John Wood (Surrey cricketer, born 1744) facts for kids
John Wood, also known as Thomas Wood, was an English cricketer born in October 1744. He passed away in March 1793 in Coulsdon, Surrey. He was a talented player for teams like Chertsey Cricket Club and Surrey.
John Wood started his cricket career in the 1760s. Back then, detailed records for important matches weren't kept as they are today. We know he played in major games between 1773 and 1780.
Who Was John Wood?
John Wood was a well-known cricketer in his time. He played for clubs in the Surrey area. Cricket was a very popular sport in England during the 1700s, and players like John Wood were local heroes.
The Mystery of His Name
It can be a bit confusing, but there were actually two famous cricketers named John Wood playing around the same time! One played for Surrey (the one this article is about), and another played for Kent.
To make things even more confusing, some old cricket records call the Surrey player "Thomas Wood." These records even said he was a miller (someone who grinds grain) from Pirbright, Surrey. However, most experts today believe his real name was John Wood. It seems the old records might have mixed him up with a different player named Thomas Woods.
Early Cricket Days
The first time we see a "John Wood" mentioned in cricket records is in 1769. This player was part of the Caterham team playing against the famous Hambledon. This was likely the John Wood from Surrey.
In the same year, another player named "Wood" played for the Duke of Dorset's team. Because the Duke of Dorset had strong connections to Kent, this was probably the other John Wood, the one who played for Kent.
Playing in the 1770s
By 1773, both John Woods were playing in important matches. To tell them apart, the old scorecards often called the Surrey player "Thomas Wood."
The Surrey John Wood had a fantastic season in 1773. He was one of the best players at taking wickets (getting opposing batsmen out) that year. This shows he was a very skilled bowler or fielder for his team.
