Jock Tait

`Jock` Tait almost became Glamorgan`s first-ever centurion in the County Championship as he scored 96 against Sussex in the county`s inaugural first-class match in 1921. This was also his first-class debut, and had he achieved this feat on his first Championship appearance, it would have added to his already impressive list of sporting achievements. Born in the Shetland Islands in November 1886, Tait had previously played cricket and rugby for Swansea, football for Cardiff Corinthians and Newport County, and had won a Welsh Amateur Football cap against England at Llandudno in 1913.

Tait had earlier made his Glamorgan debut in Minor County cricket in 1911, and soon established a regular place in the county`s batting line-up. In 1914 he made 93 against Durham at Sunderland, but just when he seemed to be fulfilling his potential, the Great War broke out, depriving Tait of further opportunities of playing a major innings for the county. When club cricket resumed in 1919, Tait continued to be a heavy scorer for Cardiff, and when Glamorgan entered the Championship in 1921, he was regularly chosen in the county side, and until 1926, Tait mixed playing county cricket with running a thriving insurance business in the docks in Cardiff and Swansea. (Submitted by Andrew Hignell - June 2000)