Eric Tindill
Encyclopedia
Eric William Thomas Tindill (18 December 1910 – 1 August 2010) was a New Zealand
sportsman. Tindill held a number of unique records: he was the oldest ever Test cricketer at the time of his death, the only person to play Tests
for New Zealand in both cricket
and rugby union
(a so-called "double All Black"), and the only person ever to play Tests in both sports, referee a rugby union Test, and umpire a cricket Test: a unique "double-double".
and was raised in Motueka
. His family moved to Wellington
in 1922, and he was educated at Wellington Technical College until 1925. He trained as an accountant, and worked as a civil servant for 40 years in the government audit office. He was nicknamed "Snowy" due to his fair hair. He married his wife Mary in 1937, shortly before he left on a cricket tour to England. An all-round sportsman, in addition to cricket and rugby, Tindill also played football for Wellington in 1927, and was a founder of the Wellington Table Tennis Association in 1932.
for Wellington from 1932–33 to 1949–50 as a wicket-keeper
/batsman and left-handed opening batsman. He made a century on his first-class debut in January 1933, scoring 106 as an opening batsman in a Plunket Shield match against Auckland at Eden Park
.
He also played five Tests
for the New Zealand cricket team
. He toured England under Curly Page
in 1937
, playing in 25 tour matches, including the three Test matches at Lord's, Old Trafford
and the Oval
. The report of the tour in the 1938 edition of Wisden Cricketers Almanack stated that Tindill "did nothing out of the common with the bat, but as a wicket-keeper he was always worth his place". Later that year, in a match played against South Australia in Adelaide
on the return journey to help cover the costs of the England tour, he caught Don Bradman for 11 - his only appearance against a New Zealand team - off the bowling of Jack Cowie
in the opening over of the Saturday's play. Unfortunately, this caused large numbers of spectators who were queuing to enter the ground to leave, costing the New Zealand team the gate money and defeating the purpose of the game.
He served in the NZEF in the Second World War, in North Africa
. He then played in the first two Test matches in New Zealand after the War. In the Test against Australia at Wellington in 1945-6, New Zealand were bowled out for 42 and then 54, Tindill adding 1 and 13. He also played in the only Test against the touring English side at Lancaster Park, Christchurch in 1946-47. His Test batting average of 9.12 did not reflect his talent.
He played his last first-class game for Wellington against the touring Australians in 1950. He scored 6 first-class centuries at an average of 30.35 in 116 innings in 69 first-class matches. He reached his top score – 149 – playing for Wellington against Auckland in 1948. As a wicket-keeper, he took 96 catches and 33 stumpings.
(Althetic) between 1932 and 1945, and was noted for his kicking of drop goals, then worth 4 points against 3 for a try. He made his debut for Wellington playing against the All Blacks in 1932, before they left on tour; he scored a try, and the provincial side beat the national team, 36–23.
The vast supply of midfield talent in Wellington during the 1930s made it difficult for him to get noticed, but the selectors for the All Blacks were remarkably thorough at seeking out talent—the trials for the team that would tour Britain in 1935–36 would see 188 players take part to fill 30 places. He was selected for that tour, and played in New Zealand's first loss to a club side against Swansea
, 3–11, but scored two drop goals against London Counties on 26 December 1935, and was selected to play one Test against England
at Twickenham
on on 4 January 1936. The match is most famous for the two tries scored by England's Alexander Obolensky
- the son of a Russian émigré prince, playing in his first Test - and England beat New Zealand for the first time, 13-0.
Tindill was unable to play against South Africa
in 1937, having already departed to tour England with the New Zealand cricket team, but he joined the All Blacks tour to Australia in 1938, playing in three games against state sides. The match against England in 1936 remained his only rugby Test. In all, he played 17 matches with the All Blacks, including one Test, and scored 24 points for 6 drop goals. Famed rugby commentator Winston McCarthy
was certain that Tindill would have won selection for the 1940 tour of South Africa had it not been scrapped due to the outbreak of World War II.
, in Dunedin and Christchurch. He would later umpire a cricket Test at Lancaster
Park in 1959, having refereed the rugby Test there in 1950. He also refereed the rugby match against Australia at Dunedin in 1955.
