GRACE

grace, william gilbert (1848- ), english cricketer, was born at downend, gloucestershire, on the 18th of july 1848. he found himself in an atmosphere charged with cricket, his father (henry mills grace) and his uncle (alfred pocock) being as enthusiastic over the game as his elder brothers, henry, alfred and edward mills; indeed, in e. m. grace the family name first became famous. a younger brother, george frederick, also added to the cricket reputation of the family. "w. g." witnessed his first great match when he was hardly six years old, the occasion being a game between w. clarke's all-england eleven and twenty-two of west gloucestershire. he was endowed by nature with a splendid physique as well as with powers of self-restraint and determination. at the acme of his career he stood full 6 ft. 2 in., being powerfully proportioned, loose yet strong of limb. a non-smoker, and very moderate in all matters, he kept himself in condition all the year round, shooting, hunting or running with the beagles as soon as the cricket season was over. he was also a fine runner, 440 yds. over 20 hurdles being his best distance; and it may be quoted as proof of his stamina that on the 30th of july 1866 he scored 224 not out for england _v._ surrey, and two days later won a race in the national and olympian association meeting at the crystal palace. the title of "champion" was well earned by one who for thirty-six years (1865-1900 inclusive) was actively engaged in first-class cricket. in each of these years he was invited to represent the gentlemen in their matches against the players, and, when an australian eleven visited england, to play for the mother country. as late as 1899 he played in the first of the five international contests; in 1900 he played against the players at the oval, scoring 58 and 3. at fifty-three he scored nearly 1300 runs in first-class cricket, made 100 runs and over on three different occasions and could claim an average of 42 runs. moreover, his greatest triumphs were achieved when only the very best cricket grounds received serious attention; when, as some consider, bowling was maintained at a higher standard and when all hits had to be run out. he, with his two brothers, e. m. and g. f., assisted by some fine amateurs, made gloucestershire in one season a first-class county; and it was he who first enabled the amateurs of england to meet the paid players on equal terms and to beat them. there was hardly a "record" connected with the game which did not stand to his credit. grace was one of the finest fieldsmen in england, in his earlier days generally taking long-leg and cover-point, in later times generally standing point. he was, at his best, a fine thrower, fast runner and safe "catch." as a bowler he was long in the first flight, originally bowling fast, but in later times adopting a slower and more tricky style, frequently very effective. by profession he was a medical man. in later years he became secretary and manager of the london county cricket club. he was married in 1873 to miss agnes day, and one of his sons played for two years in the cambridge eleven. he was the recipient of two national testimonials: the first, amounting to