Know under the nom-de-plumes of "Old Buffer" and "Wykhamist", Fred Gale was one of the first collectors of cricket books. He was a great public school man and enjoyed passing on advice on all aspects of cricket to young pupils. His seven "Cricket Homilies", first published in Boy's Own Paper in the 1880s, give advice on such crucial topics as "Punctuality and Obedience", "Eating, Drinking and Dress", and "Backing Up, Over Throws, Good Bowling". He also wrote evocatively on smoking a pipe with Fuller Pilch, enjoying a Sunday pint or two at the Bat and Ball in Hambledon back in the mid 19th century, and "Scraps from Old Supper Tables", which is a series of recollections of stories picked up from his cricketing friends down the years and which first appeared in Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game. The frontispiece of this book comrpises a portrait of Gale looking very "old bufferish" which top-hat, cane and watch chain.
First edition. Bound in green quarter leather with raised bands and gilt titles to spine. 8vo. 270pp. Bookplate of Thomas Parkin who, as the original owner, has pasted in at the beginning of the book some pages of handwritten biographical notes about Gale, as well as his printed obituary from "Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game" from 1904. Corners are bumped and the leather parts of the binding are well worn in places. Still displays very well on the shelf and the contents are very good. [Padwick, 6683]
- Date
- 1887
- Publisher
- Swan Sonnenschein, Lowrey
- Author
- Frederick GALE
£48.00 (Code: 38009)
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