Have you heard of Jack Hobbs?

I am not an ardent follower of cricket, i.e to the extent of remembering statistics or players from bygone eras. So apologies to all those who reacted to the title question with "Duh! Is this guy from earth?" or an equal response.

I did not actually hear about Jack Hobbs until I came across this article on cricinfo. A super article by Gideon Haigh I must add.


The article also enlightened me on the apparent class divide between the "professionals" and the "amateurs" of that time.

To appreciate Hobbs' full significance, however, we must contemplate the class rigidities of his time. The discrimination that placed amateur and professional in separate dressing rooms and hotels, and had them enter the field by different gates and travel in different railway carriages, now seems as remote from our experience of cricket as sectarianism or McCarthyism.

Awesome to know about him! Many of the great players are great not just because of their skill but because of character.