Henry Swan (cricketer)
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Henry Dawes Swan (born 28 July 1879, Newcastle upon Tyne, died 21 December 1941, Bournemouth) was an English cricketer and cricket administrator.
He attended Uppingham School and Exeter College, Oxford,[1] and served as chairman of the Essex County Cricket Club committee.[2] In 1910 he managed a cricket team that toured Portugal.[3] He played in a variety of matches over many years for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC),[4] and was a member of the committee of the MCC.[2] He organised many of the MCC's matches and minor tours, including an annual tour in the Channel Islands.[5]
He served as the New Zealand Cricket Council's representative in London, and visited New Zealand during the cricket season of 1921–22 helping to organise a tour by an MCC team to New Zealand in the 1922–23 season. When the touring team was announced he was named as its manager.[6] Before the tour Sir Home Gordon described Swan as "a man of colossal size, great enthusiasm, possessing fine knowledge of the game as well as a ready wit and imperturbable good temper. He should prove an outstanding [sic] successful feature of the tour."[3]
He played in the opening match of the tour, against Western Australia, making his first-class debut at the age of 43.[7] Batting at number eleven he was out for a duck in his only innings, and when he fielded his physique caused some amusement among the Perth crowd.[8] After that he limited his activities to his managerial duties, and played in only one more match on the tour, a minor match in Nelson.[4] However, he also played in the annual match between former students at British public schools and former Christ's College boys, held that year in Geraldine, South Canterbury.[9]
He returned to England after the tour to begin the organisation of the first New Zealand cricket tour to England, which it was hoped would occur in 1925.[10] It eventually took place in 1927. He continued to represent the New Zealand Cricket Council in London until the 1930s, and was at one stage suggested as a possible manager of the New Zealand team in England in 1931.[11] He was largely responsible for organising the itineraries of the 1927 and 1931 tours.[12]
References
- ↑ Gordon, Home (1942). "Swannie". The Cricketer (Spring Annual): 7–10. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- 1 2 "English Team's Visit: Some Personal Details". New Zealand Herald. LIX (18210). 2 October 1922. p. 5.
- 1 2 "Cricket Team for New Zealand: Some Well-Known Players". Otago Daily Times. LIX (18680). 9 October 1922. p. 6.
- 1 2 "Miscellaneous matches played by Henry Swan". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ↑ "Obituaries in 1941". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ↑ "MacLaren's Team: Manager Announced". The Press. LVIII (17539). 22 August 1922. p. 2.
- ↑ "Western Australia v MCC". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ↑ "M.C.C. v Western Australia". The Daily News. 4 November 1922. p. 17.
- ↑ "Past and Present Christ's College v Old English Public School Boys". Temuka Leader (10420). 27 January 1923. p. 1.
- ↑ "Cricket in Dominion: Mr MacLaren's Impression". New Zealand Herald. LX (18327). 17 February 1923. p. 10.
- ↑ "Strong Batting Combination". NZ Truth (2206): 12. 22 December 1930. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ↑ "Forthcoming English Tour: Mr H. D. Swan's observations". Press. LXVII (20150): 20. 31 January 1931. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
External links
- Henry Swan at ESPNcricinfo
- Henry Swan at CricketArchive (subscription required)