Tindill was later an umpire
, standing in one Test at Lancaster Park in 1959 with Jack Cowie
, which England won by an innings and 99 runs inside three days, thanks to Ted Dexter's 141 and Tony Lock's 5–31 and 6–53.
He also wrote a best-selling book, The Tour of the Third All Blacks, about the 1935–36 tour, with fellow All Black Charlie Oliver
, and wrote a history of Wellington Athletic Rugby Football Club in 1976. Of his five children, his son Paul
played for Wellington in both rugby and first-class cricket, and another son Dennis played rugby for Wellington B in 1964. He also enjoyed walking.
and Curly Page
(Tests in cricket only); Brian McKechnie, Charlie Oliver
and Jeff Wilson
(Tests in rugby only); and Bill Carson
(no Test at either sport).
Tindill became the oldest living Test cricketer on 16 February 2004, on the death of Don Cleverley
. On 8 November 2009, he surpassed Francis MacKinnon
, who played one Test for England in 1879 and lived to 98 years and 324 days, as the oldest Test cricketer in history. His Test longevity record was surpassed on 23 March 2011 by Norman Gordon
.
He became the oldest living All Black on [date], and was the last surviving All Black who played a Test before World War II. The oldest ever Test rugby player remains Scotland's Mac Henderson
, who died on 5 March 2009 aged 101 years and 309 days.
After Tindill's death, the oldest living Test cricketer now is former South African fast bowler Norman Gordon
, and the oldest living All Black is Maurice McHugh.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
sportsman. Tindill held a number of unique records: he was the oldest ever Test cricketer at the time of his death, the only person to play Tests
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...
for New Zealand in both cricket
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 rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
(a so-called "double All Black"), and the only person ever to play Tests in both sports, referee a rugby union Test, and umpire a cricket Test: a unique "double-double".
Early life
Tindill was born in NelsonNelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
and was raised in Motueka
Motueka
The town of Motueka in the South Island of New Zealand lies close to the mouth of the Motueka River, on the western shore of Tasman Bay. It is, after Nelson and Richmond, the third largest centre in the Tasman Region, with a population of 7125...
. His family moved to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
in 1922, and he was educated at Wellington Technical College until 1925. He trained as an accountant, and worked as a civil servant for 40 years in the government audit office. He was nicknamed "Snowy" due to his fair hair. He married his wife Mary in 1937, shortly before he left on a cricket tour to England. An all-round sportsman, in addition to cricket and rugby, Tindill also played football for Wellington in 1927, and was a founder of the Wellington Table Tennis Association in 1932.
Cricket
In cricket, Tindill played club cricket for the Midland club (now Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club). He played domestic first-class cricketFirst-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...
for Wellington from 1932–33 to 1949–50 as a wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
/batsman and left-handed opening batsman. He made a century on his first-class debut in January 1933, scoring 106 as an opening batsman in a Plunket Shield match against Auckland at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
.
He also played five Tests
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...
for the New Zealand cricket team
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
. He toured England under Curly Page
Curly Page
Milford Laurenson "Curly" Page was a cricketer who played for New Zealand and Canterbury. He was New Zealand's second Test captain, and captained 7 of the Tests in which he played...
in 1937
New Zealand cricket team in England in 1937
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1937 season. The team was the third from New Zealand to tour England, following those of 1927 and 1931 and the second to play Test matches. Three Tests were arranged: England won the second match at Manchester, and the games at Lord's and The Oval...
, playing in 25 tour matches, including the three Test matches at Lord's, Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
and the Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
. The report of the tour in the 1938 edition of Wisden Cricketers Almanack stated that Tindill "did nothing out of the common with the bat, but as a wicket-keeper he was always worth his place". Later that year, in a match played against South Australia in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
on the return journey to help cover the costs of the England tour, he caught Don Bradman for 11 - his only appearance against a New Zealand team - off the bowling of Jack Cowie
Jack Cowie
John Cowie OBE was a New Zealand cricketer who played in nine Tests from 1937 to 1949. His Test opportunities were restricted by New Zealand's limited programme, and his cricket career was interrupted by World War II from 1939 to 1945...
in the opening over of the Saturday's play. Unfortunately, this caused large numbers of spectators who were queuing to enter the ground to leave, costing the New Zealand team the gate money and defeating the purpose of the game.
