I don't want to sound all rose tinted &
nostalgic for the amateur era [even tough I sort of am], but there
was a lot to be said about sport back in the Victorian age. I
understand that it was in many ways limited to 'gentlemen of
leisure', and Muscular Christianity tends to annoy, but more often
than not they were proper 'sportsmen'.
In July 1885 teams selected from the
cricket clubs and the football clubs of Falkirk met on the Randyford
Ground [East Stirlingshire CC] to play a two day match at cricket.
Sadly I have never found a return match at football. Though East
Stirlingshire FC played East Stirlingshire CC at football
occasionally.
The problem with professional sport is
that the employer hinders a sportsman's opportunity at another sport,
whereas back then there were few limits. Jock Drummond was allegedly
a fiend with the bowls, conversely Grahamston Bowling Club had a team
in the Falkirk District Amateur League. Harry Smith played for
Falkirk FC in winter, then for Stenhousemuir CC in Summer. Alex
Gillespie earned the nickname 'Ballangeich' because of his exploits
on the running track [named after a popular Greyhound of the time].
Yes, I know, now the players are
fitter, better, more focussed, but we only ever play League & Cup
matches, with a couple of pre-season friendlies thrown in, it gets
samey at times. [Before I hoist myself by my own petard it must be
said Falkirk FC played a Stenhousemuir Social XI in a game of cricket
as part of their 125th anniversary celebrations [but they forgot to
tell anyone, and I am yet to find out the score ….]
Wednesday 8th July 1885 – Thursday
9th July 1885 – Randyford Ground, Falkirk
Falkirk Footballers lost to Falkirk
Cricketers by 52 runs.
| Falkirk Footballers | Falkirk Cricketers | ||||
| H.Smith | not out | 33 | ?.Lavington | c Jackson b Smith | 0 |
| J.Roberts | c Stark b Lavington | 7 | W.Stark | c & b Jackson | 11 |
| W.Scott | run out | 4 | J.Callander | b Roberts | 22 |
| J.Mackie | b Callander | 0 | J.Brown | run out | 1 |
| +R.Cuthill | c Brown b Lavington | 2 | J.Campbell | lbw b Jackson | 2 |
| W.Ferguson | c Brown b Lavington | 0 | R.White | b Ferguson | 22 |
| J.Murphy jun | c Stark b Callander | 7 | J.Johnston | c Roberts b Smith | 4 |
| R.Cullen | b Callander | 1 | C.Melville | b Scott | 8 |
| G.Robb | b Lavington | 0 | B.Harley | c Smith b Mackie | 19 |
| J.Murphy sen | b Callander | 0 | J.Wilkie | not out | 17 |
| G.Jackson | run out | 5 | J.McDonald | b Roberts | 2 |
| W.Hamilton | b Wilkie | 1 | W.Gray | st Cuthill b Smith | 0 |
| Extras | 3 | Extras | 7 | ||
| Total | 63 | Total | 115 | ||
Notes-
No bowling figures were reported.
Harry Smith could theoretically have
played for either team [he was allegedly a fine leg-spinner].
William Stark [Cricketers] was the
uncle of Falkirk FC legend Sandy Stark.
All in all it is the passing of a sad
age, up until the 1950s Falkirk FC had Len Dudman on their books, he
played for Forfarshire & Scotland at cricket during the Summer,
for Falkirk FC in the Winter, to this day he is Falkirk's most capped
player.
Never again I fear.
