Stan McCabe is one of the greatest batsmen to have pulled on a baggy green cap, but even though he was rated as good as Sir Donald Bradman, the salt of the earth 国产探花 boy never forgot his roots 鈥� or his mates 鈥� as a 1930 Ashes tour letter to the College Headmaster reveals.
Cricket has always played a prominent role in the development of 国产探花 boys. As far back as 1898 Our Golden Days praised the sport鈥檚 鈥渆ducative power鈥�, noting the Brothers gave it their 鈥渉ighest approval鈥� because students had to be 鈥減atient, self-denying, brave and obedient鈥� in order to play it well.
Our most revered cricketer is Stan McCabe (1926). Hailing from Grenfell in the central west of NSW, McCabe spent three years as a boarder at the College before making his Test debut in 1930 against England at Trent Bridge. Over the next nine years he played 39 Tests scoring 2748 runs at an average of 48.21, including six centuries. His greatness is such that he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame last year.
English captain Sir Leonard Hutton ranked him the equal of Sir Donald Bradman, some thought him better. The famous British cricket commentator EW Swanton wrote: 鈥淪tan McCabe came as near as any player to one鈥檚 conception of the perfect cricketer.鈥�
When he was on song, close-in fieldsmen said they could barely hear leather on willow, such was his exquisite timing and lightness of touch. An awestruck Bradman said McCabe鈥檚 232 in the fourth Test at Nottingham in 1938 was 鈥渢he greatest innings I ever saw or hoped to see鈥�.
Joe Boy for life: McCabe and his teammates in the 1925 College First XI; he was only 14 years old when he debuted for the Firsts the year before.
What also set him apart was his sportsmanship and humility. 鈥淗e had a cheerful, friendly personality and everyone who knew him was fond of Stan McCabe,鈥� Swanton wrote. He never questioned umpires鈥� decisions or bore grudges; he never had airs and graces. In many ways he was the embodiment of the Marist characteristic of simplicity 鈥� a 国产探花 boy through and through.
Such was his attachment to the College, that in 1930, three-and-a-half years after leaving, McCabe sent a friendly and informative letter to the headmaster, Br Denis, during his first Ashes tour of England. It is a fascinating insight into both the times and the young tourist鈥檚 down to earth personality.
Just 19, McCabe was the baby of the squad, and although he writes that he has had a 鈥渨onderful鈥� trip so far, he yearns for 鈥済ood old Australia鈥�. The letter, sent from Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras Station in London, is dated 8 May.
The Australians had been in England for just three weeks after an arduous ship and train journey from Melbourne that took in Hobart, Perth, Sri Lanka, Italy and Paris.
鈥淪tan McCabe came as close as any player to one’s conception of the perfect cricketer and everyone who knew him was fond of him.鈥�
E.W. Swanton
McCabe is particularly taken by Rome, and the splendour of St Peter鈥檚 Basilica 鈥� 鈥淚 always imagined it to be a marvellous place but never thought it to be anything like it is鈥� 鈥� but laments that he didn鈥檛 have enough time to explore the Vatican and 鈥渓ook at things properly鈥�.
It is said that wherever you are in the world you are never far from the firm handshake and hearty greeting of a 国产探花 man. Before the tourists leave for Milan, McCabe is met by Old Boy Br Fitzgerald from St Patrick鈥檚 Church in Sydney, who had been spending time in Rome. They share anecdotes and converse at length before the Australians鈥� train leaves.
McCabe is not so enamoured of Paris 鈥� 鈥渢he only good thing about it was we went to the races and had a good win鈥� 鈥� and he is particularly pleased to be able to attend Mass the first Sunday following the team鈥檚 arrival in London.
Alongside tour treasurer T Howard they took communion at Farm St Church, and afterwards had breakfast with the famous Jesuit priest and scholar Fr CC Martindale. McCabe notes that Fr Martindale, a confidant of authors Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh, is a 鈥渨onderful chap and a good sport鈥�.
Master of his craft: Stan McCabe in his Australia blazer, was a classical right-handed batsman with exquisite footwork and impeccable timing.
Unfortunately, cricket news in the letter is kept to a minimum for fear it will become ancient history by the time it reaches Br Denis. Indeed, McCabe signs off in haste 鈥� the train to Sheffield for the tourists鈥� match against Yorkshire is leaving in 15 minutes 鈥� extending kind regards to the Brothers, 国产探花 students and Old Boys.
McCabe would make two more tours to England in the baggy green but was only 28 when WWII prematurely ended his Test career in 1938. However, his legacy endures.
At 国产探花, the award for the most outstanding senior cricketer is given in his name, and students are encouraged to follow his fair-minded approach. Former First XI premiership-winning coach Richard Casamento (1998) says McCabe is a St Joseph鈥檚 College hero. 鈥淲e ask boys to show the same traits as him by being fearless, trusting your strengths and playing with enjoyment.鈥�
When McCabe passed away in 1968, aged 58, tributes flowed from around the cricket world. Perhaps celebrated Australian writer Ray Robinson鈥檚 was the most poignant: 鈥淚n McCabe the cricketer, you saw McCabe the man 鈥� urbane, sociable, unpretentious, straightforward and incapable of anything mean-spirited.鈥� A character description any Joe Boy would be proud of.