He served in the NZEF in the Second World War, in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. He then played in the first two Test matches in New Zealand after the War. In the Test against Australia at Wellington in 1945-6, New Zealand were bowled out for 42 and then 54, Tindill adding 1 and 13. He also played in the only Test against the touring English side at Lancaster Park, Christchurch in 1946-47. His Test batting average of 9.12 did not reflect his talent.
He played his last first-class game for Wellington against the touring Australians in 1950. He scored 6 first-class centuries at an average of 30.35 in 116 innings in 69 first-class matches. He reached his top score – 149 – playing for Wellington against Auckland in 1948. As a wicket-keeper, he took 96 catches and 33 stumpings.
Rugby
In rugby, Tindill alternated between half-back and first five-eighth for WellingtonWellington Rugby Football Union
The Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...
(Althetic) between 1932 and 1945, and was noted for his kicking of drop goals, then worth 4 points against 3 for a try. He made his debut for Wellington playing against the All Blacks in 1932, before they left on tour; he scored a try, and the provincial side beat the national team, 36–23.
The vast supply of midfield talent in Wellington during the 1930s made it difficult for him to get noticed, but the selectors for the All Blacks were remarkably thorough at seeking out talent—the trials for the team that would tour Britain in 1935–36 would see 188 players take part to fill 30 places. He was selected for that tour, and played in New Zealand's first loss to a club side against Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
, 3–11, but scored two drop goals against London Counties on 26 December 1935, and was selected to play one Test against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
on on 4 January 1936. The match is most famous for the two tries scored by England's Alexander Obolensky
Alexander Obolensky
Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky was a Russian Rurikid prince and an international rugby union footballer who played for England. He was popularly known as just "The Prince" by many sports fans.-Biography:...
- the son of a Russian émigré prince, playing in his first Test - and England beat New Zealand for the first time, 13-0.
Tindill was unable to play against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in 1937, having already departed to tour England with the New Zealand cricket team, but he joined the All Blacks tour to Australia in 1938, playing in three games against state sides. The match against England in 1936 remained his only rugby Test. In all, he played 17 matches with the All Blacks, including one Test, and scored 24 points for 6 drop goals. Famed rugby commentator Winston McCarthy
Winston McCarthy
Winston John McCarthy was a Rugby Union radio commentator during the 1940s through to the 1960s who became known as the "Voice of New Zealand Rugby". He is particular remembered for his broadcasts of the NZEF "Kiwis" during World War II and later the All Blacks matches.Born in Wellington he was...
was certain that Tindill would have won selection for the 1940 tour of South Africa had it not been scrapped due to the outbreak of World War II.
Umpire and referee
After retiring from active sport, Tindill also refereed rugby at domestic and Test level. He was noted for his keen instinct of the game's progress; McCarthy would recall, "In one match in which six tries were scored I saw the six of them scored at Eric's feet as he waited for the player to ground the ball." The pinnacle of his career as a rugby referee came in 1950, when he oversaw the first two Tests of the series between the Lions and All Blacks1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
The British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950 was the first post-war tour made by the Lions; there had not been one since 1938....
, in Dunedin and Christchurch. He would later umpire a cricket Test at Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
Park in 1959, having refereed the rugby Test there in 1950. He also refereed the rugby match against Australia at Dunedin in 1955.
Tindill was later an umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
, standing in one Test at Lancaster Park in 1959 with Jack Cowie
Jack Cowie
John Cowie OBE was a New Zealand cricketer who played in nine Tests from 1937 to 1949. His Test opportunities were restricted by New Zealand's limited programme, and his cricket career was interrupted by World War II from 1939 to 1945...
, which England won by an innings and 99 runs inside three days, thanks to Ted Dexter's 141 and Tony Lock's 5–31 and 6–53.
