I have had a fortunate life in that I have met most of my sporting heroes but I have known no greater satisfaction that sitting next to Wilfred Rhodes at Scarborough when he was old and blind and listening to a game. Sometimes you had to explain what was happening but more often than not his hearing and his vast knowledge did the job of his sightless eyes. Jackie Hampshire gave the ball a terrible smack. ``Bet that's six,'' said Wilfred. It was, over square leg.
We met several times and talking to him was a joy and a privilege. Was it true he could pitch the ball on a sixpence? A snort. ``A newspaper more like and unfolded at that. But if the batsmen thought I could land it on a sixpence I used to let 'em keep on thinking and that way they were mine,'' he said. It was claimed in his youth that his eyesight was such he could see the position of the seam as it came towards him. ``True. But that was nothing. Ranji could count the stitches,'' he said.
Bill Bowes, the Yorkshire and England bowler and delightful companion in the press box in later years, loved telling of the meticulous way the great man set his field. Bill said he was fielding against Essex at mid-on when Wilfred asked him to move back. ``Too far, come in a bit'' said Wilfred. Bill did so. ``Now a bit to your right . . . no, too far, back a bit . . . now in a yard . . . Nay, nay, nay,'' he said.
He marched across to Bill and scratched a cross on the turf with his spikes. ``Stand theer'' he said. Three balls later and the batsman thumped the ball straight to Bill who caught it. He said that had he been a yard either way he wouldn't have stood a chance. As he clung on to the ball Wilfred walked across to him and said: ``Tha's sees lad, allus go wheer th'art put''.
I wonder if Yorkshire will celebrate the centenary of Wilfred's debut. I hope so although it must be said he hated any fuss. In 1949 the MCC decided to give honorary membership to 26 retired professional cricketers as a recognition of their services to the game. Some said it was a great honour to their counties, others it was simply a great honour. When they asked Wilfred for his comment he said: ``I'm not sure what it means, but I'm delighted all the same''. A rare man in more ways than one.