Billy Gunn (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
William "Billy" Gunn was an English sportsman who played internationally in both cricket
and football
. In first-class cricket
, Gunn played professionally for Nottinghamshire
from 1880
to 1904
and represented England in 11 Test matches
. In football, he played for both Notts County
and Nottingham Forest
as an amateur and played twice for England
, scoring one goal in the inaugural 1884 British Home Championship
.
, following which he was voted Wisden Batsman of the Year
. He joined his Nottinghamshire colleagues Alfred Shaw
and Arthur Shrewsbury
in the English cricket team in Australia in 1886–87
.
In his Wisden citation, Gunn was described in the following terms:
of his day by hurling the ball inhuman distances... with one hand". At the time, rules for throw-in
s were not formalised, but when his throws "repeatedly hurtled into Scotland's penalty area from well inside England's own half" in an unofficial match in 1882, he "forced the FA to change the law to [that of] ... today."
Wisden described his footballing career in the following terms: "For several years Gunn was one of the most brilliant forwards in the country at Association football, but latterly gave up the game, reserving himself entirely for cricket."
and John Gunn
, were both England Test cricketers.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. In first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
, Gunn played professionally for Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
from 1880
1880 English cricket season
The 1880 English cricket season saw the second tour by a representative Australian side, who took part in the first Test Match to be played in England. County cricket was dominated by the Notts bowlers Alfred Shaw and Fred Morley.-Events:...
to 1904
1904 English cricket season
In the 1904 English cricket season Lancashire went through the County Championship unbeaten, which was enough to clinch the Championship title. Lancashire drew ten games, but their 16 wins were still more than any other team could muster...
and represented England in 11 Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
. In football, he played for both Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
and Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
as an amateur and played twice for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, scoring one goal in the inaugural 1884 British Home Championship
1884 British Home Championship
The 1884 British Home Championship was the inaugural international football tournament, played between the Home Nations of the British Isles which at the time made up the constituent nations of the United Kingdom; England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland...
.
Cricket career
Gunn was a specialist right-handed batsman (RHB) who occasionally bowled slow underarm lobs. He was an outfielder who was noted for his accurate throwing. His most successful season was 18891889 English cricket season
The 1889 English cricket season saw the number of balls per over increased from four to five. The four-ball over had been used since time immemorial....
, following which he was voted Wisden Batsman of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
. He joined his Nottinghamshire colleagues Alfred Shaw
Alfred Shaw
Alfred Shaw was an eminent Victorian cricketer and rugby footballer, who bowled the first ball in Test cricket and was the first to take five wickets in a Test innings . He who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888...
and Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury was an English cricketer, and rugby football administrator, who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888, and who was widely rated as competing with W. G...
in the English cricket team in Australia in 1886–87
English cricket team in Australia in 1886–87
The England cricket team in Australia in 1886–87, generally known as Alfred Shaw's XI, was described by Wisden as "one of the strongest that ever left England for the Colonies"...
.
In his Wisden citation, Gunn was described in the following terms:
...we think we are correct in saying that no batsman of the same height has ever played in more elegant and perfect form. Even before he rose to his fame as a batsman, Gunn was one of the most brilliant fields in the country, and it was the general opinion of practical cricketers of his era that in the long field and at third man he had never had a superior. Gunn was a member of Alfred ShawAlfred ShawAlfred Shaw was an eminent Victorian cricketer and rugby footballer, who bowled the first ball in Test cricket and was the first to take five wickets in a Test innings . He who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888...
and Arthur ShrewsburyArthur ShrewsburyArthur Shrewsbury was an English cricketer, and rugby football administrator, who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888, and who was widely rated as competing with W. G...
's team in Australia during the season of 1886/7, and averaged 21.8 in eleven-a-side matches, and 20.7 in all matches.
Football career
Gunn was approximately 6 ft 2 in tall and had the ability to throw a football long distances, "establishing himself as the DelapRory Delap
Rory John Delap is an English born Irish footballer who plays for Stoke City. He has played eleven times for the Republic of Ireland national football team....
of his day by hurling the ball inhuman distances... with one hand". At the time, rules for throw-in
Throw-in
A throw-in is a method of restarting play in a game of Association football.-Procedure:The throw-in is taken from the point where the ball crossed the touch-line. The throw-in is taken by the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when it crossed the touch-line, either on the ground or...
s were not formalised, but when his throws "repeatedly hurtled into Scotland's penalty area from well inside England's own half" in an unofficial match in 1882, he "forced the FA to change the law to [that of] ... today."
Wisden described his footballing career in the following terms: "For several years Gunn was one of the most brilliant forwards in the country at Association football, but latterly gave up the game, reserving himself entirely for cricket."
Business career
Gunn founded the sports equipment firm Gunn and Moore in 1885 and became the first former professional cricketer to serve on a county club committee. His nephews, GeorgeGeorge Gunn
George Gunn was an English cricketer who played in 15 Tests from 1907 to 1930. Along with other notable batsmen such as Jack Hobbs, Frank Woolley and Phil Mead, he was one of a group who, beginning their first-class careers in the Edwardian Era, seemed to go on for ever...
and John Gunn
John Gunn (cricketer)
John Richmond Gunn was an English cricketer who played in six Tests from 1901 to 1905....
, were both England Test cricketers.