Umpire Dickie Bird’s passing at 92 means cricket now has one less character who was funny but firm, eccentric but sharp; the glowing tributes come as no surprise
Dickie Bird umpiring a match in the 1995 cricket season. PIC/GETTY IMAGES
Players come and go, but Dickie Bird still has the cricketing world wrapped around his index finger.” These words appeared in a feature carried by this newspaper’s Sunday edition way back in 1994.
Now, after the demise of Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird, we can well say, “Umpires come and go, but his verdict-giving index finger is not the only thing the cricketing world will remember game’s most popular umpire for.” Bird was one of the great characters of the game — funny but firm, eccentric but sharp and, to top it all, one that served the game long after his best on-field years.
Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC), which he represented in first-class cricket before donning the umpire’s coat, availed of his involvement that went beyond mere visits. Bird’s death triggered tributes galore from the cricketing world, but there was one which was particularly endearing. It came from Maroof Khan, a Mumbai-bred cricketer, who now lives in Yorkshire.
“I was fortunate to spend time with him in Yorkshire, and what always stood out was his consistency of character. He was always the first to arrive at the ground, always ready for a chat, and always offering confidence and encouragement to those around him. That generosity and kindness left a mark on everyone he met. Dickie was far more than one of the finest umpires the game has ever known – he was an icon of cricket, whose humour, passion, and integrity embodied the very spirit of the sport. He connected with people, whether they were players, supporters, or youngsters just beginning their cricket journey,” wrote Maroof on Facebook on Wednesday morning, after which he told me how, when he was Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s business development director, clients would often request to meet Bird more than the players.
Eccentrics are often misunderstood, but they are generous as well. Bird was, and the quality subtly comes through in this anecdote featuring him. As Bird and Tom Spencer ran to the pavilion after the last Australian wicket was claimed by the West Indies at 8.55 pm in the 1975 World Cup final at Lord’s, a spectator nicked Bird’s cap. The following year, Bird was in London to officiate in the 1976 County Championship match between Middlesex and Surrey. While travelling in a bus, he noticed a West Indian conductor wearing the same cap. “Excuse me, but where did you get that white cap,” Bird asked. “Man, haven’t you heard of Mr Dickie Bird, the great Test match umpire? This is one of his famous white caps, and I am so proud of it. I took it off his head in the 1975 World Cup final when we [West Indies] beat the Australians at Lord’s. We all ran on to the field and I won the race for Dickie Bird’s cap,” the conductor remarked. Now, Bird was well within his rights to demand his cap back, but he chose not to, permitting the man to enjoy his treasure. That’s generosity too, apart from the fact that he often donated his white caps to be auctioned for various charities!
Bird’s popularity couldn’t have grown in the 1970s had it not been for the fact that he was rated a good umpire by visiting teams. We have read about sides having a problem with his contemporary David Constant, but not Bird. In our 1995 conversation, he proudly told me how the West Indies of 1973 requested the England cricket board (then known as the Test and County Cricket Board) to appoint him for another Test featuring them, after he did duty in the second Test at Birmingham. This was after his debut Test in the same year against the New Zealanders. “Umpiring is application, dedication, concentration, and common sense. But gaining respect from the players is most important. If you have got that, then you have won three-fourths of the battle,” he said.
Had Bird been officiating today, he would have been seen often in different parts of the world, but he was grateful for whatever assignments came his way. I wonder how many of the umpires doing duty in the ongoing Asia Cup know that Bird officiated in the 1984 edition, which India won. Bird just couldn’t believe that he umpired in a tournament that was held in the desert.
He didn’t have any qualms in admitting that he had made umpiring mistakes. “Everyone makes them, and so have I. All I can say is the man who makes the least number of mistakes goes to the top,” said Bird.
Imran Khan, who was one of the first players to campaign for neutral umpires, thought the world of Bird. “I wish all umpires approached the standard of Dickie Bird, who is the best I’ve ever known because he’s consistent. He’s known to be a ‘not outer’ among umpires, and that’s fair enough, because he remains that way,” wrote the Pakistan cricket legend in his 1983 autobiography.
Bird appeared upset when I asked what he thought of neutral umpires. “All umpires are neutral,” he insisted. He also had the development of local umpires at heart. “By having neutral umpires officiating, you will kill umpires at the grassroots level because it is every umpire’s dream to stand in a Test on his home soil. You will leave umpires with no goal to accomplish.” Bird knew what he was talking about, and we know what a great umpire we have lost.
mid-day’s Deputy Editor Clayton Murzellois a purist with an open stance.
He tweets @ClaytonMurzello. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
