Henry Scattergood
Encyclopedia
Joseph Henry Scattergood (26 January 1877–15 June 1953) was an American
cricket
er, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Scattergood was one of the Philadelphian cricketers
that played from the end of the 19th century through the early years of the next. Scattergood was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, to a prominent Quaker
family. He began his sports career as a baseball
catcher
, but was converted to a wicket-keeper
while a student at Haverford College
. While at Haverford, Scattergood also played football
and tennis
and served as the treasurer and secretary of his class. In 1895, he graduated from Haverford with honors in mathematics
before going on to more schooling at Harvard University
. Following his time at Harvard, Scattergood began a long career as a businessman and philanthropist in the Philadelphia area. It was also at this time that he began playing for the Philadelphian cricket team.
Having toured in England in 1896 with the visiting team from Haverford, Scattergood's first-class cricket
debut came against Gloucestershire
on the Philadelphian's 1897 tour of England
. Gloucestershire won the match by an innings and 26 runs. In the first innings, Scattergood achieved his high score of 13 and batted for 5 not out in the second innings. He made one catch to dismiss Charlie Townsend
. Scattergood played three more matches on this tour before returning to the United States to play visiting side from England. Scattergood also joined the Philadelphians on their tour of England in 1903. He played through the middle of the tour and ended his first-class career with a match against Worcestershire
on 13–15 July. Unfortunately, Scattergood was injured shortly after taking the field and replaced. This was the end of a very successful career. The English cricketer Gilbert Jessop
declared that "the wicket-keeping of Scattergood was every bit as remarkable as was the bowling of Bart King
." John Lester
wrote that the keeper's "services to cricket extended far beyond his play. Always a defender of the faith, and one of those who strove hardest to stem the decline, he is still an influence in keeping it alive."
. The two had five children. In 1953, Henry Scattergood died in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cricket
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...
er, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Scattergood was one of the Philadelphian cricketers
Philadelphian cricket team
The Philadelphian cricket team was a team that represented Philadelphia in first-class cricket between 1878 and 1913. Even with the United States having played the first ever international cricket match against Canada in 1844, the sport began a slow decline in the country. This decline was...
that played from the end of the 19th century through the early years of the next. Scattergood was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, to a prominent Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
family. He began his sports career as a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, but was converted to a wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
while a student at Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
. While at Haverford, Scattergood also played football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and served as the treasurer and secretary of his class. In 1895, he graduated from Haverford with honors in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
before going on to more schooling at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Following his time at Harvard, Scattergood began a long career as a businessman and philanthropist in the Philadelphia area. It was also at this time that he began playing for the Philadelphian cricket team.
Cricket career
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut came against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
on the Philadelphian's 1897 tour of England
Philadelphian cricket team in England in 1897
The Philadelphian cricket team toured England in the summer of 1897. Starting on 7 June at Oxford, the tour lasted for two months and ended in late July at The Oval. The Americans played 15 first-class matches captained by George Stuart Patterson. The tour is, perhaps, most notable for the...
. Gloucestershire won the match by an innings and 26 runs. In the first innings, Scattergood achieved his high score of 13 and batted for 5 not out in the second innings. He made one catch to dismiss Charlie Townsend
Charlie Townsend
Charles Lucas Townsend was a Gloucestershire cricketer. An all-round cricketer, Townsend was classically stylish, left-handed batsman, who was able to hit well despite his slender build...
. Scattergood played three more matches on this tour before returning to the United States to play visiting side from England. Scattergood also joined the Philadelphians on their tour of England in 1903. He played through the middle of the tour and ended his first-class career with a match against Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
on 13–15 July. Unfortunately, Scattergood was injured shortly after taking the field and replaced. This was the end of a very successful career. The English cricketer Gilbert Jessop
Gilbert Jessop
Gilbert Laird Jessop was an English cricket player, often reckoned to have been the fastest run-scorer cricket has ever known, he was Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1898.Relations...
declared that "the wicket-keeping of Scattergood was every bit as remarkable as was the bowling of Bart King
Bart King
John Barton "Bart" King was an American cricketer, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. King was one of the Philadelphian cricketers that played from the end of the 19th century until the outbreak of World War I...
." John Lester
John Lester
John Ashby Lester was an American cricketer, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Lester was one of the Philadelphian cricketers who played from the end of the 19th century until the outbreak of World War I...
wrote that the keeper's "services to cricket extended far beyond his play. Always a defender of the faith, and one of those who strove hardest to stem the decline, he is still an influence in keeping it alive."
Personal life
Following the end of his cricket career, Scattergood settled down with a family. In 1906, He married Anne Theodora Morris in Villanova, PennsylvaniaVillanova, Pennsylvania
Villanova is a community in the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It straddles Lower Merion Township of Montgomery County and Radnor Township of Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Pennsylvania Main Line, a series of highly affluent Philadelphia suburban towns located...
. The two had five children. In 1953, Henry Scattergood died in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is a suburban community located outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne, William Penn's physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General...
.
Statistics links
- Player Profile: Henry Scattergood from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...