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The end of this section – and one major figure
Fry, Charles Anthony (345 – Amateur) born 14.1.1940, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire. A batsman, Charles was the third generation of his family to play for Hampshire (see below), appearing in five first-class matches for Hampshire in 1960 at the end of the Oxford University term. He went to Repton and then won his ‘blue’ over three years 1959-1961, scoring two first-class centuries, but his brief period with Hampshire was not particularly successful, with 134 runs at 16.75 and a best of just 38 on county debut at Trent Bridge. In 1962, he played in one championship match for Northamptonshire. His last first-class match was for Free Foresters v Oxford University in 1968. He was President of MCC in 2003.
Fry, Charles Burgess (147 – Amateur) born Croydon 25.4.1872, died London 7.9.1956. As a county cricketer, Fry’s finest achievements were with Sussex for whom he played 236 first-class matches from 1894-1908 (captain 1904-1908), but even in his relatively short time with Hampshire, 44 matches from 1909-1921, he was an outstanding performer; he moved counties after taking up a post in the Hamble River on the training ship HMS Mercury. Beyond that, he is one of the most remarkable figures in British sporting and social history, sufficiently talented to have been a triple ‘blue’ at Oxford University in cricket, football and athletics, and only missing a rugby ‘blue’ through injury. In football he went on to represent England and Southampton FC (in a Cup Final) and once held the world long-jump record.
He played in 26 Test Matches for England with two centuries, captaining them in the 1912 Triangular series v South Africa and Australia – by this time he was also a selector. For Hampshire, his first-class average of 58.90 exceeds all their other major batsmen, Mead, Marshall, Richards, Greenidge, Smith etc. and included 14 centuries (two doubles) and 15 half-centuries in 72 innings. His highest score in first-class cricket for any side was 258* for Hampshire v Gloucestershire at Southampton in 1911, having scored 123 & 112 v Kent at Canterbury in his previous two innings. He played most frequently for Hampshire in 1911 & 1912 (37 matches). After the war there were two matches in 1920 and seven in 1921. In November 1921 his magnificent first-class career ended with two matches for the Europeans in India. In later life he was India’s representative at the League of Nations, he became a cricket correspondent, and was once invited to become King of Albania – he declined.
Fry, Stephen (217 – Amateur) born Portsmouth 23.5.1900, died London 18.5.1979. He was the son of CB and father of CA; a batsman, occasional wicketkeeper and occasional captain. He played in 29 first-class matches for Hampshire spread between 1922 and 1929-1931, scoring 508 runs at 10. 58, with one half-century, 78 v Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1929, when he opened with George Brown in the second innings. His last recorded match was for MCC v India Gymkhana at Lord’s in 1934, not first-class.
Fynn, Charles Garnet (258 – Amateur) born London 24.4.1897, died Bournemouth 26.8.1976. He was a leg-break & googly bowler who played in nine matches for Hampshire in 1930 & 1931. Before the war he had been a young fast bowler but injured in conflict, he was told he would not bowl again. Instead he converted to spin and at the age of 33, had a remarkable first-class debut, taking two wickets in his first over v Lancashire, the eventual Champions. His best figures of 3-92, came at Canterbury in 1930, a season when he took 10 wickets, but there was only one more in the following year. He enjoyed subsequently a full career in Bournemouth club cricket, being one of the founders of Bournemouth Amateurs, and in recent years his son Lionel, also a good local cricketer, produced his father’s county cap, showing he was so rewarded, despite a modest first-class career.
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Hampshire Cricket History 
That stat about Fry’s batting average of 58.90 is quite something. 72 innings is not a small sample. Overall his average was 50.22, and averages before the war were generally lower. His is higher than all English players of that era except Hobbs and Ranji (I think).
Comment by Dave Pople December 31, 2017 @ 3:34 pmIndeed Dave but he was no Rilee Rossouw was he?
Comment by James January 1, 2018 @ 12:25 pmDave, first of all, Happy New Year and would echo all those positive comments about your blog. In respect of CB Fry, perhaps worth mentioning that he was selected for England against Australia in 1921, after having scored 59 and 37 against them in the County fixture. However, he damaged a hand during that match and stood down. He recommended the selectors pick Lionel Tennyson instead. The rest, as they say, is history. Also, in 1912, Fry became, and I think remains, the only undefeated England captain.
Comment by Alan Edwards January 1, 2018 @ 1:28 pmMany thanks Alan – good point too!
Comment by pompeypop January 1, 2018 @ 6:05 pm