Wilfred Wooller (20 November 1912 – 10 March 1997) was a Welsh

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...

er,

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

footballer, cricket administrator and

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...

. He was acclaimed as one of the greatest all-round sportsmen that Wales has ever produced. He captained Glamorgan County Cricket Club for 14 years, was Secretary for thirty and President for six.

Personal history

Wilf Wooller was born at

Rhos-on-Sea Rhos-on-Sea ( cy, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos) is a seaside resort and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 7,593 at the 2011 census. It adjoins Colwyn Bay and is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late ...

Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...

. He was educated at John Bright School, Llandudno, Rydal School (now

Rydal Penrhos Rydal Penrhos School is an independent day school in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. It is the only Methodist school in the independent sector in Wales. It is located on multiple sites around the town with a site in the neighbouring village of Rhos-on- ...

) and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a third-class degree in Archaeology and Anthropology in 1936.Richards, Huw
"Wooller, Wilfred (1912-1997)"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, September 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2019 He married twice, first to Gillian Windsor-Clive, an unsuccessful wartime marriage that was dissolved in 1946, and in 1948 to Enid James. The couple had five children. Wooller survived incarceration by the Japanese in the Changi prisoner of war camp in

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during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. He was a successful BBC broadcaster and ''Sunday Telegraph'' sports journalist.

Rugby career

Wooller first played rugby for Rydal School and played his first international game for

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

while still a schoolboy. This was mainly due to the fact that in October 1932 Wooller failed to pass Latin, and therefore could not progress to Cambridge.Thomas (1979), p. 85. In 1932 he played a few games for North Wales Schoolboys, then he turned out for Sale at centre in the school holidays. While representing Sale he played alongside established Welsh international Claude Davey and the two joined up in a 1933 Welsh selection game as part of the 'Possibles' team. Wooller himself believed the selectors were 'mucking about' with him and Davey, so the two were over physical with their opposing numbers, which forced the selectors to choose both of them to face England at

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

in 1933. The 1933 England game is seen as a classic in Welsh rugby history as it was the game when the 'Twickenham bogey' was broken after nine failed attempts to beat England on their home ground. Wooler played his part in the match, which is normally remembered as

Ronnie Boon Ronald Winston Boon (11 June 1909 – 3 August 1998) was an international rugby union wing for Wales who played club rugby for Cardiff. Boon possessed a tremendous self-confidence in his own ability and this was reflected in his nickname ''Cock ...

's game, when he chased a breakaway Walter Elliot with forty yards to the tryline and tackled him ten yards short of a

try Try or TRY may refer to: Music Albums * ''Try!'', an album by the John Mayer Trio * ''Try'' (Bebo Norman album) (2014) Songs * "Try" (Blue Rodeo song) (1987) * "Try" (Colbie Caillat song) (2014) * "Try" (Nelly Furtado song) (2004) * " Try (Ju ...

.Smith (1980), p. 277. Wooller won 18 international

caps for Wales and represented Cardiff RFC at club level. In 1935 he was inspirational in the Welsh victory over the

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. He was a Cambridge blue in 1935 and 1936.

International rugby matches played

WalesSmith (1980), p. 474. * 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939 * 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939 * 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939 * 1935

Cricket career

Wooller's first cricket was played at Rydal School and the local club, Colwyn Bay where he played alongside his father Roy and brothers Jack and Gordon. He made his Minor Counties debut for

in 1930 and his first-class debut for

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

in May 1935 against Sussex. In the same year he was selected for Cambridge University against

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, so becoming a Double Blue. After graduating from Cambridge, Wooller took employment in Cardiff and joined the St Fagans club north of the city. His bowling performances and aggressive batting attracted the attention of Maurice Turnbull, Glamorgan's influential county captain and he was selected for the Championship match against

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

at the

Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park ( cy, Parc yr Arfau Caerdydd), also known as The Arms Park, is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. It is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green. The Arms Park was host to the British ...

ground. He debuted on 15 June 1938 and in his first bowling spell for the county took 3 wickets for 22 runs in nine overs. After the war Wooller was appointed Captain-Secretary of Glamorgan in 1947 and led them to an unexpected County Championship triumph in 1948. As a formidable all rounder, he was twice thwarted from playing

Test cricket Test cricket is a form of first-class cricket played at international level between teams representing full member countries of the International Cricket Council (ICC). A match consists of four innings (two per team) and is scheduled to last f ...

for

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1948–49 and 1951–52, due to business commitments. He retired from first-class cricket in 1960 (reappearing briefly in 1962) and as Secretary in 1977. He served as a Test selector from 1955 to 1961.

Football and other sporting career

Wooller played for Cardiff City at soccer, once scoring a hat-trick at centre-forward. He also signed for Barry Town in 1938, with the intent of playing for the club on week nights while continuing his rugby at weekends. Wooller also represented Wales at squash racquets and the Cardiff Athletic Club at bowls.

Bibliography

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References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wooller, Wilf 1912 births 1997 deaths Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge Rugby union players from Denbighshire Barbarian F.C. players British World War II prisoners of war Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players Cardiff RFC players Sale Sharks players Welsh cricket administrators Glamorgan County RFC players Glamorgan cricket captains Glamorgan cricketers People educated at Rydal Penrhos Rugby union centres Wales rugby union captains Welsh cricket captains Welsh cricketers Welsh journalists Welsh rugby union players Wales international rugby union players England cricket team selectors World War II prisoners of war held by Japan Denbighshire cricketers Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Gentlemen cricketers North v South cricketers Barry Town United F.C. players Gentlemen of England cricketers Cambridge University cricketers Association football forwards H. D. G. Leveson Gower's XI cricketers Welsh footballers Rugby union players from Conwy County Borough