Dead Pool 2026

[Sheilbh]

RIP Sir Garfield Sobers, the West Indian cricketer most famous for hitting six sixes in an over. Nice obit in the Times:
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/sir-garfield-sobers-obituary-crickets-greatest-all-rounder-cmjjnjrhz

Struck by this paragraph:

The flip side was a love of gambling, especially on horses, which, coupled with his career being before Test cricketers were properly remunerated or sponsored, meant he was always short of money. The Barbados government looked after him in retirement, although after his marriage broke down he lived in a modest bungalow. He was employed by the island's tourist board in a public relations capacity long after the customary retirement age. Other eminent cricketers thought it was demeaning for a man of his status.

With the World Cup on it reminds that we're really not that far away from when footballer's made very good money - but not set you up for life money (and those in lower-leagues too) - so would often end up on the after-dinner speaking circuit or, in England, the club might get them a pub to be landlord of. Sure it's true in other sports too that for all the (correct) talk about the money in them until very recently very little went to the players.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Which reminds me of Preston's hero Tom Finney https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Finney

76 England caps and only made £14 a week. He had a plumbing business which he returned to full time after his playing days were over. In hundreds of games he never got booked or sent off.

RIP Gary Sobers, a truly great cricketer.