Henry Smoker
Encyclopedia
Henry George Smoker was an English all-round sportsman, who played football for Southampton
and cricket
for Hampshire
and Cheshire
.
, near Alresford
, Hampshire, the son of George Smoker
who had played cricket for Hampshire
in the 1880s.
Henry signed for Southampton
of the Southern Football League
in the close-season of 1900, but spent most of his career at The Dell in the reserves. Described as "a speedy left-winger who favoured taking on the full-back rather than delivering the early cross", Smoker eventually made his first-team debut over three years after joining the "Saints" when he took the place of the injured Dick Evans
for the match against Wellingborough Town on 7 November 1903.
His only other appearance for Southampton came on 2 January 1904; Evans was now out with a serious leg injury and trainer Bill Dawson had tried to fill the vacancy at outside-left, firstly with John Fraser
and then Harry Turner
, before settling on Joe Turner
, with Southampton going on to claim their sixth, and last, Southern League championship.
In the summer of 1904, Smoker decided to quit professional football to concentrate on his cricket career.
in a County Championship against Lancashire
at United Services Recreation Ground
, Portsmouth
in May 1901.
He developed into a useful lower-order left-handed batsman but was mainly a right-arm medium-fast bowler. His most prolific season was in 1907, when he played eleven matches, scoring 125 runs and taking 31 wickets at an average of 19.41. His best bowling came against the touring team from South Africa, at the County Ground, Southampton
in June 1907, when he claimed 7 wickets for 35 runs in South Africa's first innings, as the tourists were dismissed for a total of 82 runs. Hampshire scored 111 in reply, but the visitors had reached 329 for nine at the end of the second day, before rain caused the match to be abandoned as a draw.
His best score with the bat came against Kent
at the Angel Ground
, Tonbridge
in the same month, when he scored 39 not-out in Hampshire's first innings, as Hampshire reached a total of 292 runs. Kent replied with 596 runs, with 204 from James Seymour
and 101 for Kenneth Hutchings
. Hampshire managed only 114 in their second innings, with Smoker scoring a "duck
" – thus Kent won the match by an innings and 190 runs.
Smoker then moved to Cheshire
and continued to turn out for Cheshire County Cricket Club
in Minor Counties cricket
from 1909 to 1925.
, who also played cricket for Hampshire and football for Southampton.
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and 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...
for Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
and Cheshire
Cheshire County Cricket Club
Cheshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cheshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.
Football career
Smoker was born at Hinton AmpnerHinton Ampner
Hinton Ampner House is a stately home with gardens within the parish of Hinton Ampner, near Alresford, Hampshire, England.The house and garden are owned by the National Trust and are open to the public....
, near Alresford
New Alresford
New Alresford or simply Alresford is a small town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is situated some 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton...
, Hampshire, the son of George Smoker
George Smoker
George Smoker was an English cricketer.Smoker represented Hampshire in two first-class matches in 1885, which was Hampshire's final season with first-class status until the 1895 County Championship...
who had played cricket for Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in the 1880s.
Henry signed for Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
of the Southern Football League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
in the close-season of 1900, but spent most of his career at The Dell in the reserves. Described as "a speedy left-winger who favoured taking on the full-back rather than delivering the early cross", Smoker eventually made his first-team debut over three years after joining the "Saints" when he took the place of the injured Dick Evans
Dick Evans (footballer)
Richard "Dick" Evans was an English footballer, who played at outside-right, spending most of his career with Burslem Port Vale as well as a two-year spell at Southampton where he won two Southern League championships....
for the match against Wellingborough Town on 7 November 1903.
His only other appearance for Southampton came on 2 January 1904; Evans was now out with a serious leg injury and trainer Bill Dawson had tried to fill the vacancy at outside-left, firstly with John Fraser
John Fraser (footballer born 1876)
John Fraser was a Scottish professional footballer who was part of the Dundee team who won the Scottish Cup in 1910...
and then Harry Turner
Harry Turner (footballer)
Harry Turner was an English professional footballer who played as an outside forward for Southampton in the 1900s.-Football career:...
, before settling on Joe Turner
Joe Turner (footballer)
Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier...
, with Southampton going on to claim their sixth, and last, Southern League championship.
In the summer of 1904, Smoker decided to quit professional football to concentrate on his cricket career.
Cricket career
He made his first class cricket debut for HampshireHampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in a County Championship against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
at United Services Recreation Ground
United Services Recreation Ground
The United Services Recreation Ground is a cricket ground in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The first recorded match on the ground was on 17 August 1882 which saw Cambridge University Past and Present play the touring Australians...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in May 1901.
He developed into a useful lower-order left-handed batsman but was mainly a right-arm medium-fast bowler. His most prolific season was in 1907, when he played eleven matches, scoring 125 runs and taking 31 wickets at an average of 19.41. His best bowling came against the touring team from South Africa, at the County Ground, Southampton
County Ground, Southampton
The County Ground in Southampton, England was a former cricket and football ground. It was the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club from the 1885 English cricket season until the 2000 English cricket season...
in June 1907, when he claimed 7 wickets for 35 runs in South Africa's first innings, as the tourists were dismissed for a total of 82 runs. Hampshire scored 111 in reply, but the visitors had reached 329 for nine at the end of the second day, before rain caused the match to be abandoned as a draw.
His best score with the bat came against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
at the Angel Ground
Angel Ground
The Angel Ground was a cricket and later association football venue in Tonbridge, Kent. It was used by Kent County Cricket Club and Tonbridge Angels F.C., before being redeveloped by Tonbridge and Malling District Council in 1980.-Cricket venue:...
, Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
in the same month, when he scored 39 not-out in Hampshire's first innings, as Hampshire reached a total of 292 runs. Kent replied with 596 runs, with 204 from James Seymour
James Seymour (cricketer)
James Seymour was a Kent cricketer from 1902 until 1926, having previously played for W. G. Grace's London County Cricket Club in first-class matches in 1900 and 1901. He was born in Sussex....
and 101 for Kenneth Hutchings
Kenneth Hutchings
Kenneth Lotherington Hutchings was a cricketer who played for Kent and England....
. Hampshire managed only 114 in their second innings, with Smoker scoring a "duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
" – thus Kent won the match by an innings and 190 runs.
Smoker then moved to Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
and continued to turn out for Cheshire County Cricket Club
Cheshire County Cricket Club
Cheshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cheshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
in Minor Counties cricket
Minor Counties Cricket Championship
The Minor Counties Cricket Championship is a season-long competition in England that is contested by those county cricket clubs that do not have first-class status...
from 1909 to 1925.
Family
His brother-in-law was Victor NorburyVictor Norbury
Duncan Victor Norbury was an English all-round sportsman, who played football for Southampton and cricket for Hampshire and Lancashire.-Cricket career:...
, who also played cricket for Hampshire and football for Southampton.