the 1934 AAA 440 yards hurdles title and finished third in the Empire Games later that season. Godfrey taught history at Bedford School, subsequently taught at Rochester School and Cheltenham College and from 1950 until 1978 Godfrey was headmaster of Worcester Royal Grammar School. Godfrey retired to Clifton upon Teme, Worcester before finally settling in Sussex. Mary died in 1993 and Godfrey passed away two years later on 4 February 1995 shortly before his eightieth birthday. Although a very talented athlete, which left little time for cricket, Godfrey had poor eyesight which meant he was not mobilized into the Army, but was still a good rugby player and cricketer with both bat and ball. He was also active within the local community, was prominent in getting the Swan Theatre built in Worcester and played the French horn in the local orchestra. Peter Bell Life Member & Archivist
Elsewhere in this Newsletter is a newspaper cutting portraying a group of gold medal winners taken after the 1968 Olympics at an AAA Club dinner held in the Strangers’ Dining Room at the House of Commons. SCCC’s Godfrey Brown is 3rd from the right on the back row with another Sutton resident Ken Matthews next to him.
Left: Britain's Godfrey Brown, running the last lap for Great Britain, breaks the tape to win the men's Olympic Games 4 x 400 metres Relay Final in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Aug. 9, 1936.
Sutton Coldfield CC Story April 2013 Inside This Issue 1
View from the Chair
1
Playing cricket the Right Way
1
Summer Nets Reminder
2
2nd XI Captain
2
Spot the Olympian
2
Juniors- the Club’s Future
3
What’s in Store?
3
History in the Making
3
Curry & Quiz Night Report
4
Who is Godfrey?
View from the Chair There is a great deal of optimism within the Club and everyone appears so eager for the season to start, which is a very good sign. We have wintered well, generating a feeling of goodwill towards the Club and there is a strong sense of "team spirit". To progress we must strive to operate on a higher plane with everything we do, both on and off the field. On the playing front we need to compete consistently and maintain high standards at al l times, ensuring we achieve promotion back to the B&DPCL and then moving on up through the divisions must be the priority for our Club. We possess a wealth of talent, some of it very young, and this needs to be coached at appropriate levels so that skill levels continually improve. Important too is that we continue to recruit quality experienced players who will strengthen and motivate sides. Doing these things should ensure that we play attractive high quality cricket for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to the Club gaining much more all-round success in 2013. Colin Greetham Chairman SCCC
The Start of the Season!
Practice in both Summer and Winter Nets is a vital part of learning to play cricket
Summer Nets NOTE: Will all players of whatever age, please make every effort to attend outdoor nets throughout the season! Practice is vitally important.
As we look forward to a great summer (weather permitting) we can reflect on a great winter. The nets at Bishop Vesey’s have been a big success and combining skill, work, fielding and nets have made the sessions beneficial and rewarding. Our numbers have been excellent and there has been a good spread of players attending from 1st, 2 nd, 3rd and junior teams. We have enjoyed much help and commitment from the club’s coaching staff and it is exciting to see so many good young players improving their skill levels. At the senior level we have made some excellent signings. Ranvir Singh and Rishi Khokani have joined SCCC from Wednesbury and will be formidable players. James Hunt has joined from Streetly and has a big future. We are delighted to have such a talented all-rounder join our ranks. All three are county players and will make a huge difference to our side. Other new players to join the Club are: Michael Stones and Prayesh Vaja. We welcome them all and wish them and everyone else at SCCC great success for the coming summer. We have a Club Day on 13 April followed by a Friendly fixture against Four Oaks Saints before the League kicks off on 27 April. The Club Day should be a great success with both squares being used, and the nets together with the bowling machine should permit ‘Batters’ to groove their technique. We feel that a practice day for Club Members is more beneficial as everyone will have the chance to do ‘their bit’ and being involved. Being out for nought with a consequent lack of worthwhile practice can be a real turn off! We wish all the Club Captains success during the summer and everyone is now looking forward to outdoor practice and to actually playing. The Club is also trying to set up some coaching in Schools by using level 2 Coaches for a three week course (one lesson per week) to introduce cricket to lots of youngsters who we hope will enjoy the sessions so much that they will come down to the Club on a Friday night and then join as members. We’ve generated a lot of momentum at the Club and a big ‘THANK YOU’ must go to everyone who has contributed whether in a small or large way. Let’s look forward to a great summer of cricket and enjoyment for all.
