Sir John Major
PRIME Minister for more than six years, John Major’s first port of call – after handing back his seals of office to The Queen following his general election defeat in 1997 – was The Oval cricket ground where he had spent so much of his spare time.
He was also delighted when Dickie Bird turned up a couple of hours early for lunch at Chequers – the PM’s country residence. It meant that he had the perfect excuse to discuss their shared love of cricket and unwind from the burdens of office.
Sir John is the author of a compelling history of cricket that is a must read.
Harry Gration
THE face of BBC Look North, Harry Gration is one of Dickie Bird’s closest friends and staunchest supporters.
Born in Bradford, a teaching career initially beckoned before he joined the BBC and became a respected broadcaster.
He has regularly covered the Olympics, presents the Super League Show on the BBC and earned the admiration of the region for his fundraising endeavours during a John O’Groats to Land’s End charity cycle ride in honour of the late, great Jane Tomlinson.
But, if you mention the ‘bike’ to a still saddle-sore Harry, he’s likely to demand a donation for charity in return.
Sir Michael Parkinson
A GREAT supporter of the Foundation, and the guest speaker at a fundraising dinner in April to celebrate Dickie’s 75th birthday, Sir Michael Parkinson likes to recall his childhood in Barnsley – and days stood on the pavilion of the town’s cricket club with Dickie Bird and Geoffrey Boycott contemplating their futures.
One was certain that he would play for Yorkshire and England – Boycott. The other two were less certain that they would make the grade at county level. Dickie, he says, became the world’s most respected umpire – and Parkinson was attacked by Emu on his chatshow.
But, to this day, Dickie and Sir Michael remain the closest of friends – and it was fitting that both received honorary degrees from Huddersfield University at the end of 2008 in a magnificent ceremony in Barnsley Town Hall.
Sir Rodney Walker
A DISTINGUISHED businessman, Sir Rodney is also one of this country’s foremost sports administrators – and it was for services to sport that he received his knighthood in June 1996.
Named Yorkshireman of the year in 2008, he has been chairman of Goals Soccer Centres Plc since 2002. Goals is an operator of five-a-side soccer centres throughout the country.
But, with so many roles that make him a consummate all-rounder off the field of play, he took on the chairmanship of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and World Snooker in 2004.
Though the ‘politics’ of the snooker no doubt exasperate him at times, there are certain ‘perks’ that go with the job – a front row seat at every major snooker final.
Sir Tim Rice
SIR Tim Rice is an English Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, author, radio personality and television gameshow panellist.
He is particularly famous for his musical collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber. A cricketing devotee, Sir Tim runs his own amateur Heartaches Cricket Club, the name inspired by an Elvis Presley song.
