Double-Internationals
Nov 15, 2019 15:02:45 GMT
Post by ChrisB on Nov 15, 2019 15:02:45 GMT
There was an interesting article in the newspaper yesterday, as part of the celebrations of England's 1000th international match, about the sportsmen who had played both football and cricket for England, and I was reminded that Oxford City's John Arnold was one of only twelve men who had ever done that.
The Coventry Evening Telegraph in September 1936 printed this:
"John Arnold was born in Oxford and commenced his football when a schoolboy there with considerable success. He then graduated to the Oxford City team in the Isthmian League, for whom he played on the wing.
He left Oxford in order to qualify as a cricketer for Hampshire, and at the same time he was taken on by Southampton Football Club and proved to be an instant success in Division II football. He was transferred to Fulham early in 1933.
At soccer he is a speedy and tricky forward. His lack of inches is no handicap, and he can score goals for he has a strong and accurate kick.
As a cricketer he excels with the bat and is usually entrusted with opening his County’s innings. He is also brilliant in the field.
He played for England v Scotland at football and also represented his country at cricket, becoming that rara avis, a Double-International."
To pad this out a little more...
He was born in Cowley on November 30th 1907. His father, Frederick, had been a professional cricketer, and the family lived in Temple Road, Cowley.
He played irregularly over the three seasons from 1925 to 1927 for Oxford City FC and scored six goals in forty matches in that period. Between 1928 and 1933 he played for Southampton and then until 1939 for Fulham. He played in one international for England: in the 2-1 win against Scotland in Glasgow in the ’32-’33 season.
Before moving to Hampshire he was an important member of the Oxfordshire cricket side, and, in 1929 with an average of over 50, was a major factor in winning their first ever Minor County Championship.
He became a regular in the Hampshire XI in 1930 and played until 1950. He played just one test match for England, against New Zealand in 1931 (scoring 0 and 34). He later became a first-class umpire, retiring in 1974.
He died on April 3rd 1984.
The Coventry Evening Telegraph in September 1936 printed this:
"John Arnold was born in Oxford and commenced his football when a schoolboy there with considerable success. He then graduated to the Oxford City team in the Isthmian League, for whom he played on the wing.
He left Oxford in order to qualify as a cricketer for Hampshire, and at the same time he was taken on by Southampton Football Club and proved to be an instant success in Division II football. He was transferred to Fulham early in 1933.
At soccer he is a speedy and tricky forward. His lack of inches is no handicap, and he can score goals for he has a strong and accurate kick.
As a cricketer he excels with the bat and is usually entrusted with opening his County’s innings. He is also brilliant in the field.
He played for England v Scotland at football and also represented his country at cricket, becoming that rara avis, a Double-International."
To pad this out a little more...
He was born in Cowley on November 30th 1907. His father, Frederick, had been a professional cricketer, and the family lived in Temple Road, Cowley.
He played irregularly over the three seasons from 1925 to 1927 for Oxford City FC and scored six goals in forty matches in that period. Between 1928 and 1933 he played for Southampton and then until 1939 for Fulham. He played in one international for England: in the 2-1 win against Scotland in Glasgow in the ’32-’33 season.
Before moving to Hampshire he was an important member of the Oxfordshire cricket side, and, in 1929 with an average of over 50, was a major factor in winning their first ever Minor County Championship.
He became a regular in the Hampshire XI in 1930 and played until 1950. He played just one test match for England, against New Zealand in 1931 (scoring 0 and 34). He later became a first-class umpire, retiring in 1974.
He died on April 3rd 1984.