Steve Perryman (SCCC Club Coach)
SUTTON COLDFIELD CC STORY
Juniors are the Club’s Future!
Adam Mist SCCC Saturday 2nd XI Captain for the second year – returned to SCCC two seasons ago having played for Erdington Court CC for several years. Adam began playing cricket at SCCC when 12 years of age and actually played in the U13’s for part of a season. When still only 13 years of age he played for the SCCC Saturday 3rd XI, in a team containing rather more senior players than the current 3rd XI squad at SCCC (the average age of the 3rd XI then was the wrong side of forty). He then switched clubs and joined Erdington Court CC to gain experience in senior cricket. He subsequently played for ECCC for some 11 years and in the 2008 and 2010 seasons he was 2nd XI Captain. There may be no actual connection to events but it did come as something of a surprise to hear that ECCC had become a casualty of the current economic climate and had closed down the season after Adam left ECCC at the start of the 2011 season to return to SCCC. Adam was elected SCCC Saturday 2nd XI Captain in 2012 and was re-elected earlier this year for the current (2013) season. The Club wishes him and his young side well!
To ensure the future of SCCC, it is vital that our junior section continues to grow. As many of our readers are already aware, we actively encourage our junior members to bring their friends and relatives to practice nights, (details of which are below). If you are a junior member of SCCC or a parent of a junior, please extend our best wishes to all of your contacts and urge them to attend any of the appropriate practice sessions. Outdoor Summer Nets for SCCC U14-U17 players take place every Monday evening at 6.30 pm thereafter until the end of the cricket season (weather permitting). Following the junior registration evening on Friday 19 April, junior practice will take place every Friday evening thereafter starting at 6.30pm (again weather permitting). Junior Fixtures are now live on the Club’s website so please visit: http://suttoncoldfield.cricketclubwebsite.com - click on fixtures then go to the junior section and look for your team. If the fixture has a time next to it is confirmed if it has no time it is a provisional date TBC. I hope that the Parents of our junior players will continue to bring their offspring to the club and to bring friends and family each Friday night, have a drink and a hotdog and to enjoy the atmosphere! We are always looking for new junior members regardless of ability and we encourage juniors to spread the cricketing philosophy. Please bring any friends along even if it is only for a free taster session with no obligation! Again, may I remind everyone about easyfundraising - club members/players should register online as fundraisers to allow the Club to raise money without it having to spend a single penny!
It’s Free, so sign up today at: //www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/sccc
Spot the SCCC Olympian?
Rear L-R: HM (Harold) Abrahams (110m Paris 1924); HH Whitlock (50km Walk Berlin 1936); JC Ainsworth-Davies (4x400m Relay Antwerp 1920); David Hemery (400m Hurdles Mexico 1968); L (Lyn) Davies (Long Jump Tokyo 1964); V Matthews (20km Walk Tokyo 1964); AGK Brown (4x400m Relay Berlin 1936); FF Wolff (4x400m Relay Berlin 1936); GL Rampling (4x400m Relay Berlin 1936). Front L-R: TW Green (50km Walk Los Angeles 1932); DH Jacobs (4x100m Relay Stockholm 1912); Mary Toomey (Rand) (Long Jump Tokyo 1964); The Marquis of Exeter (400m Hurdles Amsterdam 1928); DGA Low (800m Paris 1924 and Amsterdam 1928); GM Butler (4x400m Relay Antwerp 1920)
SUTTON COLDFIELD CC STORY
What’s in Store? 5th May 26th May 15th June 22 June 26th June 17th August 14th September 4th October November 21st December
Junior Super Sixes Senior Super Sixes Misty’s Treat President’s Day Race Night Clarky’s Celebrations End of Season Knees Up SCCC Awards Presentation SCCC AGM (date TBA) Christmas Drinks
Curry & Quiz Night Report Despite dreadful weather, more than 70 people attended the recent Curry and Quiz Night at the clubhouse and all had a brilliant evening. Quizmaster John Howard posed the questions and Colin Greetham and Brian Wright prepared the food. Syd collated the scores and the assembled crowd happily expressed their thanks to this brave band of workers. Everyone had a great time, with some disputed answers causing many ribald comments. The crowd comprised parents of junior players (it’s great that many parents wish to get involved in the club), senior players, many friends and club members, some hockey players who were most welcome and perhaps even more pleasing, a team from the ranks of The Friends of Rectory Park. We’ll draw a veil over the winning teams’ details but suffice to say that the prizes stayed within the club’s sphere of influence. It is not about winning though, it was about creating a friendly atmosphere within the Club and of encouraging people from outside the membership to come along and join in the fun.
