J. F. Byrne
Encyclopedia
James Frederick Byrne was English
sportsman who captained Warwickshire
at first-class cricket
and was capped in rugby for both England
and the British and Irish Lions
.
at Edgbaston
in 1897. He finished the summer with 642 runs at 33.78 from 12 matches and although he scored 943 runs at 21.93 in 1905, the effort in his debut season was perhaps better as he played considerably less matches.
A hard-hitting batsman, Byrne was captain
of Warwickshire from 1903 to 1907 and it was during this time that he had most success with the ball. He took 31 wickets at 24.54 in 1904 and 22 wickets at 28.95 in 1905. Earlier, in 1902, Byrne had the distinction of claiming the wicket of W. G. Grace
twice in one match, when the England great was playing for London County
against Warwickshire at Crystal Palace.
Byrne represented the Gentlemen cricket team in a 1905 fixture of the Gentlemen v Players
matches. He scored 24 and 10 in his two innings, dismissed by John Gunn
on both occasions. He made his highest score of 222 when he opened the batting with Sep Kinneir
, against Lancashire
at Edgbaston. Kinnear scored a century as well and the pair put on a club record 333.
Warwickshire broke through for their inaugural County Championship
in 1911 and Byrne was a member of their squad that year, although he only participated in one match. His contribution came in a match against Hampshire
, as captain no less, scoring 64 in his only innings as Warwickshire won by won by an innings and 296 runs. His appearances for Warwickshire had been sporadic since 1907 with only one first-class match in 1908, none in 1909 and two in 1910. The Hampshire fixture was the second last of his career and he played his final match in 1912.
A full-back, Byrne played his initial rugby with Moseley
, whom he captained. He had a safe pair of hands, considerable pace, could punt the ball long as was solid in defence. Often used as a place-kicker
, Byrne was able to put the ball through the posts from the half-way mark of the ground.
Byrne appeared in 17 Test matches
, 13 of them for England and the other four with the British Lions. His first cap
was awarded in 1894 and his last in 1899, by which time he had accumulated 36 Test points.
He took part in the 1896 British Lions tour to South Africa
and played in all 21 games. The squad was dominated by Irish
players and Byrne was the only England international. He scored 127 points all up and became the first player to top 100 points in a tour of South Africa. This record wasn't broken until the All-Blacks visited South Africa in 1960, by Don Clarke
, who was incidentally also a first-class cricketer.
Byrne was England's captain in the 1898 Home Nations Championship
, which included a draw against Scotland and a win over Wales.
, was a first-class cricketer, as was great-grandson Jonathan Perry
.
Byrne's great granddaughter Lavinia
, is a noted former Roman Catholic nun.
Once his playing days were over, Byrne remained involved in sport as a member of both Warwickshire and Moseley's committees. Byrne, who fought in the Second Boer War
, died in 1954, at the age of 82.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sportsman who captained Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
at 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...
and was capped in rugby for both 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...
and the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
.
Cricket career
Byrne made a century on debut, in his maiden first-class innings, against LeicestershireLeicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
in 1897. He finished the summer with 642 runs at 33.78 from 12 matches and although he scored 943 runs at 21.93 in 1905, the effort in his debut season was perhaps better as he played considerably less matches.
A hard-hitting batsman, Byrne was captain
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
of Warwickshire from 1903 to 1907 and it was during this time that he had most success with the ball. He took 31 wickets at 24.54 in 1904 and 22 wickets at 28.95 in 1905. Earlier, in 1902, Byrne had the distinction of claiming the wicket of W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
twice in one match, when the England great was playing for London County
London County Cricket Club
London County Cricket Club was a short-lived cricket club founded by the Crystal Palace Company. In 1898 they invited WG Grace to help them form a first-class cricket club. Grace accepted the offer and became the club's secretary, manager and captain. As a result, he severed his connection with...
against Warwickshire at Crystal Palace.
