https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Freddie_Brooks_%28sportsman%29Freddie Brooks (sportsman) - Revision history2026-08-21T11:49:52ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freddie_Brooks_(sportsman)&diff=351388&oldid=prev82.132.244.86 at 12:21, 28 October 20212021-10-28T12:21:11Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|England international rugby union footballer & cricketer}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2013}}<br />
{{Infobox cricketer<br />
| name = Freddie Brooks<br />
| image = <br />
| country = Rhodesia<br />
| fullname = Frederick George Brooks<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1883|5|1|df=yes}}<br />
| birth_place = Bombay, [[British India]]<br>(now [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]])<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1947|9|5|1883|5|1|df=yes}}<br />
| death_place = [[Hermanus]], [[Cape Province]], South Africa<br />
| batting = Right-handed batsman<br />
| bowling =<br />
| role = [[Batsman]]<br />
| club1 = [[Rhodesia cricket team|Rhodesia]]<br />
| year1 = 1905–1910<br />
| columns = 1<br />
| column1 = [[first-class cricket|First-class]]<br />
| matches1 = 2<br />
| runs1 = 123<br />
| bat avg1 = 30.75<br />
| 100s/50s1 = 0/2<br />
| top score1 = 61<br />
| deliveries1 = –<br />
| wickets1 = –<br />
| bowl avg1 = –<br />
| fivefor1 = –<br />
| tenfor1 = –<br />
| best bowling1 = –<br />
| catches/stumpings1 = 1/0<br />
| date =<br />
| year =<br />
| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/5/5044/5044.html CricketArchive<br />
}}<br />
'''Frederick George Brooks''', [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (1 May 1883 – 5 September 1947) was a [[Rhodesia]]n sportsman who represented his country as both a [[cricket]]er and [[rugby union]] player. He also played a Test match for the [[England national rugby union team]].<br />
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==Early life==<br />
Brooks, although born in [[India]], was educated at [[Bedford School]] in England. As well as captaining their cricket team and playing rugby, Brooks was also outstanding in athletics, becoming Public Schools champion in the 100-yard sprint, 110-yard hurdles, [[long jump]] and [[high jump]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/zimbabwe/content/player/55274.html| title=Freddie Brooks| publisher=Cricinfo}}</ref> From 1900 to 1902, he played cricket for Bedfordshire in the Minor Counties Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/5/5044/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html| title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Frederick Brooks (23)| publisher=CricketArchive}}</ref><br />
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At the age of 19, Brooks was offered a civil service job in Rhodesia by [[William Henry Milton]], the [[Administrator of Southern Rhodesia|Administrator of the British colony]]. He had found out about the sporting abilities of Brooks by his two sons, rugby players Cecil and [[Jumbo Milton|Jumbo]], who were also students at Bedford School.<ref name=Cricinfo>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/zimbabwe/content/story/146408.html Cricinfo: The remarkable Mr Brooks]</ref><br />
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==Cricket==<br />
After immigrating to [[Harare|Salisbury]], he impressed enough in his first season of club cricket that he earned the praise of former South African [[Test cricket|Test]] captain and Rhodesian resident [[Herbert Hayton Castens|H. H. Castens]], who believed that Brooks "was good enough to play for South Africa".<ref name=Cricinfo/> Brooks also won a Rhodesian tennis title and became the national record holder in high jump.<ref name=Cricinfo/><br />
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He took part in Rhodesia's inaugural [[First-class cricket|first-class]] match, in 1905, against [[Gauteng cricket team|Transvaal]] in the [[Currie Cup (cricket)|Currie Cup]] cricket competition. Batting at three, Brooks top scored in the first innings with 61 of his team's 115 runs. In the second innings he opened the batting but made just one before being bowled by [[Richard Norden]], who claimed 12 wickets for the match.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/6/6653.html| title=Transvaal v Rhodesia| publisher=CricketArchive}}</ref><br />
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In 1906 he represented the [[Zimbabwe national rugby union team|Rhodesian rugby team]] in South Africa's [[Currie Cup]] as a wing three-quarter. He was considered unlucky to miss selection in the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springbok]] team to [[1906–07 South Africa rugby union tour|tour England]] in 1906–07 as he didn't meet the five-year residential qualification period, albeit by only a few months. Springbok vice-captain [[Paddy Carolin]] had wanted Brooks in the team and told him to come with them to England, at which time he would send a telegram to the Rugby Board seeking permission to call up Brooks as a replacement player.<ref name=Cricinfo/><br />
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While in England, Brooks again played rugby for [[Bedford Blues|Bedford]] and was selected in the South vs North fixture, which was used as a trial for spots in the national team. He scored four tries and despite coming to the country to play for the Springboks, Brooks was named in the England team for a Test against the South Africans.<ref name=Cricinfo/><br />
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The match, which was played at Crystal Palace, finished in a three-all draw, with Brooks scoring England's only points though a second half try.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/match/19094.html| title=England (0) 3 – 3 (3) South Africa (FT)| publisher=ESPN Scrum}}</ref><br />
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He got further opportunities to play for England, against both [[France national rugby union team|France]] and England, but turned them down to get married back in Rhodesia.<ref name=Cricinfo/><br />
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When [[H. D. G. Leveson Gower|HDG Leveson-Gower's XI]] toured Rhodesia in the 1909–10 cricket season, Brooks was picked to make his second and final first-class appearance. After managing just 10 in his first innings, Brooks was again promoted from three to open the batting in the second innings and made 51.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8082.html| title=Rhodesia v HDG Leveson-Gower's XI| publisher=CricketArchive}}</ref><br />
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His career in the civil service would see him made an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]], having served as Master of the High Court and Chairman of the Public Service.<ref name=Cricinfo/><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Brooks, Freddie}}<br />
[[Category:1883 births]]<br />
[[Category:British people in colonial India]]<br />
[[Category:Rhodesia cricketers]]<br />
[[Category:English cricketers]]<br />
[[Category:Bedfordshire cricketers]]<br />
[[Category:Bedford Blues players]]<br />
[[Category:Rhodesian rugby union players]]<br />
[[Category:English rugby union players]]<br />
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]<br />
[[Category:British emigrants to Rhodesia]]<br />
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:People educated at Bedford School]]<br />
[[Category:Cricketers from Mumbai]]<br />
[[Category:1947 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Rugby players from Mumbai]]</div>82.132.244.86