The Don at 91 (27 August 1999)
Think about all the famous sports personalities whose birthdays are widely celebrated each year, half a century after their retirement from their chosen sport
27-Aug-1999
27 August 1999
The Don at 91
Rick Eyre, CricInfo365 Editor
Think about all the famous sports personalities whose birthdays are
widely celebrated each year, half a century after their retirement
from their chosen sport. There's Don Bradman, and there's ... Don
Bradman.
If this is a measure of greatness among sportspersons than Sir Donald
Bradman is one of the true all-time greats of world sport.
Almost certainly the greatest single name in the history of cricket,
and possibly the greatest single name in the history of Australian
sport, Sir Donald celebrates his 91st birthday today.
Long retired from public life, Sir Donald will spend the day like any
other birthday, at home in Adelaide quietly with his family. Special
birthday functions will be held today in his honour at, among other
places, Sydney, Adelaide, Cootamundra (where he was born) and Bowral
(where he grew up, and where the Bradman Museum is located). As part
of the Bradman Museum luncheon, the award of Bradman Young Cricketer
of the Year will be made to Western Australian batsman Simon Katich,
who will soon join the Australian Test team on its tour of Sri Lanka
and Zimbabwe.
As the adulation of The Don refuses to subside with the passing of
the years, a rather bizarre notion was floated in the media yesterday
as a means of celebration. With Australians due to vote in November
on the question of becoming a republic, a report in today's "Sydney
Morning Herald" tells of the suggestion that the Queen's Birthday be
replaced in a republican Australia with "Don's Day" - August 27.
For those recently back from lengthy intergalactic travel, Donald
George Bradman, who was born on 27 August 1908, played 52 Tests for
Australia between 1928 and 1948, scoring 6996 runs at an average of
99.94 - over fifty per cent better than any other batsman in the
history of the game who scored 1000 or more Test runs. His 29 Test
centuries represented a ratio better than one every three innings. He
is the only batsman to score two Test triple centuries. After his
retirement as a player in 1949 he continued to be involved with the
game as a selector and administrator for another forty years.
We wish a very happy birthday to Sir Donald Bradman. 91 not out
today. Send a birthday greeting.
Source :: CricInfo365