Fred Trueman was so much more than a cricketing legend.
‘The greatest living Yorkshireman’ according to Prime Minister Harold Wilson, he couldn’t help excelling at everything he did, whether it was as a hostile fast bowler for Yorkshire and England, and the first man to take 300 Test wickets in a career, or as a fearlessly outspoken radio summariser for Test Match Special. He was famous for regularly spluttering that, ‘I don’t know what’s going off out there,’ as well as for the amount of swearing he managed to incorporate into everyday speech. Beloved of cricket crowds, who filled grounds to witness his belligerent way of playing the game, and nothing but trouble to the cricket authorities, ‘Fiery Fred’ was the epitome of a full-blooded Englishman.
But as Chris Waters reveals in this first full biography, behind the charismatic, exuberant mask lay a far less self-assured man – terrified even that his new dog wouldn’t like him – and whose bucolic version of his upbringing bore no relation to the gritty and impoverished South Yorkshire mining community where he actually grew up. Drawing on dozens of new interviews with his Yorkshire colleagues, family and friends, this life of Fred Trueman will surprise and even shock, but also confirm the status of an English folk hero.
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Review
'It is a proper tribute to Waters that his book belongs in the finest library in the whole of sport... It may be the finest book yet written about a cricketer.
(Michael Henderson The Cricketer )‘A brilliant account of a remarkable life. There is a whole load of new information about (Trueman). Waters deserves a lot of credit for this book.’
(Englandcricket.net )'Now (Trueman) has been brought to life in this wonderful new biography by Chris Waters. It is one of the finest sports books of recent years: well-researched, highly readable and packed with anecdotes.’
(Leo McKinstry Mail on Sunday )‘Thorough and well-judged biography. This book’s strength is that, with the heavy assistance of Truemann’s surviving family, it fleshes out his early life in south Yorkshire.’
(The Sunday Times )‘A trenchant portrait of its subject…a thorough and judicious book. Trueman’s flaws make it an uncomfortable read for devotees but to his credit the author has been as true to his trade as he is to his subject.’
(Rob Bagchi The Guardian )‘Chris Waters deserves extremely high marks for his welcome, authentically honest new biography of Fred Trueman’ SPORTS BOOKS OF THE YEAR
(Frank Keating The Guardian )‘Perceptive biography…Waters has done a good job in disentangling the man from the myths, many of which were eagerly promoted by Fiery Fred himself.’
(Independent on Sunday )‘His multi-coloured life is given sharper focus by the meticulous research and unforgiving anecdotes of Chris Waters. The strengths of the book lie in the breadth of insights from those closest to Trueman, along with Waters’ own sharp conclusions.’
(The Cricketer )‘The book will draw you in, make you chuckle and is not short on poignancy. Waters is balanced in his assessment of Trueman’s life. Exhaustive research is evident throughout.’
(CricketYorkshire.com )‘Trueman's latest biographer does a better job of fleshing out his subject than his more illustrious predecessors (John Arlott and Don Mosey). The result is the fullest picture yet of a great sportsman and all-too-human being.’
(espncricinfo.com )‘Waters sought to look beyond the brash, Jack-the-lad image that Trueman was once happy to live up to and find the truth. It was something even Arlott, for all his perceptiveness, did not quite manage.’
(Sportsbookshelf.com )‘It will forever stand as the definitive attempt to set the record straight in relation to which Trueman stories are true, which are less than entirely accurate, and those that are apocryphal. Fred Trueman - The Authorised Biography is a terrific story. It is highly recommended.’
(Cricketweb.net )‘A fine, fair-minded and well-rounded portrait of great fast bowler. It is Waters’ probing into Fred’s background and psyche - what made him, and what made him tick - that gives his biography true distinction. A splendid biography, which it is hard to think will ever be bettered’ – Harry Mead
(Northern Echo )‘The one which stood out to me was Fred Trueman. Don Mosey wrote a book about him in years gone by, John Arlott as well. Neither of them are anywhere near as good as this one.’ John Rawling - SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
(BBC Radio 5 Live )‘Honest and erudite portrait of the charismatic England and Yorkshire fast bowler’ - BOOKS OF THE YEAR
(The Cricketer )‘One of the many virtues of Chris Waters’s thoughtful and painstakingly researched biography is that he examines the Trueman myths and dismantles most of them, but leaves a vivid portrait of a complex and contradictory character who was at heart surprisingly insecure.’
(The Oldie )‘Engrossing and typically well written’
(Country Life )‘Separating fact from fiction is difficult, but Waters has done an outstanding job and, to his credit, presents the player warts and all. Of the cricket biographies I have read in the past twelve months, this is the best by some distance. Fred Trueman was one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time and deserved a ‘proper’ biography. Chris Waters has undoubtedly delivered.’
'Waters may be in need of a longer mantelpiece'
(Richard Whitehead The Times )'this wonderful book honours not only Trueman but also cricket, and Yorkshire in particular....the book has an elemental quality'
(Michael Henderson The Cricketer )Superb life of the famous fast bowler, bristling with belligerence but also oddly vulnerable.
(Seven, The Sunday Telegraph )A compelling portait of a sports legend
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Customer Reviews
There were never any doubts about his greatness as a bowler, whether genuinely quick and aggressive, nor later when he bowled fast-medium with beguiling swing. His experiences with the games' authorities would be better dealt with now, I'm sure, and would have left him less bitter towards the Yorkshire and England committee men.(Recent cricketers have behaved far more extravagantly even with the press on their tails).
He was a hundred cap player.Probably a 600 wicket man if not denied playing for his country. A potential captain of Yorkshire in the Close mould and Illingworth stamp (both moved on for similar reasons). Well- represented in the book.
He moved to radio test-match special.After-dinner speaker (men only usually, until later). Forthright, controversial, provocative. Veteran pipe-smoker who succumbed to lung cancer. OBE. Should have been knighted. His partner Brian Statham, Lancashire, was a perfect foil for Fred but was never second fiddle.
A wonderful account of 'Fiery Fred' by Chris Waters that is highly readable and informative. Highly recommended.
It has a cracking start and a very moving finish. The first chapter is the reunion of Trueman, Geoff Boycott, Brian Close and Ray Illingworth shortly before Trueman's death. They are almost a parody of themselves as they put the modern world to rights - modern cricketers can't bowl, the Yorkshire team of the 60s would have beaten the 2005-era Australians (?), reverse swing was invented by Yorkshiremen in the 1940s (??!) and Ant and Dec aren't a patch on Eric and Ernie (...fair enough).
It ends with a truly touching account of Fred's funeral that gives a feel of how badly everyone was feeling the loss of such a vibrant character. "Goodbye, my friend" - that really brought a lump to my throat.
In between it is efficent and even-handed, and sheds new light on the familiar incidents from Trueman's career.
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