Cricketer Albert Trott denied English Heritage blue plaque
Tuesday 20 November 2018 16:56, UK
He played for England and Australia and is the only cricketer in history to have cleared the famous Lord's pavilion with a six, but Albert Trott has been snubbed by English Heritage for a commemorative blue plaque.
Trott struck the ball more than 120 metres over the pavilion in 1899 and is believed to be the only player to have achieved the feat.
That year he was named Wisden's cricketer of the year, and he's also one of only two players to take two hat-tricks in the same first-class innings in 1907.
He played almost 400 first-class matches, taking more than 1,500 wickets and scoring over 10,000 runs.
English Heritage is keen to honour more women and only 12 plaques a year are erected. Trott's name was among 35 rejected applications this year.
Howard Spencer, a senior historian who directs the research into the blue plaques for the charity, said: "In somewhere like cricket you have to be careful where you set the bar - you have to be very selective about it.
"With Trott it was felt the most appropriate place to commemorate him was at Lord's where he did his deed, and he may already be commemorated there."
