John Small (cricketer), Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

John Small (cricketer)

English cricketer

Date of Birth: 19-Apr-1737

Place of Birth: Empshott, England, United Kingdom

Date of Death: 31-Dec-1826

Profession: cricketer

Zodiac Sign: Aries

John Small (19 April 1737 – 31 December 1826) was an English professional cricketer who played from about 1756 to 1798, one of the longest careers on record.
Born at Empshott, Hampshire, he is generally regarded as the greatest batsman of the 18th century and acknowledged as having been the first to master the use of the modern straight bat which was introduced in the 1760s.
He scored the earliest known century in important cricket.
He died at Petersfield, where he was in residence for most of his life and where he established businesses. Small was a very influential player who was involved in the creation of two significant permanent additions to the Laws of Cricket: the maximum width of the bat and the introduction of the middle stump in the wicket.
Acclaimed as the greatest player associated with the famous Hambledon Club, Small is the first person known to have been described in literature in terms that attest him to have been a "superstar".
In 1997, he was named by The Times as one of its 100 Greatest Cricketers of All Time.