The Olympic Games in Paris are with us which allows for the study of a little known sporting gem. Cricket was one of the sports played at the Paris Olympic Games in 1900. There was only one match - between a side designated England and one designated France. England, represented by the Devon County Wanderers on tour was victorious over France - made up mainly of British businessmen working in Paris. A few years later 'England' was awarded a gold medal and 'France' the silver. Intriguingly four of the 24 who played that day (the game was 12 a-sides) had rugby connections - some significant ones.
From The Vaults
05 August 2024
British Rugby Players Gain Olympic Cricket Medals by Keith Gregson
William Stephens Donne
Perhaps the most recognisable name linked to rugby is that of William Stephens Donne from Castle Cary in Somerset [pictured centre]. A large man in every respect he was also big in the terms of success in the field of sport organisation.
He entered the field of sports politics- firstly with an interest in Somerset Rugby then as a leading light in national and international rugby. He is credited with helping struggling clubs in the South West during the late Victorian and early Edwardian periods. He was president of the RFU during a tricky period in the mid-1920s and has been praised for his leadership at the time. His single contribution to the cricket match in Paris was being run out for 6 but he was a major organiser of Wanderers' tours throughout his life
Charles Beachey Kay Beachcroft can be considered the steadiest of the English bats in Paris. Coming in at number three, he was bowled for 23 in the first innings and retired undefeated on 54 at the second innings' declaration. A local Devon newspaper reported him as;
'a well-known footballer, cricketer and hockey player. He is an old Newton College Boy and played for Torquay Athletic, Newton Abbot Etc. at rugby football.'
Prior to marriage in 1897 he had also played (rugby) football for Totnes, and Devon Nomads. He certainly played rugby in the forwards for Dawlish after his marriage and was secretary of the club in 1899. A fine resume of the life of this 'lovable rogue' can also be viewed on the Newton Abbot Museum website.
Montague (Monty) Henry Toller made only two runs (bowled) in his single visit to the crease. He did, however, make a significant contribution to the victory by taking seven wickets (all bowled) in the opposition's second innings. (In some sources this is recorded either as 7-9 or 7-10 and 7-14). Toller was probably the most accomplished cricketer in the side. He is one of only two players in the English side to feature in the 'Who's Who of Cricketers'. He was also a competent rugby player and turned out for Barnstaple and Devon County in the three quarters. He and his brother played in the county championship in 1895. In 1893 he was in the Blackheath side - probably replacing the injured England international Howard Marshall. He is known to have written articles on rugby.
The 'French' side had a number of players who had played or were playing association football at fairly high level both in England and France. The 'French' side also had one significant rugby player in William Wallace Anderson. He was one of the stars of the French side in the Olympic match, taking four wickets and a catch in the visitors' first inning. Although he made a duck in the first French innings he top scored in the second with a magnificent 8!
Scottish newspapers of the 1880s and 1890s are full of references to a W. W. Anderson heavily involved in school sport in Edinburgh and at George Watson's College in particular. In 1896 he was said to be responsible for the success of the cricket team at the college. However, his first sport seems to have been rugby football. In 1883 W. W. Anderson of Morningside College was selected among the forwards to represent the North of Scotland against the South in an international trial.
Later in the 1880s he was responsible for organising an annual game between Glasgow and Edinburgh Schools which was still going under his aegis in the 1890s. He was clearly in charge of the Edinburgh side. He was also a touch judge and a member of the committee of Watsonians Rugby Club.
Other evidence proves conclusively that this was our 'man in Paris'.
In theory Donne, Beachcroft and Toller earned gold medals and Anderson silver. The story of the awards actually given out and details of the match and its players are to be found in a timely publication recently published by 'From the Vaults' regular and Sunderland F.C. archivist and historian Keith Gregson.
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