The Twelfth Man 2013

13 have a ‘space’). Mine however, back to 1926, are all signed by a player in the book. I have had some interesting times driving around, to Rotherham to get Ellis Robinson, to Selby to find Sandy Jacques and Bob told me just what a good fast bowler Sandy was. While with Sandy we went out in the garden where Sandy showed me his signal to stumper Arthur Wood when bending his head to left or right, Arthur could expect the ball to swing ‘in‘ or ‘out‘. Brian and I had a real treat when Bob took us upstairs showing us a marvellous collection of souvenirs from his days in the game: paintings, statues, scorecards, and menus. One that really caught my eye, as a lover of autographs, was a First Day Cover signed by more than 50 great names at the Centenary Test Match, a souvenir from Melbourne. For the past 20 years I have accumulated F.D.C.s with perhaps three or four signatures. Although there was speculation back in the 1950s about a possible recurrence of T.B. “not so” he insists, his problem was a trapped nerve in his shoulder, caused by his action. Bob is sad at the way in which the game is going ’these days’ wondering how modern day players would cope with uncovered pitches and batting without helmets. After more than three hours spent in the company of one of the real giants of the game we had to leave, although safe in the knowledge that we would meet this lovely man again in the Long Room. An amateur portrait of the Yorkshire bowler Bob receiving the precious County cap from Norman Yardley in 1951, with Fred Trueman alongside.