Project COBB: Great Britain national team history

Go to Project COBB homepage


1952



INTRODUCTION


There was a spike in international baseball in 1952, with England (a full Great Britain side had not been formed yet) playing in a number of events. These games - while competitive - did underscore a problem that would haunt efforts to put the best national team on the field for decades: regionalism.


DUTCH JUBILEE CELEBRATION in THE NETHERLANDS


On 27 and 28 June, the England side were in The Netherlands to play in what the 'Evening News' described as 'the important' Dutch Jubilee Celebration. The games were set up to honour the 40th anniversary of baseball's founding in The Netherlands. Although England lost both matches, the games were close. Still, the 'Evening News' criticized organizers for having a bias towards players from the north. According to the paper, the Sutton Beavers, which was a particularly strong team in the London area, sent the names of its three top players but they were rejected. Ultimately, only one player from the south was named in the team.

The first game was played at Ajax's stadium in Amsterdam. HAL BONNALLO took the mound for Great Britain, and his opposite number was Han Urbanus, who had attended Spring Training with the New York Giants that year (and would go on to record a no-hitter and two one-hitters before the end of the season), such was his calibre. The Dutch got ahead early in the game, holding a 3-0 lead after five innings. Both teams plated a run in the sixth, but the Dutch extended their lead to 5-1
going into the eighth frame.

Great Britain loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, and 2 runs scored thanks to a double by VIC LAMBRECHT, but the rally ended there. Urbanus was The Netherlands' 'most impressive player,' according to the 'Evening News'.

In the second game, which took place at the Sparta Stadium in Rotterdam, it was Great Britain, with BONNALLO again on the mound, who took an early lead: Hoitzing walked the first two batters of the game and HANSON came round to score on a single off the bat of NICHOLSON. It was a lead that the visitors would hold until the bottom of the eighth. The Dutch scored all three of their runs in this inning and Great Britain could not respond with their final three outs. According to the 'Evening News', 'the first [Great Britain] error cost them the game.' BONNALLO did not go the distance, being replaced by LAMBRECHT towards the end of the contest.

These were respectable performances against a strong international side, but the Great Britain players left The Netherlands 'envious' of the Dutch baseball set-up.

Results
THE NETHERLANDS (L 5-3, L 3-1)

Known roster members
Hal BONNALLO; Alf HANSON; Vic LAMBRECHT; NICHOLSON; STANFORD; Ross KENDRICK


MATCH VERSUS CANADIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL in GREAT BRITAIN


After the events of the Dutch Jubilee Celebration, it is probably not surprising that leagues in the south formed their own squad to play an international. On 26 July, a team representing England took on a squad from the Canadian military at the ground of Leatherhead Football Club. The English team comprised players from a trio of London-area clubs, the Mitcham Royals, Mitcham Tigers, and Sutton Beavers. The team was essentially an All-Star squad from the Western League, but it was given the 'England' moniker to help publicize the contest, and it worked. The game, which was played in Surrey, attracted a sizable audience that included Walter Winterbottom, the England football coach, according to NORMAN ADAMS who played for England in the contest.

The All-Stars ultimately lost the contest in a 17-13 slugfest. The score was tied until the fifth inning, when Canada jumped ahead and held the lead despite 'two beautiful homers' by English players FRANK ADEY and RAY REYNOLDS, according to the 'Evening News'. Nevertheless, the newspaper reported that 'the Canadians [?] told the British players they have a long way to go yet.'

Results
CANADIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL (L 17-13)

Known roster members
Norman ADAMS; Frank ADEY; D ALLEN; Roy BUXTON; A DADE; Percy 'Hank' EDWARDS; Sandy FEARS; L HICKS; Derek HUBBARD; Vic LAMBRECHT; LAURIE; W LITTLE; S MORGAN; A PARTRIDGE; Derek PHILLIPS; Roy ROWLAND; B SEAROE; H SMITH


SERIES VERSUS US AIR FORCE AND SPAIN in GREAT BRITAIN


Finally, in September, English officials put together a squad that brought together the best players from throughout the country. The team featured eight southern players and seven from the north. In the 19 September edition of the 'Evening News', the All-England side was described as 'one of the best we have fielded.' The team played in what was originally called the 'Four Countries Tournament'. England were scheduled to be joined by Spain, a US Air Force team from Lakenheath, and a Royal Canadian Air Force side, but the Canadians dropped out. The three remaining teams played a round-robin schedule on 13-14 September at Young Field on the US Air Force base in Lakenheath. (The field was named after the designer, who was killed in an air crash before the facility was completed.) English players were required to cover their travelling expenses but 'food and billeting [were] undertaken by the U.S.A.F., who [were] hosts of the tournament,' according to England player FRANK ADEY's invitation letter.

England lost the first game of the Lakenheath series 8-2 against the US Air Force team. Still, 'the score [did] not reflect the tough resistance put up against the Americans,' said the' Evening News'. 'The airmen snatched a 2-0 lead in the first innings but England hit back with a [DAVID] SINCLAIR run in the 4th. U.S.A.F. scored four in the 5th and SINCLAIR notched England's other run in the 5th.' A day later, in their other match, England took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning against Spain, but the Spanish scored 2 runs in that inning on two hits. The English levelled the score in the eighth only to lose 4-2. 'Pitchers ROBERTSON and [HAL] BONNALLO looked good, CONNOLLY was a first-class catcher, and BILL DAWBER shone at 1st base,' wrote the 'Evening News' about the England players. In the end, the highlight of the series did not involve England, as Spain no-hit the US team in their match-up.

Results
US AIR FORCE (L 8-2), SPAIN (L 4-2)

Known roster members
Frank ADEY; Johnny BARRASS; Hal BONNALLO; Ted BROWN; John CONNOLLY; Bill DAWBER; Johnny DIXON; HANCOX; HOOPER; NICHOLAS; ROBERTSON; SCHAFER; David SINCLAIR; STANFORD; Ross KENDRICK