Later life
He was secretary of the Wellington Cricket Association, and a selector for both Wellington and New Zealand cricket teams. He was a member of the panel that selected the New Zealand team that won the country's first Test victory, against the West Indies in 1956. He was also Treasurer of the New Zealand Boxing Council from 1973 to 1981. He was inducted as a member of New Zealand's Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He received a Halberg award for services to sport in 2000.He also wrote a best-selling book, The Tour of the Third All Blacks, about the 1935–36 tour, with fellow All Black Charlie Oliver
Charlie Oliver
Charles Joshua Oliver was a New Zealand rugby union international who also represented his country in first-class cricket....
, and wrote a history of Wellington Athletic Rugby Football Club in 1976. Of his five children, his son Paul
Paul Tindill
Paul Tindill was born 6 November 1939 in Wellington. He was a New Zealand cricketer who played one first-class match for the Wellington Firebirds. He was the son of Eric Tindill.- External links :* from Cricinfo.* from CricketArchive....
played for Wellington in both rugby and first-class cricket, and another son Dennis played rugby for Wellington B in 1964. He also enjoyed walking.
Records
While Tindill is the only person to have played Tests in both cricket and rugby union for New Zealand, six other players have represented New Zealand in both rugby union and cricket - the others being George DickinsonGeorge Dickinson
George Ritchie Dickinson played three tests for New Zealand. He also played five matches for the All Blacks in 1922.-Career:...
and Curly Page
Curly Page
Milford Laurenson "Curly" Page was a cricketer who played for New Zealand and Canterbury. He was New Zealand's second Test captain, and captained 7 of the Tests in which he played...
(Tests in cricket only); Brian McKechnie, Charlie Oliver
Charlie Oliver
Charles Joshua Oliver was a New Zealand rugby union international who also represented his country in first-class cricket....
and Jeff Wilson
Jeff Wilson (sportsman)
-Cricket career:Wilson played his provincial cricket for Otago, as an all-rounder - both a hard-hitting batsman and a right-arm fast-medium pace bowler. His international appearances were in four games of a One Day Internationals series against Australia in the 1992-93 season, and again in an ODI...
(Tests in rugby only); and Bill Carson
Bill Carson (sportsman)
William Nicol Carson was a sportsman who represented New Zealand at both cricket and rugby union.-Cricket:Carson, an aggressive left-handed batsman and useful fast-medium bowler, started his cricketing career with a couple of large scores for Auckland in the Plunket Shield...
(no Test at either sport).
Tindill became the oldest living Test cricketer on 16 February 2004, on the death of Don Cleverley
Don Cleverley
Donald Charles Cleverley was a New Zealand cricketer. A right-arm fast-medium bowler born in Otago, he played domestic first-class cricket for Auckland in 21 seasons, from 1930-1 to 1951-2, before playing a final season in 1952-3 for Central Districts...
. On 8 November 2009, he surpassed Francis MacKinnon
Francis MacKinnon
Francis Alexander MacKinnon, The 35th MacKinnon of MacKinnon was the longest-lived Test cricketer until being surpassed by Eric Tindill of New Zealand on 8 November 2009...
, who played one Test for England in 1879 and lived to 98 years and 324 days, as the oldest Test cricketer in history. His Test longevity record was surpassed on 23 March 2011 by Norman Gordon
Norman Gordon
Norman Gordon is a former South African cricketer who played in five Tests in the 1938–39 South African cricket season. He was born in Boksburg, Transvaal. He is the oldest living Test cricketer, and the first to reach 100 years...
.
He became the oldest living All Black on [date], and was the last surviving All Black who played a Test before World War II. The oldest ever Test rugby player remains Scotland's Mac Henderson
Mac Henderson
James McLaren Henderson , better known as Mac Henderson was a Scottish international rugby union player and businessman, founding one of Edinburgh's most famous restaurants, Henderson's. His brother Ian was also an international rugby player.Henderson was born in 1907 in Elphinstone, near Tranent...
, who died on 5 March 2009 aged 101 years and 309 days.
After Tindill's death, the oldest living Test cricketer now is former South African fast bowler Norman Gordon
Norman Gordon
Norman Gordon is a former South African cricketer who played in five Tests in the 1938–39 South African cricket season. He was born in Boksburg, Transvaal. He is the oldest living Test cricketer, and the first to reach 100 years...
, and the oldest living All Black is Maurice McHugh.