David Frith
Encyclopedia
David Edward John Frith (born 16 March 1937) is a leading cricket
writer and historian. Cricinfo
describes him as "an author, historian, and founding editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly
".
on 16 March 1937. His family moved to Sydney
in 1949 when he was eleven. Early in his career he worked for the Daily Mirror and the Commonwealth Bank at Cronulla. He returned to England
in 1964.
After working as freelance writer, he became the deputy editor and,in 1973, editor of The Cricketer
. He founded Wisden Cricket Monthly
and edited from June 1979 to February 1996.
Particularly specialising in Ashes Test Match history, Frith has written dozens of books, on both cricket in modern times and cricket of the past. His major works include My Dear Victorious Stod (a biography of A.E.Stoddart), Silence of the Heart (on cricket's suicides, an expansion of his earlier book 'By His Own Hand), The Fast Men, The Slow Men (about fast bowlers and spinners), Pageant of Cricket (illustrated by 2000 pictures), Caught England, Bowled Australia (autobiography), The Trailblazers (the first English tour of Australia, in 1861-62), The Archie Jackson
Story (biography) and Bodyline Autopsy. He has also been involved in producing cricket videos, which have been extremely successful.
He famously commented that if the Indian Cricket Team won the 1983 World Cup then he would eat his words. With just a solitary win against minnows East Africa in the preceding World Cups in 1975 and 1979, it was never thought he would have to keep his promise. But, amazingly, India won an upset victory against reigning champions West Indies in a low-scoring final, and he promptly ate his words, devouring his magazine article, accompanied by some red wine.
In association with the National Film and Television Archive, he has presented an annual archive cricket film evening at the National Film Theatre in London
since 1981.
In 2003 he became the first author to win the Cricket Society's Book of the Year award three times, and was also a finalist in the William Hill Sports Book awards for his Bodyline Autopsy. The book also won Wisden
's book of the year and, in January 2010, it won Cricketweb's award for "book of the decade". In his assessment, Martin Chandler wrote:
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
writer and historian. Cricinfo
Cricinfo
ESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
describes him as "an author, historian, and founding editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly
Wisden Cricket Monthly
Wisden Cricket Monthly was a cricket magazine that ran from June 1979 to September 2003.The driving force behind the creation of WCM was its first editor, David Frith, formerly an editor of its rival, The Cricketer. At first, it operated under the Wisden name using license from John Wisden & Co;...
".
Life and career
David Frith was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 16 March 1937. His family moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1949 when he was eleven. Early in his career he worked for the Daily Mirror and the Commonwealth Bank at Cronulla. He returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1964.
After working as freelance writer, he became the deputy editor and,in 1973, editor of The Cricketer
The Cricketer
The Cricketer was an English cricket magazine published between 1921 and 2003 when it was merged with Wisden Cricket Monthly and relaunched as The Wisden Cricketer....
. He founded Wisden Cricket Monthly
Wisden Cricket Monthly
Wisden Cricket Monthly was a cricket magazine that ran from June 1979 to September 2003.The driving force behind the creation of WCM was its first editor, David Frith, formerly an editor of its rival, The Cricketer. At first, it operated under the Wisden name using license from John Wisden & Co;...
and edited from June 1979 to February 1996.
Particularly specialising in Ashes Test Match history, Frith has written dozens of books, on both cricket in modern times and cricket of the past. His major works include My Dear Victorious Stod (a biography of A.E.Stoddart), Silence of the Heart (on cricket's suicides, an expansion of his earlier book 'By His Own Hand), The Fast Men, The Slow Men (about fast bowlers and spinners), Pageant of Cricket (illustrated by 2000 pictures), Caught England, Bowled Australia (autobiography), The Trailblazers (the first English tour of Australia, in 1861-62), The Archie Jackson
Archie Jackson
Archibald "Archie" Jackson , occasionally known as Archibald Alexander Jackson, was an Australian cricketer who played eight Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1929 and 1931. A teenage prodigy, he played first grade cricket at only 15 years of age and was selected for New South Wales at 17...
Story (biography) and Bodyline Autopsy. He has also been involved in producing cricket videos, which have been extremely successful.
He famously commented that if the Indian Cricket Team won the 1983 World Cup then he would eat his words. With just a solitary win against minnows East Africa in the preceding World Cups in 1975 and 1979, it was never thought he would have to keep his promise. But, amazingly, India won an upset victory against reigning champions West Indies in a low-scoring final, and he promptly ate his words, devouring his magazine article, accompanied by some red wine.
In association with the National Film and Television Archive, he has presented an annual archive cricket film evening at the National Film Theatre in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
since 1981.
In 2003 he became the first author to win the Cricket Society's Book of the Year award three times, and was also a finalist in the William Hill Sports Book awards for his Bodyline Autopsy. The book also won Wisden
Wisden
The Wisden Group was a group of companies formed by John Wisden & Co Ltd, publishers of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. As well as John Wisden & Co, the group included the The Wisden Cricketer magazine, Cricinfo – the world's highest traffic cricket website – and the Hawk-Eye computerised...
's book of the year and, in January 2010, it won Cricketweb's award for "book of the decade". In his assessment, Martin Chandler wrote:
"Autopsy" is a magnificent book possessing a vibrancy and objectivity that when I first read it I found quite remarkable. It is, without question, the CW "Book of the Decade" and were there any prospect of my being around to collect I would certainly place a large wager on whoever is writing this feature in 90 years time confirming it as CW "Book of the Century"