Question for JBMAC, and anyone else who wants to express a view

[fredfertang]

Being a very sad man I recently spent much more than I am prepared to admit to to Mrs Fertang on a very nice piece of memorabilia from the 1948 Invincibles tour. It is a 24 page souvenir of the visit to Scotland that was made right at the end of the trip.

The brochure clearly wasn't prepared very long in advance because England had already had their hiding and that is referred to. Of course being Scottish the editor was not all troubled by the fact that an England side had been given such a hiding. There is also an essay on Bradman which is what prompted this plea to our most venerable poster.

Today we accept that Bradman was a freak and that the game will never see his like again. The gentleman editing this brochure however, whilst he acknowledged that Bradman was the "greatest run getter the game has seen" seemed to be reasonably accepting of the fact that in the future there would be others who would match him.

So JB, when you were at the Gabba in 46/47, watching the Don, were your thoughts along the lines that you must make the most of the opportunity as you would never see his like again, or did you expect someone to eclipse him one day?

For example when Neil Harvey made his great start in Test cricket did folk really think he was the 'new Bradman'?

 

[JBMAC]

Interesting question. It's invaluable to have 20/20 hindsight. There really was not the thought entering anybody's head He would retire.(myself included). It was just assumed He would go on and on I suppose. As an avid supporter of Aussie cricket I suppose we all had blinkers on. Over the years there have been lots on "NEW" Bradmans. Ian Craig, Neil Harvey, Dirk Wellham etc etc etc but none have measured up longterm. When ever he played though you just knew in your gut you were watching something special. There is nothing I could put my finger on except the name "Don Bradman". He had dominated the game for so long, set so many records, that not even the horrifics of WW2 could interfere with the reputation of the cricketer He had become. As for someone to eclipse him one day in the annals of Aussie Cricket the will be some who come close, stats wise, like Voges, Warner and Smith but they have the wrong surname.It will,IMPO, always be BRADMAN.

Hope this throws some objectivity on the subject fredfertang

 

[JBMAC]

Interesting question. It's invaluable to have 20/20 hindsight. There really was not the thought entering anybody's head He would retire.(myself included). It was just assumed He would go on and on I suppose. As an avid supporter of Aussie cricket I suppose we all had blinkers on. Over the years there have been lots on "NEW" Bradmans. Ian Craig, Neil Harvey, Dirk Wellham etc etc etc but none have measured up longterm. When ever he played though you just knew in your gut you were watching something special. There is nothing I could put my finger on except the name "Don Bradman". He had dominated the game for so long, set so many records, that not even the horrifics of WW2 could interfere with the reputation of the cricketer He had become. As for someone to eclipse him one day in the annals of Aussie Cricket the will be some who come close, stats wise, like Voges, Warner and Smith but they have the wrong surname.It will,IMPO, always be BRADMAN.

Hope this throws some objectivity on the subject fredfertang

 

[mr_mister]

Obviously I wasn't there, but after his 6th ton in his 9th test I can imagine the hype surrounding Harvey. People usually like to replace their retiring heroes as fast as possible. The first of many to be called 'The next Bradman'

 

[Engle]

Norman O'Neill was touted as the ' new Bradman ' after his first 4 series averaging 56 vs England, 73 vs India, 63 vs Pakistan, 52 vs W.Indies. Failed to live up to his promising start and fell away quickly as did so many others. It is not so much the stellar start that a batsman makes as much as it is the progressive enhancement of such a start.

 

[mr_mister]

Well yeah but hindsights 20/20

In the fifties there's no reason you wouldn't expect the quality of batting to get better and better and to think these blokes could measure up to the Don.

you hadn't been jaded by 70 years of people being good but nowhere near as good as Bradman

 

[Red]

I've just finished reading Bradman by Charles Williams. EASILY the best book I've read on Bradman.

Couple of things stand out though in that book:

How difficult Fingleton and O'Reilly (and perhaps a few others) made his early years of playing, and then captaincy. And how much the sectarian divide actually effected in Aust at that time.

How sick he was at times (almost died or appendicitis and peritonitis), and also how much hypochondria he seemed to have at other times.

The emotional stress that being who he was placed on him, and how he really longed to get away from all that and just have a normal life in the suburbs playing sports for fun.

 

[mr_mister]

Sounds very detailed. I'm interested in the Fingleton Bradman drama. I may read it

 

[Red]

Just a really good, well researched bio. Highly recommend.

 

[Engle]

Just returned from the library : Bradman in Wisden, 100th Birthday edition by Graeme Wright.
Definitely recommended, a collection of short stories and essays from various well-renowned authors and celebrities.

What stood out :
1. When his eyesight was tested whilst enlisting for the army, it was found to be surprisingly average.
2. He treated every ball as if it was his first - never relenting his wicket

 

[Burgey]

Just a really good, well researched bio. Highly recommend.

Agreed, it's a great book.