Was Bradman a jerk?

[mr_mister]

Many have said his no socialising, no fun attitude toward life lead to a bit of a rift between him and many of his teammates in the test team, including Fingleton, O'Reilly and Grimmett. They would spend post-game drinking and laughing in the dressing room while Bradman sat in the corner trying to read with earplugs in, if my understanding is correct.

There was also talk of added bitterness at Grimmett and O'Reilly, who seemed to get him out for fun on the domestic scene, which possibly lead to Grimmett having an early retirement when he wasn't picked for the test side despite still being at the peak of his powers. Fingleton was by all reports unfairly dropped during Bodyline because of an apparent leak of information during the Series regarding Woodfull's famous comments about only one side out there playing cricket, for which he blamed Bradman. Whether it was for actually making the comments himself or for being a tattle-tale(dibber-dobber), I'm not sure.

I dunno about too many more stories of players on his own team not getting along with him, but it wouldn't surprise me if Sid Barnes and Keith Miller didn't either due to their laid back attitude toward the game.


Lastly, I've read that it was kind of a protestant-catholic butting of heads that lead to a lot of the bad blood. Bradman didn't take too kindly to the Irish apparently?



So what do we all think. Great player but a little bit big headed? Or something else

 

[Burner]

He's a jerk, yes.

 

[vcs]

When you average 99.94, you can get away with being a much bigger jerk than he probably was.

 

[weldone]

When you average 99.94, you can get away with being a much bigger jerk than he probably was.

True, but forcing Grimmett to retire at his prime was a dick move.

 

[Pratters]

Ian Chappell thinks he was a jerk as well, so it must be true.

 

[weldone]

Ian Chappell thinks he was a jerk as well, so it must be true.

Bradman was not as big a jerk as the Chappell brothers though.

 

[Kirkut]

Moral obligation and talent have no relation.

 

[Pratters]

Greg Chappell wasn't a jerk, just a very poor coach. You may have a point as far as Ian Chappell is concerned though.

 

[Ikki]

He was the Kanye of his time.

 

[a massive zebra]

There was also talk of added bitterness at Grimmett and O'Reilly, who seemed to get him out for fun on the domestic scene

What have you been smoking?

In first class matches in which Bradman faced Grimmett, he scored 281 runs at 93.66 (one century, highest score 258) and Grimmett did not take his wicket.

In first class matches in which Bradman faced O'Reilly, he scored 1,194 runs at 91.84 (four centuries, highest score 251 not out) and O'Reilly took his wicket six times.

If that is getting him out for fun, then more or less every player in history has been dismissed for fun on a regular basis.

 

[Malleeboy]

Australia had a considerable sectarian division, in his day, which most Australians today find hard to comprehend. this clearly lead to a division in the team.
Bradman was a teetotaler in a nation and especially a sport that loved a drink.
Miller is almost praised for his inability to be faithful in marriage, Bradman was unerringly faithful to Jessie.
That he was such a driven accumulator of runs irked some.
Anybody having to deal with the fame that he had will to some extent guard themselves.

I think jerk is a little harsh, maybe aloof and eccentric might fit better...

 

[indiaholic]

Hmm if he was a teetotaler in the 90s and 2000s side, Warne would have probably driven him to insanity.

 

[AndrewB]

There was also talk of added bitterness at Grimmett and O'Reilly, who seemed to get him out for fun on the domestic scene, which possibly lead to Grimmett having an early retirement when he wasn't picked for the test side despite still being at the peak of his powers.

May have been at the peak of his powers but his "early retirement" from Tests was aged 44.

There's a book about the 1945 "Victory Tests" which suggests that some of the cricketers who fought in the Second World War weren't very impressed with Bradman (who of course didn't).

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Nah, just autistic.

 

[the big bambino]

A man who doesn't like a piss up doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy life.

While Grimmett and O'Reilly were relatively successful against Bradman they still struggled against him.

Yes Bradman was wrong to drop Grimmett in 38 but it seems he recanted in deed if not in word by preferencing Grimmett to the man he was replaced, Ward, in the South Australian attack in the seasons before the war. The fact Bradman never admitted to this selection error, and even tried to justify it in late retirement, counts against him imo. Btw Grimmett never thought himself retired and would have been a strong candidate for selection if tests were played btwn the 38 tour and the war.

Fingleton was a brilliant writer and fine bat. It is also true he was a massive hater and psycho dick when it came to Bradman. I read with disbelief, about 4 or 5 pages in one of his books abusing Bradman for failing to accept an invitation extended to his team on their way back to Australia. Given the pressure on Bradman while on tour would it have cost Fingleton to show a little empathy as to why Bradman would have indulged himself with a little "me" time? Fingleton's obsession diminishes his own reputation.

I don't know the entire story around Barnes and Miller but if Bradman played a part in their dropping it counts against him too. Then again the reasons may have been justifiable in the context of the times.

Still there were plenty who liked him but they weren't the big name players so their opinions were never sought to balance the O'Reilly and Fingo bile. Grimmett on the other hand made his criticisms pertinent and without the vindictiveness of the others so credit to him for that.

I also think he had aspergers.

 

[the big bambino]

Btw Fingleton was dropped in 32/33 bcos his last 3 innings in tests leading up to his sacking yielded one run. He then failed in his remaining 2 matches before the season ended, one of which was against the MCC who were resting all their test fast bowlers.

Fingleton said he never leaked the Woodfull remark and he can be taken at his word imo. I can see why he wouldn't want to be thought a squealer but really he (or the actual leaker) should be thanked for giving publicity to arguably cricket's greatest ever quote.

 

[watson]

The other side of Don Bradman

It was not just the sectarian divide between Protestants and Catholics which made players change on opposite sides of the Australian dressing-room in the 1930s. It was an accumulation of incidents which led some team-mates to think that Bradman placed too much emphasis on his own individual advancement in what had hitherto been a team-game, to the extent that the great spin bowler in Bradman's side, Bill O'Reilly, would freely say that the Bradman Appreciation Society held its meetings in a telephone kiosk.

The other side of Don Bradman - Telegraph

.

 

[Dan]

Ian Chappell thinks he was a jerk as well, so it must be true.

If anything, this is something that should count against the 'Bradman is a jerk' argument.

 

[Pratters]

Yeah, I posted it sarcastically..

 

[mr_mister]

Btw Fingleton was dropped in 32/33 bcos his last 3 innings in tests leading up to his sacking yielded one run. He then failed in his remaining 2 matches before the season ended, one of which was against the MCC who were resting all their test fast bowlers.

Fingleton said he never leaked the Woodfull remark and he can be taken at his word imo. I can see why he wouldn't want to be thought a squealer but really he (or the actual leaker) should be thanked for giving publicity to arguably cricket's greatest ever quote.

ahh but that innings just before those 3 was heralded as one of the bravest of all time