John Lester

:"For the Boston Red Sox pitcher, see Jon Lester. For the Baltimore Orioles pitcher, see Jon Leicester."Infobox Old Cricketer


nationality = United States
country = United States of America
country abbrev = USA
picture = John A Lester.jpg
name = John Ashby Lester
batting style = Right-handed batsman
bowling style = Right-arm slow
FCs = 47
FC runs = 2552
FC bat avg = 33.14
FC 100s/50s = 2/18
FC top score = 126*
FC balls = 2314
FC wickets = 57
FC bowl avg = 22.22
FC 5s = 3
FC 10s = 1
FC best bowling = 7/31
FC catches/stumpings = 15/0
debut date = September 25
debut year = 1896
last date = August 27
last year = 1908
source = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/27/27297/27297.html Cricket Archive

John Ashby Lester (August 1, 1871–September 3, 1969) 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. His obituary in "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack", described him as "one of the great figures in American cricket." cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228449.html |title=Wisden - 1970 - Obituaries in 1969 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1970 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] During his career, he played in 53 matches for the Philadelphians, 47 of which are considered first class. From 1897 until his retirement in 1908, Lester led the batting averages in Philadelphia and captained all the international home matches. cite web|url=http://www.haverford.edu/library/cricket/site_update/famous_Lester.htm |title=The C. C. Morris Cricket Library - Famous Cricketers - John A. Lester |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date= |publisher=Haverford College ]

Early life and career

Lester was born in Penrith, Cumberland, England in 1871. He began playing cricket at a very young age. He was playing a game in Yorkshire in 1892 when he met Dr. Isaac Sharpless. Sharpless was the president of Haverford College, and invited him to the United States to attend the school. cite web|url=http://www.haverford.edu/library/cricket/site_update/famous_Lester.htm |title=The C. C. Morris Cricket Library - Famous Cricketers - John A. Lester |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date= |publisher=Haverford College ] In his early days as a student in Cumberland's Ackworth School, he had been described as a "very indifferent batsman". It was only after entering Haverford that he developed his batting style.Melville, Tom, "The Tented Field", Bowling Green State University Popular Press, Ohio (1998), ISBN 0878927691, p.135-136 ] As a student at Haverford, Lester excelled as an athlete and a scholar and played football, track, tennis, and soccer. During his freshman year, he averaged 100.5 runs per innings. Lester also won the Cope Bat every year during his time at Haverford. In his final season with the school in 1896, he scored 1,185 total runs and took 40 wickets for averages of 79 and 23.2, respectively. cite web|url=http://www.haverford.edu/library/cricket/site_update/famous_Lester.htm |title=The C. C. Morris Cricket Library - Famous Cricketers - John A. Lester |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date= |publisher=Haverford College ] He also captained Haverford on their first overseas tour, scoring 105 against the MCC on his first appearance at Lord's. cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228449.html |title=Wisden - 1970 - Obituaries in 1969 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1970 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] On this tour, he created a great impression with an average of over 84 and prepared himself for the Philadelphian's tour of England the following year. cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150157.html |title=Wisden - 1898 - The Philadelphians in England, 1897 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1998 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ]

Tour of England in 1897

The tour undertaken by the Philadelphian cricketers was very ambitious. Though the results might have been less satisfactory than hoped for by its promoters, the tour was arranged mainly for educational purposes and few of those on the American side expected to win many matches. cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150157.html |title=Wisden - 1898 - The Philadelphians in England, 1897 |accessdate=2007-01-31 |year=1998 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] Previous tours had tended to involve amateur English sides as opponents, with a low level of competition. In 1897 a schedule was prepared including all of the top county cricket teams, the Oxford and Cambridge University teams, the Marylebone Cricket Club, and two other sides, though only a few of the counties thought it worthwhile to put their best elevens onto the field. cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150157.html |title=Wisden - 1898 - The Philadelphians in England, 1897 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1998 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] Starting on June 7 at Oxford, the tour lasted for two months and ended in late July at The Oval. While it initially aroused some curiosity, many English fans lost interest until John Lester and the Philadelphians met the full Sussex team at Brighton on June 17. Behind a dominant bowling performance by Bart King,cite book | last = Barker | first = Ralph | authorlink = | title = Ten Great Bowlers | publisher = Chatto and Windus | year = 1967 | pages = 124-155 | doi = | isbn = ] Harvard reference | Surname= | Given= | Authorlink= | Title=Obituary of John Barton King | Journal=Cricket Quarterly | Volume=31 | Issue=1 | Year=1966| Page=61| URL=http://www.haverford.edu/library/cricket/site_update/famous_King.htm ] Lester helped to seal the victory with his batting. In the first innings, Lester and King were partners in a fourth-wicket stand of 107, with Lester top-scoring with 92. He continued in the second innings with 34 not out. cite web|url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4791.html |title=Sussex v Philadelphians in 1897 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date=2003-2007 |publisher=CricketArchive ]

