Trueman Fred - Fred Trueman: the Authorised Biography

To my dear parents, June and Francis

No words can express how much you mean to me

It isnt every day that someone youve never met emails out of the blue to ask whether youd be interested in writing a book about one of the great sporting figures of the twentieth century. That was the position I found myself in when Graham Coster, publisher at Aurum Press, proposed this biography of Fred Trueman. I would like to thank Graham and Aurum for giving me the opportunity and also the Australian cricket writer Gideon Haigh for pointing them in my direction. Gideon has written several titles for Aurum and thought I would be well placed in my capacity as Yorkshire Post cricket correspondent to give it a go.

I owe an enormous debt to the Trueman family, who have been unfailingly helpful and supportive. In particular, I am grateful to Freds widow, Veronica and sister, Flo, for their insights and encouragement. I came to appreciate during my investigations what a loving family Trueman had around him, and my thanks go also to his brothers, John and Dennis; children, Karen, Rebecca, Rodney, Sheenagh and Patrick; first wife, Enid; cousin, Alan; and niece, Pauline. It has been a pleasure and privilege to meet you all.

Every writer needs a shoulder to lean on (in my case, several shoulders), and I have been fortunate to have some stellar support. For his sage advice on this project, as well as his assistance throughout my journalistic career and, above all, his friendship, I would like to thank Duncan Hamilton, author of a superlative biography of another great English fast bowler, Harold Larwood. No one could have a more talented tutor than Duncan, formerly my assistant editor at the Nottingham Evening Post and my deputy editor at the Yorkshire Post. Hopefully he can now get back to writing his own books instead of being constantly pestered for his thoughts on this one.

I am also very grateful for the guidance of my friends and fellow cricket writers Brian Halford, Paul Edwards and Bruce Talbot, who cast perspicacious eyes over the manuscript, as well as the assistance of another friend, Peter Wynne-Thomas, the venerable Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club librarian. A constant source of support during my previous life as Nottingham Evening Post cricket correspondent, Peter diligently checked for factual errors. Stephen Chalke was also a perceptive sounding board in the projects early stages.

I have made much use of the 1964 BBC documentary of Fred Truemans life, which is so rare that not even the BBC possess a copy. However, where conventional channels fail there is invariably David Frith, who unsurprisingly had a recording of it in his voluminous cricket archive. I am grateful not only for Davids help with the documentary but also his observations on Trueman and his generous encouragement to a first-time author. Having experienced the agonies of writing only one book, I cannot begin to imagine how David must feel having written over thirty.

For help with Fred Truemans family history, I am obliged to Anthony Adolph, one of Britains leading genealogists, while military researcher Jonathan Collins was invaluable in helping me shed light on Dick Truemans war service. Former Test Match Special producer Peter Baxter assisted my efforts to track down several recordings, while the BBCs Guy Worsick and Gareth Jones helped out with general radio recordings. Douglas Miller kindly provided details of MCC minutes and shared his memories of collaborating with former England player/manager Charles Palmer. Thanks also to staff at the British Library, British Newspaper Library, Leeds Central Library, Lincoln Central Library, National Archives, National Coal Mining Museum for England, Royal Air Forces Association (Lincoln Branch) and the Yorkshire Post, along with Aurums Steve Gove, Barbara Phelan, Melissa Smith and Catherine Bailey.

The book draws heavily on interviews with those who came across Trueman at various stages. From his earliest days/schooldays: Frank Anderton, Brian Beardsall, Les Bowden, Colin Brierley, Betty Buck, Ron Buck, John Gibson, Phillip Gibson, Chris Hunt, Terry Hunt, Tom Layden, Brian Pickering, Ken Pickering and Walter Smith. From his RAF days: Colin Blower, Colin Fisher, Norman Maxwell, Brian Smith, Ray Upson and John Whitehead. Thanks also to Geoff Hastings and Glynis Sievwright for enabling interviews with former RAF colleagues.

Many former cricketers offered their support, the extent of their contributions mainly evident in the text. Almost everyone had a Fred story often more than one to the extent that it was difficult to determine what to leave out. Other press-box colleagues provided help and encouragement, while a number of people facilitated interviews. Space precludes everyone an individual eulogy, but my heartfelt thanks go to: Qamar Ahmed, David Allan, Bob Appleyard, the late Trevor Bailey, Alec Bedser, Scyld Berry, Alan Biggs, Jimmy Binks, Dickie Bird, Paul Bolton, Lawrence Booth, Sir Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott, Stephen Brenkley, Bill Bridge, Simon Briggs, Claude Brownlow, Morag Brownlow, Eric Burgin, Jim Cadman, Dave Callaghan, Brian Close, Andrew Collomosse, Geoff Cope, Ted Corbett, Mike Cowan, Tony Cozier, Carol Crabtree, Jon Culley, Ron Deaton, Ted Dexter, Maureen Fielden, Sidney Fielden, Eric Fisk, David Foot, Angus Fraser, the late Bill Frindall, Anshuman Gaekwad, Datta Gaekwad, Pat Gibson, Robert Gledhill, Harry Gration, Tom Graveney, Andy Graver, Hugh Griffiths, Julian Guyer, John Hampshire, Neil Harvey, Roy Hattersley, June Hawes, John Helm, Derek Hodgson, Richard Hutton, Ray Illingworth, Sir Bernard Ingham, Doug Insole, Derek Jameson, Martin Johnson, Cecil Kippins, Ted Lester, David Lloyd, Revd Malcolm Lorimer, Vic Marks, Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Geoff Miller, Alan Moss, Donald Nannestad, Chandresh Narayanan, Chris Old, Peter Parfitt, Shilpa Patel, Bob Platt, Derek Pringle, Tom Richmond, Helen Riley, Neil Robinson, Mike Selvey, Philip Sharpe, Audrey Statham, John Stern, Bryan Stott, Richard Sutcliffe, Richard Sydenham, Bob Taylor, Ken Taylor, Frank Tyson, Sid Waddell, Mike Walters, Revd John Ward, David Warner, Sir Everton Weekes, John Westerby, Simon Wilde, Roy Wilkinson, Bob Willis, Don Wilson, the late Vic Wilson and John Woodcock.

Apologies to anyone Ive stupidly forgotten.

I began this book with an account of the only time I met Fred Trueman; Ill end it with an anecdote from the last occasion I spoke to him on the telephone. It was the spring of 2006, and Id just written a series of articles for the Yorkshire Post inviting readers to select their greatest-ever Yorkshire XI. The competition attracted more than 5,000 entries, and Trueman received the most votes of any player, with 99 per cent of readers picking him in their side. For the record, the XI chosen was Len Hutton, Herbert Sutcliffe, Maurice Leyland, Darren Lehmann, Brian Close, George Hirst, Wilfred Rhodes, Jimmy Binks, Fred Trueman, Bill Bowes and Hedley Verity. When I rang Trueman to relay the news, he expressed suitable delight before pointing out at some length that it was impossible to pick a definitive XI because different pitch conditions, and so on, had to be taken into account. Then, with the sort of delayed reaction that put one in mind of Cyril Heslop, the character played by Brian Glover in the television series Porridge, the significance of the vote suddenly dawned. Er, you said 99 per cent of readers voted for me? he said, sounding indignant. Er, only 99 per cent? I tell you what, Id like to catch up with the bastards who didnt vote for me

C. W.

Headingley, Leeds

September, 2011

By Ian McMillan

Remember the hair

Flopping over the face

Before the long run-up.

Remember the action,

Remember the man.

Remember the wickets;