This Crop will be the Stars of the Future I am proud to have been re-elected at Captain of SCCC’s Saturday 2 nd XI side for the 2013 season. We had a reasonable year in 2012, but we could have done so much better. We had a very young Saturday 2 nd XI side which was, and still is, full of rich promise and which in 2013 has the benefit of last season’s experience. Our 2012 mid-table finish allows me to look forward to 2013 when I believe, if the 2nd XI plays to its full potential, we have a good chance of promotion. With 11 opponents in our division, four of which have been promoted for a variety of reasons, there are teams that are something of an unknown quantity. However, because these clubs have been promoted i.e. were in a lower division last season, I believe that, weather permitting, we can achieve a minimum of 11 victories from our allotted 22 games. My second target for the SCCC Saturday 2 nd XI is to go undefeated for the season, not unreasonable given the circumstances! However, we have to learn to bat for our full allotment of 50 overs if we take first knock. My initial target for our batters is a minimum of 200 each innings, a score which we failed to reach on a number of occasions in 2012 even though we won several of those games. League cricket is all about pressure and how players react to that pressure. The more runs a side scores the more pressure is exerted on the opposition. I am all for playing fairly, but I still want the 2nd XI to win every game, if possible! Supporting the above hopes and aspirations are a number of plus points, the first of which is that we have a more than decent opening bowling attack, supported by two further attacking bowlers at first change and then a very promising spinner to follow when appropriate. We also have another really major asset in our fielding - we have a very promising wicketkeeper and our fielding is as good as you can get with young athletic team members who can not only catch and throw, but who are like lightening in the field, hugely important when games are tight. Restricting the opposition to a total of less than 200 runs can often make the difference. I hope everyone enjoys the coming season (a winning one would go a long way to achieving this) and that the future stars of SCCC play up to their full potential! Adam Mist (SCCC 2nd XI Captain) SCCC Saturday 2nd XI Captain
John Howard, SCCC Cricket Chairman, is 55 years of age, was educated at Lordswood Grammar Technical School and has A levels in English, Maths st with Stats and Computer Sciences. Was school 1 XI cricket captain, joined Halesowen CC in 1975, then moved to Bournville CC in 1980, playing 6 st seasons there, the last two as 1 Captain scoring 5,000 runs during his time with the club. Re-joined Halesowen in 1987 batting between 4 and 6, when he averaged around 36. Enjoyed playing at Rectory Park against Jamie Ross (now President), Andy Biddle, Mike Mackey (now junior coaches), and Mike Hepburn. John retired from cricket in 2000, and having moved to Sutton, his son Steven joined SCCC as a junior and John helped the U11 through to U17 winning 3 league titles. John was Chairman of SCCC for 4 years and has since continued on the committee. He assisted Colin Greetham when SCCC U14’s won the county cup in 2010, and the following year when the U15’s represented WCB in the National knockout losing in a regional semifinal. John is helping Colin rebuild the club and is grateful for the tremendous support from parents, players and other members. As Cricket Chairman, John attends selection meetings ensuring players are well represented, will always listen to members and is happy to discuss any cricketing matters. ([email protected] or on: 07846 697521)
Groundworks Report The Nat West Cricket Force Weekend was a major success with more than 30 people in attendance on Saturday 6 April when the bulk of the work was completed and 20 plus on Sunday 7 April to finish off the list of tasks. Many thanks must go to the ladies and who fed and watered everyone from 9am onwards – without these two, a lot of work would not have been done – for a person to work hard, there is a need for fuel and these two Club stalwarts provided just the right sort. The ground is really looking good considering the winter we have just experienced and even the bottom corner of the top ground which has been such a worry over the winter months shows some improvement. Let’s just hope we have a decent summer!
