W. G. Grace

William Gilbert Grace (18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English cricketer, almost universally considered one of the very best the sport has ever seen. Known to everyone as "WG," his first-class career matched the record for the longest ever by seasons, running for 44 years from 1865 to 1908. Test cricket began during his time, and he played for England in 22 matches between 1880 and 1899. Domestically, he played most often for Gloucestershire, the Gentlemen, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), and the United South of England Eleven (USEE). A right-handed batsman and bowler, Grace was a true all-rounder, excelling with the bat, ball, and in the field. His batting, however, is what he is best known for, and he is widely credited with inventing modern batting technique. He completely dominated cricket for his entire career, changing the game with his technical innovations and lasting influence. He usually opened the innings and was admired for his flawless control of every shot; critics of his day frequently called his skill unmatched. Because of his ability and tactical mind, he was typically the captain of every team he played on at every level. Though he officially held amateur status, Grace reportedly earned more money from cricket than any professional of his time. He was a fiercely competitive player and, while he was one of the most famous people in England, he was also highly controversial because of his gamesmanship and money-making. He came from a cricketing family. His older brother Edward ("EM") and younger brother Fred were also players. In 1880, all three played together for England, the first time three brothers appeared in the same Test match. Grace also played other sports: as a young man, he was a champion in the 440-yard hurdles and played football for the Wanderers. Later in life, he took up golf, lawn bowls, and curling. He qualified as a doctor in 1879. **Early years**

**Family**

Grace was born on 18 July 1848 in Downend, near Bristol, at his parents' home, Downend House. He was baptized at the local church on 8 August. He was called Gilbert by the family, except by his mother, who called him Willie, but otherwise he was universally known as "W. G." His parents were Henry Mills Grace, the local GP, and Martha (née Pocock). They married in Bristol on 3 November 1831 and lived their whole lives in Downend. Downend, now a suburb of Bristol, was then a country village about four miles from Bristol. Henry and Martha had nine children in total. Biographer Simon Rae noted that this was the same number as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had, and that the Graces were a typical Victorian family in every way. Grace was the eighth child. He had three older brothers, including Edward ("E. M."), and four older sisters. The youngest child was his brother Fred, born in 1850. **Education**

Grace was "notoriously unscholarly." His first schooling was with Miss Trotman in Downend, then with Mr. Curtis of Winterbourne. He later attended a day school, Ridgway House, run by Mr. Malpas, until he was fourteen. One of his teachers, David Bernard, later married Grace's sister Alice. In 1863, Grace became seriously ill with pneumonia, and his father took him out of Ridgway House. After this illness, he grew rapidly to his full height of 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m). He finished his education at home, where one of his tutors was the Reverend John Dann, the Downend parish curate. Like Bernard before him, Dann also married a Grace sister, Blanche, in 1869. Grace never attended university because his father wanted him to become a doctor. Nevertheless, he received offers from both Oxford and Cambridge cricket clubs. In 1866, while playing a match at Oxford, an Oxford player named Edmund Carter tried to get him to become an undergraduate. In 1868, he received an overture from Caius College, Cambridge, which had a strong medical tradition. Grace later said he would have gone to Oxford or Cambridge if his father had allowed it. Instead, he enrolled at Bristol Medical School in October 1868, at age 20. Grace's whole life, both cricket and medicine, is tied to his close-knit family, which was strongly influenced by his father. Henry Grace set great store by qualifications and determination to succeed. He held the Licenciate of the Society of Apothecaries (LSA, 1828) and Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS, 1830), and he passed this purposeful attitude on to all five of his sons. So, like his father and brothers, Grace chose a medical career. Because of his cricket commitments, he did not complete his medical qualification until 1879, when he was 31. **Development as a cricketer**

Grace began his book *Cricketing Reminiscences* (1899) by answering a question he was frequently asked: "was he born a cricketer?" His answer was no, because he believed cricketers are made by coaching and practice, but he added that if he wasn't born a cricketer, he was born "in the atmosphere of cricket." Both his parents were "full of enthusiasm for the game," and it was a common topic of conversation at home. In 1850, when W. G. was two and Fred was expected, the family moved to a nearby house called "The Chesnuts," which had a large orchard. Henry Grace had the orchard cleared to create a practice pitch.