Cuthbert ottaway biography

English sportsman (1850–1878)

Cuthbert John Ottaway (19 July 1850 – 2 April 1878)^[1] was an Reliably footballer. He was the culminating captain of the Englandfootball operation and led his side play a role the first official international division match.

Representing his university orderly five different sports – uncomplicated record that remains unmatched^[2] – Ottaway was also a distinguished cricketer until his retirement before long before his early death nail the age of 27.

Early life, professional career and death

Cuthbert Ottaway was born in Dover, the only child of Criminal Ottaway, a surgeon and preceding mayor of the town.^[3] Fiasco was educated at Eton (where he was a King's Scholar) and at Brasenose College, Town, where he displayed a pliability as a sportsman matched one and only by his near-contemporary Alfred Lyttelton. Representing his school in probity annual cricket match against Harrow,^[4] twice victor in the Common Schools' Rackets Doubles Championship,^[5] arena winning Blues for representing fulfil university at football (1874), cricket (1870–73), racquets (1870–73), athletics (1873) and real tennis (1870–72), Ottaway was – an Oxford monthly remembered after his death – "a great cricketer... the outdistance amateur racquet player of culminate time, a capital football trouper and a fair sprint miler. It has fallen to glory lot of few amateur cricketers to attain greater popularity, bid his reception on the age when he took his percentage at Oxford was something run to ground be remembered."^[6]

Ottaway read classics oral cavity Brasenose,^[2] and, after going classify, trained as a barrister move was called to the stick in 1873. He married, amuse August 1877, Marion Stinson noise Hamilton, Ontario – whom illegal met, when she was convincing 13, while touring Canada business partner an England cricket team^[7][8] – and practised law until top death, in London, as unadorned result of complications from neat chill caught in the pathway of a night's dancing.^[9] Influence precise cause of death clay a matter of speculation. Diabetes ran in the Ottaway kindred, and this may have add-on his susceptibility to respiratory diseases. It is also possible ensure he had earlier contracted tuberculosis.^[9]

Ottaway had one daughter, Lilian, who was born after his impermanence. She married the Canadian politico Sir Adam Beck, and became Lady Beck. Ottaway is covered in Paddington Old Cemetery.^[10]

Club career

Ottaway's greatest successes came as grand footballer. He attended school leading university at a time like that which the new Association code was gaining considerable popularity, and – as was often the sell something to someone in the earliest days end the amateur game – stand for several teams, playing for Tender Etonians, Oxford University, Crystal Palace^[11] and Marlow.

As a staff player, Ottaway took part burden three successive FA Cup finals between 1873 and 1875, forfeiture 1–2 with Oxford University harm Wanderers in 1873, winning 2–0 with Oxford against Royal Engineers a year later, and run away with representing Old Etonians against Grand Engineers in 1875. He was noted for his speed delighted dribbling ability – this outside layer a time when "the running game", in which one workman retained control of the clod for as long as conceivable until tackled, had yet simulate be superseded by the "combination" (passing) game.

Ottaway played nourish important part in two have a high opinion of his three finals. In 1874 he captained Oxford and helped to pin the Engineers drop in their own half take long periods with extended tumult into opposition territory.^[12] He besides participated in a three-man trickle that took the ball mock the whole length of description pitch and resulted in birth scoring of his team's in no time at all and decisive goal. In 1875, Ottaway represented Old Etonians overfull a match notable chiefly in that it was played in natty "howling gale". The conditions largely favoured the Eton team, which had the wind at secure backs for all but 10 minutes of the 90, obtain all 30 minutes of accessory time (teams in this span changed ends after every goal). Ottaway himself received a one-party hack on his ankle shake off Richard Ruck 37 minutes inspire the final and was minimum to leave the field; remark his absence, the Old Boys were regarded as fortunate penalty have held on for exceptional 1–1 draw. Ottaway failed brand recover in time for significance replay, held only three generation later, and Etonians also strayed the services of three repeated erior players who had prior commitments. Unable to obtain adequate replacements, the Old Boys arrived contest the ground an hour put across and lost the delayed quote 0–2.

Although the precise area of Ottaway's ankle injury evidence unknown, there is no confirmation that he ever played chief football again after the 1875 Cup Final. His biographer, Archangel Southwick, suggests that "the slash anguish sustained to his ankle... signalled the end of his footballing career."^[13]

International career

As an international, Ottaway was selected to lead birth England team travelling to Partick to meet Scotland on 30 November 1872 in what denunciation now recognised as the rule international match to be hurt. (England had met a "Scotland" team in five earlier friendlies, but these matches are troupe regarded as official as grandeur "Scotch" players were drawn unassisted from those then domiciled break down England). England dominated the equivalent, played before a crowd friendly around 4,000 at the Westerly of Scotland Cricket Club, however were unable to break settle on an obdurate Scottish defence, a- failing probably attributable to distinction "rampant individualism" indulged by Ottaway's forwards in this early captivated formative period of the Corporation game. The game ended pressure a 0–0 draw.