SUTTON COLDFIELD CC STORY
Who was Godfrey Brown? The 2012 cricket season coincided with the razzmatazz of the London Olympics and the success of Laura Unsworth Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club’s latest Olympian. Laura’s photograph is on display in the Olympians corner in the pavilion lounge alongside E.B.Crockford previously highlighted in the SCCC Story. A search of SCCC archives has revealed that the cricket club can also boast another Olympian. Arthur Godfrey Kilner Brown who lived 146 Rectory Road and played for SCCC alongside his elder brother Ralph Kilner Brown, later to become Sir RK Brown. Both were elected as members at the 1933 AGM held at the Sutton Council House. Godfrey was a talented athlete who went on to win gold and silver medals in the Berlin Olympic Games of 1936 in the 4 x 400 meters relay and the 400 meters individual event respectively. Godfrey Brown was born on 21st February 1915 in Bankura, Bengal, India but was educated at Warwick School. He played cricket for the school in June 1933 against Warwickshire Club & Ground and in June the following year played for the Club & Ground against the school. Old scorebooks and press cuttings reveal that Godfrey played a limited number of games for Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club from 1933 - 1939 taking a few wickets and scoring some runs. However it was as an athlete that Godfrey really came to prominence, running any distance from 100 to 880 yards, initially at Warwick School and then at Birchfield Harriers before going to Peterhouse Cambridge to read English and history in 1935. As a freshman he was awarded a blue in athletics. He made his first international appearance against Germany in Munich that year and returned to Berlin the following year as a member of the Great Britain 1936 Olympic team in what became known as “The Hitler Games”. 21 year-old Godfrey Brown was the youngest member of the British 4×400 meters relay team in Berlin yet despite his youth was given the responsibility of running the testing anchor stage. In 1937 Godfrey Brown lowered his personal best for 880 yards to 1:52.2 seconds in the USA and later ran a 1.51.2 seconds relay leg in a match against Germany. Godfrey was unbeaten in 1938 and was possibly the world's leading quarter-miler that year. He was the AAA and European 400 meter champion and in the 1938 European Championships he won a silver medal in the 4×400 meters relay. After a strenuous 1938 season Godfrey trained sporadically and the following winter became a schoolmaster and married Mary Denholm Armstrong the daughter of a railway manager early in 1939 which left very little time for serious training. In the 1939 track season, apart from winning the AAA 880 yards title in a modest time, he had an undistinguished season. In the final major race of his career he finished fourth and last in the 400 meters in a match against Germany in Cologne. After the war Godfrey attempted a comeback but met with little success and retired soon after. Godfrey’s sister Audrey won a silver medal at the 1936 Olympic Games and his brother Ralph (later Sir RK Brown) won the 1934 AAA 440 yards hurdles title and finished third in the Empire Games later that season. Godfrey taught history at Bedford School, subsequently taught at Rochester School and Cheltenham College and from 1950 until 1978 Godfrey was headmaster of Worcester Royal Grammar School. Godfrey retired to Clifton upon Teme, Worcester before finally settling in Sussex. Mary died in 1993 and Godfrey passed away two years later on 4 February 1995 shortly before his eightieth birthday. Although a very talented athlete, which left little time for cricket, Godfrey had poor eyesight which meant he was not mobilized into the Army, but was still a good rugby player and cricketer with both bat and ball. He was also active within the local community, was prominent in getting the Swan Theatre built in Worcester and played the French horn in the local orchestra. Peter Bell Life Member & Archivist
Elsewhere in this Newsletter is a newspaper cutting portraying a group of gold medal winners taken after the 1968 Olympics at an AAA Club dinner held in the Strangers’ Dining Room at the House of Commons. SCCC’s Godfrey Brown is 3rd from the right on the back row with another Sutton resident Ken Matthews next to him.
Left: Britain's Godfrey Brown, running the last lap for Great Britain, breaks the tape to win the men's Olympic Games 4 x 400 metres Relay Final in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Aug. 9, 1936.
