Best of British “Hendo’s Sporting Heroes” is the new book from the Observer‘s tennis correspondent Jon Henderson and features illustrations by Mark Thomas. Buy Hendo's Sporting Heroes
The book is a collection of Henderson’s best British sporting heroes, 102 in total listed chronologically through the ages (by birth). It is one of those publications that the reader can quite easily pick up and read when the desire strikes or read from cover to cover in order. Most people will check out the index at the end of the book, see if their favourite is listed and proceed to that page.
I decided, despite checking out the index, to tackle the book from the front and the very first name shocked me. It was none other than the infamous Robin Hood! Having grown up with many a tale of the man in green tights I guess I shouldn’t be shocked that he was included, after all he was an amazing archer according to legend. Jon recounts a couple of stories and summarises why Hood was included and then he moves on as quick as a flying arrow in Sherwood Forest.
A handy sized book well put together and is just a little bigger than a pocket diary. Each entry in the top 100 (yes I know I said 102 earlier – there are two pairs listed) receives at least a dedicated page extolling their virtues and why the author has included them in the final list. Sportsmen such as Fred Perry (winner of Wimbledon in 1934 to 1936), the only tennis player to make it into the book, has a little more copy. I thought Tim Henman might have snuck into the list but alas his consistent failings at the Semi-Final stage at Wimbledon must have accounted for his omission!
Athletics and Cricket are the biggest contributors, each offering 13% of the final list. In athletics names such as Roger Bannister, Lynn Davies and Mary Peters are included alongside, for me, arguably Britain’s best athlete Daley Thompson. Daley has done it all! He was Olympic champion twice in 1980 (Moscow) and 1984 in Los Angeles and shared the World Record for the decathlon with his main rival West German Jurgen Hingsen after his 110 metre hurdles time was lowered two years after the event! Thompson was a showman and brought Athletics kicking and screaming into the 20th century. No other decathlete, British or otherwise, has captured the imagination as he did. Buy Hendo's Sporting Heroes
I was a little disappointed to see the inclusion of Linford Christie in the selection but that is purely a personal choice, clouded by the drug allegations that tarnished his reputation.
As mentioned earlier, cricket is well represented with names such as WG Grace, Ian Botham and Boycott appearing. For me the greatest addition, certainly in cricketing terms has to be Wally Hammond. Hammond played for Gloucestershire for 31 years and scored 36 double hundreds, played for England 85 times and scored his highest score, 336 not out, against New Zealand in Auckland 1933.
Harold Larwood, arguably England’s fastest and most accurate bowler in history can be found alongside Hammond in the book, Hammond born in 1903 and Harold in 1904. Larwood will forever be connected to Douglas Jardine and Bodyline, the series that rocked not only the cricketing world but threatened economic sanctions between Australia and England.
All in the entire book contains a number of sporting greats, some you will agree with, some you won’t. But then, that’s the beauty of a book like this. It is a book written to promote discussion in a pub or simply amongst a group of friends. It would have been interesting to see if Henderson could have listed his sporting heroes from 1 to 100 alongside the chronological date order – would certainly have added a little more spice! Buy Hendo's Sporting Heroes
Wonderful book, the proceeds going to the juvenile diabetes research foundation, a very worthy cause. Highly recommended. Visit Hendo's website to join in the discussions
