Snowy Did it All

“So remarkable was the sporting life of Eric Tindill, who has died in Wellington at 99 years and 226 days, that being the longest lived of all the 2600 men who have played test cricket was far from his greatest achievement,” Huw Richards writes for The New York Times. A few men have played both cricket and rugby union at test level. The occasional test player goes into umpiring or refereeing and officiates in international matches. Nelson-born Tindill did it all — playing and officiating at test level in both sports. Tindill is credited with being in a distinguished band of seven ‘double All Blacks’, those who have represented New Zealand at cricket and rugby. ‘Snowy’ Tindill, his fair hair marking him for spectators, made his first impact in rugby, winning selection as a halfback and five-eighth for Wellington’s provincial team in 1932. His solitary All Blacks test was against England in London in January 1936, which they lost 13-0. Tindill made 14 appearances on that British tour and played 16 All Blacks matches in all. A left-handed batsman and wicketkeeper, Tindill’s international cricket career spanned nearly a decade, both sides of World War 2 in which he served as a member of the NZEF. Tindill’s great-nephew Elliot Lodge writes: “My family took immense pride in having a figure of his significance amongst us. A memory which sums up his character was when I was a young aspiring wicket-keeper and Eric, well into his 90s, got down on his haunches and demonstrated the technique required.” In 1995 Tindill was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

Eric Tindill: 18 December 1910 – 1 August 2010