PATRONS OF CRICKET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 18 July 1929, Page 9

PATRONS OF CRICKET

LOSS OF TWO OLD SUPPORTERS Nelson cricket lost two good friends this week in the late Messrs .Ernest Houn.si'll and Charles Knapp. Mr Hmmsell, although never taking a prominent part in the game, was very interested in:it and keenly looked forward to the day when Neison should regain the Hawke Cup so that he could wnteli the matches again. In a quiet way he lias given many trophies to various clubs over a long period of years while it is to lie feared that his generous nature caused him considerable hiss through credit given to young cricket clubs for material. Air Charles Knapp, although an old representative player, will be better remembered by the present generation of cricketers as a scorer and lie must have “scored” hundreds of matches in the country during the many years of his connection with the game. An old Wanderers’ Club score-book of the ’eighties contains scores in bis handwriting and up till quite recent seasons lie -was on duty in Bright water and .Wakefield matches. He appears to have played for Nelson lirst in December, 1872. against Wellington, when he top scored in the first innings with 18, being strangely enough bowled by C. \. Knapp, of Wellington, in both innings. There was a Knapp playing for Nelson as far hack as 18(17 but no initials are given and it was probably K. Knapp. Air Knapp’s only other representative games appear _to have been against Auckland in 1878, Avellim'ton in 187-1. 7o and 7<v and the Englishmen in 1877. His sons. Alessrs Bert, George and the late ’I oin Knapp all represented Nelson on the cricket field.