Byrne represented the Gentlemen cricket team in a 1905 fixture of the Gentlemen v Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
matches. He scored 24 and 10 in his two innings, dismissed by John Gunn
John Gunn (cricketer)
John Richmond Gunn was an English cricketer who played in six Tests from 1901 to 1905....
on both occasions. He made his highest score of 222 when he opened the batting with Sep Kinneir
Sep Kinneir
Septimus Paul Kinneir was an English cricketer who played in one Test in 1911 against Australia in Sydney. The tour had come as a reward for his most prolific season with the bat, when he scored 1629 runs in 20 matches, including a career best 268*, at an average of 49.36...
, against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
at Edgbaston. Kinnear scored a century as well and the pair put on a club record 333.
Warwickshire broke through for their inaugural County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
in 1911 and Byrne was a member of their squad that year, although he only participated in one match. His contribution came in a match against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
, as captain no less, scoring 64 in his only innings as Warwickshire won by won by an innings and 296 runs. His appearances for Warwickshire had been sporadic since 1907 with only one first-class match in 1908, none in 1909 and two in 1910. The Hampshire fixture was the second last of his career and he played his final match in 1912.
International rugby
Moseley Rugby Football Club
Moseley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, based at Billesley Common in Birmingham, that competes in the RFU Championship. The club was historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
, whom he captained. He had a safe pair of hands, considerable pace, could punt the ball long as was solid in defence. Often used as a place-kicker
Place kick
The place kick is a kicking style commonly used in rugby league and rugby union. It is also seen in Association football, American football and Canadian football.-American and Canadian football:...
, Byrne was able to put the ball through the posts from the half-way mark of the ground.
Byrne appeared in 17 Test matches
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
, 13 of them for England and the other four with the British Lions. His first cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
was awarded in 1894 and his last in 1899, by which time he had accumulated 36 Test points.
He took part in the 1896 British Lions tour to South Africa
1896 British Lions tour to South Africa
1896 British Isles tour to South Africa was a rugby union tour undertaken by the British Isles, one of the first British and Irish Lions tours. The team toured South Africa for the second time in 1896. Between July 11 and September 5, they played 21 games, including four tests against South Africa...
and played in all 21 games. The squad was dominated by Irish
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
players and Byrne was the only England international. He scored 127 points all up and became the first player to top 100 points in a tour of South Africa. This record wasn't broken until the All-Blacks visited South Africa in 1960, by Don Clarke
Don Clarke
Donald Barry Clarke was a New Zealand rugby union player who played 89 times as a New Zealand international from 1956 until 1964...
, who was incidentally also a first-class cricketer.
Byrne was England's captain in the 1898 Home Nations Championship
1898 Home Nations Championship
The 1898 Home Nations Championship was the sixteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 5 February and 2 April. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, which included a draw against Scotland and a win over Wales.
Family and later life
Some of Byrne's relatives also excelled at sports: his brother Francis was an England rugby international while a nephew, George ByrneGeorge Byrne
George Robert Byrne was an English cricketer: a right-handed batsman and right arm medium-pace bowler who played 12 times in first-class cricket, playing for both Warwickshire and Worcestershire....
, was a first-class cricketer, as was great-grandson Jonathan Perry
Jonathan Perry (cricketer)
Jonathan Nicholas Perry is a former English cricketer who played 11 first-class matches in 1987 and 1988. Ten of these games were for Cambridge University, with the other coming for the combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities side...
.
Byrne's great granddaughter Lavinia
Lavinia Byrne
Lavinia Byrne is a Roman Catholic former nun who left the religious order of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2000 after 35 years, saying that the Vatican had been bullying her to abandon support for women priests. Her 1993 book Woman at the Altar outlined her arguments for women...
, is a noted former Roman Catholic nun.
Once his playing days were over, Byrne remained involved in sport as a member of both Warwickshire and Moseley's committees. Byrne, who fought in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, died in 1954, at the age of 82.