Mexborough and Swinton Times – January 18th
Mexborough Cricket League
Decision to Resume
Resignation of Mr Irving Washington
Denaby and Cadeby withdraw
The Annual meeting of the Mexborough and District Cricket league, was held on Tuesday at the Montagu Hotel, Mexborough. Mr W.Stothard (Mitchell main), secretary of the league, was present, and the following clubs were represented: Mexborough, Swinton, Rawmarsh, Denaby and Cadeby, Wath athletic, Mitchell main, and Wombwell Main. The following clubs were not represented: Darfield, Hickleton main, South Kirby, Thorncliffe, and Tankersley.
The secretary read the following letter from Mr W.A.I.Washington (Mitchell main) president of the league: “I very much regret that my health will not permit me to give that energy and enthusiasm to the position of president of the league, which I consider the office requires. I am compelled, therefore, to a shooter set my resignation as president. I beg to thank you for the cheerful assistance you have at all times, give me. I wish the league every success, and as far as lies in my power. I shall always be willing to do all I can to promote such success.”
After Mr Washington’s resignation had been accepted with regret, it was proposed that Mr G.L.Robinson should take the chair. Mr Robinson said he was afraid he could not do that, for the Denaby delegates intended to be present at the meeting for the purpose of tendering that clubs resignation. He did not want to go into that, for it was a matter – a rather painful matter – which the delegates themselves would have to deal with.
Mr John Clayton (Mexborough) was then appointed to preside.
Mr Lord (Wath athletic), said the Wath club, not knowing that the Mexborough league was likely to be revived the season, had obtained admission to another league. They could, however, put a team in for Mexborough league matches, and were willing to continue in the Mexborough League.
At this point, the Denaby delegates, Mr HW Smith and Mr a Robinson, arrived.
Mr Smith said they would, no doubt think it very inopportune that Denaby should withdraw from the Mexborough league just when the league was trying to reform and to recapture its former vigour. The Denaby club had for a long time been considering whether they ought not to take the direction of the Doncaster district, where the colliery industry was being developed, and where sport, also, was being developed. Doncaster was a very good and convenience centre for Denaby, and there were excellent prospects of good and inexpensive cricket in the district. He certainly intended no reflection on the type of cricket fostered by the Mexborough league. There Denaby has had some splendid cricket under the auspices of the league, but it’s district was wide and scattered, and the position of Denaby, on the eastern edge of it was awkward and inconvenient, not only to Denaby but teams visiting Denaby from, say Tankersley and Thorncliffe. In the Doncaster district, it was possible for a Denaby player to do his day´s work and be an almost any ground in the league in half an hour or so. He knew that severance from the Mexborough league, was deeply regretted by the older members of the Denaby team, who had a pleasant associations with Mexborough league clubs.
Mr A.Robinson said it was very hard to part with old friends, the Denaby club had taken what he considered an inevitable step. Some of the happiest hours of his (Mr Robinsons) life had been spent in playing Mexborough league cricket.. Mr G.L.Robinson said he had been connected with the Mexborough Lee, as a player and a delegate, for 20 years. He had always admired the quality and the spirit of the cricket played under the league, and the efficiency of the league’s management.
He was satisfied, however, that the Denaby club’s own interest demanded the change. He hoped the Mexborough and Doncaster leagues would maintain close touch, and that keen and friendly rivalry would be maintained between them. He should like to see representative league teams meet every year, and he hoped the Denaby club would often be able to meet old opponents in friendly matches.
Mrs Smith said that one consideration which rather embarrassed Denaby in this matter was that Denaby, was one of the first clubs to suggest to the league that he should suspend its operations during the war. The league did so, and 12 months later Denaby had resumed league cricket in another district. That looked very curious, and no doubt called for some explanation. Denaby adopted the attitude that cricket should be suspended during a very distressing period of the war. Afterwards, people came, to see that cricket will make no difference to the war, either way, and that a good many men were left without anything to occupy them on Saturday afternoons. The Denaby club therefore began to play friendly cricket, which speedily developed into the formation of the present Doncaster league, and that was how it happened.
The chairman said the defection of Denaby certainly cooked very deep into the league, and was a serious blow to it. They had hallways and mind Denaby’s ground and team, and the Denaby club have been a considerable asset to the league. What Mrs Smith. I just mentioned did not make the sore any less the painful
Mrs H.Rigby (Swinton), said that he and his club viewed the prospect of Denaby with role with the greatest regret. Denaby and Swinton and not always agree, Bert, they had had some great tussles on the field in matches which it was, or a pleasure to recall and Swinton and always appreciated Denaby´s fine ground. He hoped that Denaby would be speedily disillusion about the Doncaster league, and would ask to be taken back into the old circle (laughter.)
Mr A.Robinson said he should be very shocked to think that the Mexborough league was not going to go on. He would like to make a personal appeal to the delegates to ensure that the league should be kept in full force. He heartily wished it success.
Mr Smith then made similar remarks, and the Denaby delegates then withdrew.
The position was discussed at some length by the remaining delegates. Mr Lord undertow that in the season following that of 1919 the Wath athletic club will supply a first-team for Mexborough league cricket and that the club would also compete this season.
There was no other formal withdrawal, but it was decided to adjourn the annual meeting for a fortnight in order to ascertain the intentions of Garfield, Hickleton main, South Kirby, Tankersley and Thorncliffe, and it was also decided to throw open the league to all clubs in the Mexborough area desirous of joining. They are requested to communicate with the secretary. It was decided that in any event the Mexborough league should resume its operations this season.