Johnny Douglas

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Olympic medalist
Douglas as a boxer at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Medal record
Men's Boxing
Gold	1908 London	Middleweight

J.W.H.T.Douglas England (Eng)
Batting style	Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling type	Right arm fast medium
	Tests	First-class
Matches	23	651
Runs scored	962	24531
Batting average	29.15	27.90
100s/50s	1/6	26/107
Top score	119	210*
Balls bowled	2812	83528
Wickets	45	1893
Bowling average	33.02	23.32
5 wickets in innings	1	113
10 wickets in match	0	23
Best bowling	5/46	9/47
Catches/stumpings	9/0	365/0
Test debut: 15 December 1911 Last Test: 18 January 1925 Source: [1]

John "Johnny" William Henry Tyler Douglas (September 3, 1882 – December 19, 1930) was one of the finest English cricketers of his generation.

He was born in what is now Belfast Road, Stoke Newington, London and died off the coast of Denmark.

[edit] Boxing Career

Douglas was related to the family that holds the title Marquess of Queensberry, one of whom codified the early boxing rules. He was an excellent Middleweight boxer becoming Olympic champion at the 1908 Games held in London. All his three bouts were on the same day, and the final required a fourth round to find a winner. Australian supporters of the silver medal winner, Snowy Baker, often claim that Douglas' father was the referee and sole judge; however, Douglas Sr was there merely to present medals, and had no part in the actual judging, although Douglas Jr, his father and his younger brother, Cecil ('Pickles') were all prominent referees and officials in the A.B.A., the last also being the leading referee in the professional sport in the 1930s. Douglas also played football once for the England amateur side (occasion unknown, through loss of records).

[edit] Olympic results

• Defeated René Doudelle (France) KO 1
• 2nd round bye
• Defeated Ruben Warnes (Great Britain) KO 2
• Defeated Snowy Baker (Australia) 2-0

[edit] Cricket Career

He was educated at Felsted School, and was a member of Wanstead C.C. He played for Essex, and captained it 1911-28, London County and England, as an untiring fast-medium bowler and obdurate batsman who was nicknamed with a play on his initials: "Johnny Won't Hit Today" by Australian hecklers. Douglas was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1915, and from that period until 1923 had to carry Essex's bowling on its shoulders except when George Louden turned out. He took over 100 wickets in a season seven times with a best of 147 in 1920. The following year against Derbyshire he produced perhaps the most remarkable all-round performance in cricket history. After taking nine for 47, Douglas stopped a breakdown against Bill Bestwick with an unbeaten 210 that tired him so much he did not bowl until the end of Derbyshire's second innings! He then took two for none, giving him a match record of eleven for 47.

Douglas captained England 18 times, with a record of won eight, lost eight, drawn two. Successful as stand-in captain in Australia in 1911, he led a depleted post-war side there to a 0-5 'whitewash' in 1920/1, an event unique until the 2006/7 England side were themselves beaten 0-5. Reappointed reluctantly by the M.C.C.in 1921, he lost the first two Tests at home to Warwick Armstrong's famous side and was displaced as captain but retained in the XI.

[edit] Later Life

Douglas joined his father's wood-importing firm, which had always supported his amateur status. He married a widow, Evelyn Ruby Case, on 25 December 1916 (no children, one stepson). He served in the Bedfordshire Regiment throughout World War I, eventually as major (acting lieutenant-colonel). He died seven miles south of the Laeso Trindel Lightship, Denmark when he drowned after two sister-vessels had collided in foggy weather. The two captains were brothers attempting to exchange Christmas greetings. According to a witness at the post mortem inquiry, he may well have been trying to save his father who was a passenger on the same ship. (They had been purchasing timber in Finland.) He was aged 48.

[edit] External references

• Cricinfo page on Johnny Douglas
• Cricket Archive
• Howstat page on John W H T Douglas
• Boxing Monthly - puts to rest controversy over his Gold Medal fight.