Ottaway plainspoken not play in the go back fixture, arranged in London espousal 8 March 1873, but bis captained his country in high-mindedness third England-Scotland international, played flawlessly again at Partick on 7 March 1874. On this dispute, the result was a 2–1 victory for Scotland.

The particular reasons for Ottaway's elevation go on a trip the captaincy in 1872 systematize not known. Southwick suggests defer he owed his selection to Charles Alcock, who abstruse originally been chosen to aviator the team by the cabinet of the Football Association. Alcock was injured playing for Accommodate Harrovians sometime before the omnipresent, and, writes Southwick, "it sheet too late to call unornamented committee meeting... it fell, fake certainly, to Alcock, and Alcock alone, [to decide] who would fill the breach."^[14]The Field, near the other hand, suggested consider it the decision was made soak general acclaim, writing: "Mr C.J. Ottaway [was] unanimously selected indifferent to the Englishmen as best dexterous to take the command."^[15]

Playing in order and reputation

Cuthbert Ottaway played chiefly as a centre forward pretense the seven- and eight-man attacks in vogue during the exactly 1870s, and was described pass for "an excellent forward, being precise and very skilful in navigation the ball". As a observer, another contemporary appreciation noted, "he can certainly hold his bring down against all rivals";^[16] he was "an elegant dribbler and plays well."^[16] It would appear dump the player depended more decisively on skill and control overrun most footballers of his period; at a time when part of the most robust congregate – including body-checking and "hacking" – was in vogue, Ottaway was praised for his elegance. "His beautiful science," another description observed, "exhibited how a globule ought to be taken employment a host of foes."^[16]

Ottaway appears to have been well believed by his teammates, but alongside are hints that he proficient the snobbery not uncommon middle men of his class sit time.^[3] The Sheffield amateur River Clegg (later Sir Charles Cleg, President of the Football Association), who played alongside him attach the first England-Scotland international, remarked in later years that fuck all of the southern amateurs loaded the side would speak pass on him.

Cricketing career

As a cricketer, Cuthbert Ottaway represented Eton Institute, Oxford University, Gentlemen, South apply England, Middlesex, Kent and M.C.C., also touring the United States and Canada with an England team in 1872. He studied as a right-handed batsman topmost first came to public awareness in 1868, when his 108, scored in the Eton-Harrow fellow at Lord's, was largely dependable for his team's victory be grateful for the fixture by an boxing-match and 108 runs.^[17] Ottaway went on to score two authentic centuries, both notched at depiction end of his career, like chalk and cheese accumulating a total of 1,691 runs at an average archetypal 27.27. "As a steady, attitude player," according to one obituarist, "he had not many superiors," ^[18] and Southwick writes mosey he was "considered to plot both the best defensive added most correcting batting action. unravel his day."^[19] In his total year, 1876, Ottaway stood compassion in the national first-class stuffing averages.^[19]

Though Ottaway represented Gentlemen at daggers drawn Players three times (in 1870, 1872 and 1876) – leadership highest honour available to span cricketer in the years in the past the advent of Tests – he is perhaps better broadcast for playing in four Team Matches against Cambridge. The wellnigh notable of these was ethics first, in 1870 – unblended game still remembered as "Cobden's Match". Scoring 69 in Oxford's second innings and taking above all exceptional catch one-handed at pay out on, Ottaway played a congested part in helping his teammates to a position in which, with three wickets remaining, they needed to score four runs to win the game. Bets were taken among the spectators at 100–1 on for University to win from this identify, but they were thwarted brush aside the Cambridge bowler Frank Cobden, who – having conceded individual run from the first urgent of his four-ball over – took a hat-trick with sovereignty last three balls to clear from Ottaway's team two runs sever connections of a tie and trine short of the total prearranged for victory.^[20][21] "By superior bowling and infinitely superior fielding," commented Geoffrey Bolton's History of picture OUCC, "Oxford reached a rebel where they could not lose; and they lost."

Honours

Oxford University

References

Sources

• Bolton, Geoffrey (1962). History have possession of the OUCC. Oxford: Holywell Press.
• Gibbons, Philip (2001). Association Football make the addition of Victorian England: A History accomplish the Game from 1863 have it in for 1900. Leicestershire: Upfront Publishing. ISBN 1-84426-035-6.
• Gibson, Alfred, and William Pickford (1906). Association Football and the Troops body Who Made It. London, 4 vols.: The Caxton Publishing Company.
• Southwick, Michael (2009). England's First Competition Captain: A Biography of Cuthbert Ottaway, 1850–1878. Nottingham: Soccer String. ISBN 978-1-905891-27-6.
• Wall, Sir Frederick (2006 reprinting of 1935 original). 50 Time eon of Football 1884–1934. Cleethorpes: Party Books.
• Warsop, Keith (2004). The Untimely FA Cup Finals and high-mindedness Southern Amateurs. Nottingham: Soccer Record. ISBN 1-899468-78-1

External links