Despite the excitement surrounding Lester's and King's performances, the Americans did not fare well overall. Fifteen matches were played, but only two were won, while the team lost nine and earned a draw in four. The other win came against Warwickshire. During this match at Edgbaston, Lester scored 35 runs in the first innings and 67 in the second. cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/4/4822.html |title=Warwickshire v Philadelphians in 1897 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date=2003-2007 |publisher=CricketArchive ] Lester was the best batsmen on the Philadelphian side; beginning with 72 not out in his first match, he kept up his form all through the tour, cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150157.html |title=Wisden - 1898 - The Philadelphians in England, 1897 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1998 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] scoring 891 runs for an average 37.12. cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228449.html |title=Wisden - 1970 - Obituaries in 1969 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1970 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] Several counties offered him contracts to play in England.

Tours of England in 1903 and 1908

John Lester was chosen to captain the Philadelphians in 1903 and 1908 on their tours to England. cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228449.html |title=Wisden - 1970 - Obituaries in 1969 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1970 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] Against Leicestershire in August 1903, Lester made his highest score in first-class cricket. In the first innings, he made 126 not out, and this was followed by a respectable 64 in the second innings. cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/6/6305.html |title=Leicestershire v Philadelphians in 1903 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date=2003-2007 |publisher=CricketArchive ] His batting on this tour so impressed the critics that he was called the "one batsman (among the Philadelphians) who may almost (be) described as great" and that he "would soon be one of the greatest men of his day" [Melville, p. 136, quoting Manchester Guardian, July 10, 1903, John Lester, A Century of Philadelphia Cricket, 1951, and Cricket, July 23, 1903 ] In his last first-class match on the 1908 tour, Lester posted a score of 34 in the first innings, but was dismissed LBW for nought in the second innings. He did manage to take 4 wickets in the Philadelphians' loss to Kent. cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/7/7734.html |title=Kent v Philadelphians in 1908 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date=2003-2007 |publisher=CricketArchive ]

Legacy and later life

John Lester helped to lift Philadelphia cricket to the highest levels of international play with his leadership and understanding of the sport. cite web|url=http://www.haverford.edu/library/cricket/site_update/famous_Lester.htm |title=The C. C. Morris Cricket Library - Famous Cricketers - John A. Lester |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date= |publisher=Haverford College ] He is one of the few American cricketers noted in "Cricket Scores and Biographies", which said that he was "a watchful batsman who could hit well and had plenty of strokes and strong defence." Quoted in cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228449.html |title=Wisden - 1970 - Obituaries in 1969 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1970 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] In 1951 he authored "A Century of Philadelphia Cricket", which was a definitive history of the game in the area. Lester was also integral in the foundation of the C.C. Morris Cricket Library when he proposed that cricket, "with a history and literature second to none should be given a permanent home in the United States." Quoted in cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/143914.html |title=Cricinfo - Pennsylvania's hidden secret |last=Das |first=Deb |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date=April 7, 2005 |publisher=Cricinfo ] In 1969 he made his final public appearance at a cricket function when the library was opened at Haverford. Lester received his Ph.D. in education from Harvard University in 1902 and for many years was head of the English department at the Hill School Pottstown, Pennsylvania Quoted in cite web|url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228449.html |title=Wisden - 1970 - Obituaries in 1969 |accessdate=2007-02-14 |year=1970 |publisher=John Wisden & Co ] and served as a university professor.Melville, Tom, "The Tented Field", Bowling Green State University Popular Press, Ohio (1998), ISBN 0878927691, p.135-136 ] He died in 1969 and as a lasting memorial, the pavilion at Cope Field is named in his honor. cite web|url=http://www.haverford.edu/library/cricket/site_update/famous_Lester.htm |title=The C. C. Morris Cricket Library - Famous Cricketers - John A. Lester |accessdate=2007-02-14 |date= |publisher=Haverford College ]

Teams

International

*United States of America

USA first-class

*Philadelphia

Philadelphia club

*Merion

Publications

*"Essays of Yesterday and Today". New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1943.
*"A Century of Philadelphia Cricket". Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1951.
*"Journey Through Despair 1880-1914: Transformations in British Literary Culture". Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1968.

tatistics links

*cricinfo|ref=england/content/player/25762.html
* [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/27/27297/27297.html Player Profile: John Lester] from CricketArchive

Notes