WG's Birthday Party______________________ A fascinating examination of cricket in the nineteenth century by 'the most entertaining historian alive' (Spectator) 'Few historians have the power to make you feel you actually inhabit the times they are writing about. Kynaston does' Sunday Times, Books of the Decade On a hot morning in July 1898, the sporting world gathered at Lord's to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of WG Grace, the greatest cricketer the game has ever seen. Grace was cheered onto the field by a packed crowd as he captained the Gentlemen, the privileged old guard of the Establishment. Their opponents in this annual match were the Players, cricketers for whom the sport was a precarious livelihood rather than a summer pastime. This three-day encounter represented the climax of cricket's Golden Age, and the unstoppable arrival of the professional game that would dominate the twentieth century. In WG's Birthday Party, David Kynaston tells the story of one of the most thrilling matches in cricketing history, as well as the colourful and sometimes tragically moving lives of the members of both teams. Using the Gentlemen vs Players contest as a lens through which to examine the hierarchy and tensions endemic in cricket at the beginning of the modern era, he presents a lively, moving, richly detailed and massively entertaining portrait of late-Victorian society. It is social history at its most compelling, from 'the most entertaining historian alive'. ______________________ 'An absolute gem of a book' Guardian 'Kynaston writes brilliantly and readably' Independent on Sunday |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abel afterwards Alec amateur appearance Australia ball batsman batting became become began better boundary bowler bowling Brockwell called captain career caught century cheers continued course cricket crowd Dixon early eleven England eventually field first followed four gave Gentlemen give Grace ground Gunn Haigh half hand hard head Hearne hour Jackson Kortright later less Lilley Lockwood look Lord Lord’s MacGregor MacLaren Mason match Middlesex minutes never occasion ofthe once opening past Pavilion perhaps pitch play Players professionals remained remarkable returned runs score season seemed seen short Shrewsbury side slip soon sporting standing Stoddart Storer stroke stump successful summer Surrey taken third thought took tour Townsend Tunnicliffe turned umpire usual West WG’s wicket Woods Wynyard Yorkshire young