Talk:Warwick Armstrong

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Good article Warwick Armstrong has been listed as one of the Everyday life good articles under the good article criteria. If you can improve it further, please do. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can delist it, or ask for a reassessment.
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Contents

[edit] Did Armstrong really ever bowl fast-mediums?

Can anyone cite an instance of the Big Ship bowling anything other than legspin? Robertson-Glasgow 10:22, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Style and personality

For future reference.

  • Haigh, pp. 179–182 - Gamesmanship
  • Haigh, pp. 319–320 - Gamesmanship
  • Haigh, p. 107 - Leg Theory
  • Haigh, p. 92 - Batting style

Mattinbgn\talk 10:33, 14 December 2007 (UTC)


[edit] To do

  • Style and personality section.Y Done, I think. Perhaps some more on finances, brusqueness etc.
  • Add some more detail to VFL career; games played, goals scored, position played etc.Y Done, it wasn't much of a career.
  • Rewrite leadY Done
  • Replace infoboxY Done
  • basic copy-edit (spelling and punct, ref formatting)Y Done, always could have missed some
  • attempt to source image from Punch.
  • a batting performance graph?Y Done, thank you very much
  • list at WP:CRIC.Y Done

Mattinbgn\talk 12:24, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] GA assessment

Hi, I have placed this article on hold. I'll list the problems as per the Good Article criteria. I'll leave the article at least seven days (unless all probs are addressed) before I fail it. After then I make no promises. Anyway here we go:

1. Well written:

  • There is a problem with jargon. The following are not explained and need to be wiki-linked if possible: runs, wickets, strokeplay, overs, innings
  • Y Done I find it difficult to write about cricket without jargon, growing up using the terms from early childhood. Thanks for providing an outside view. -- Mattinbgn\talk 06:24, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
  • Please wiki-link the first instance of the following; Ashes, Tasmania
  • Y Done Not sure how I missed those. -- Mattinbgn\talk 06:29, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
  • Please have the full named written in first instance, for example; MCG
  • "159 runs at 53" i'm guessing "at" means with an average of? Make this more clear for people not familiar with cricket.
  • can you link ₤1?
  • "ability to land the land" What?
  • Y Done That should be "land the ball". Have fixed the typo, added a link and clarified the point. -- Mattinbgn\talk 07:11, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

2. It is factually accurate and verifiable:

  • If you are going to quote something/someone 'country's Herald as a "team almost in himself"' then add the ref immediately after the punctuation. Just so it's completely clear where you got the quote.
  • Y Done and clarified that the New Zealand Herald is a newspaper. -- Mattinbgn\talk 07:22, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
  • Who are the Swans? Is that the nickname for South Melbourne? This isn't clear.
  • Y Done, I had hoped that context had made this clear, but it had not. -- Mattinbgn\talk 07:37, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

3. It is broad in its coverage:

  • Covers everything it should.

4. It is neutral:

  • Try and avoid weasel words. Better to be safe then sorry, for example:
  • Now for the interesting ones! I am not sure I agree with all the following, but here goes. -- Mattinbgn\talk
    • "the strong St Kilda Cricket Club"? Rather then saying they are strong, be more specific (ie why are they regarded as strong).
    • I have made a change using a phrase "one of the leading clubs" lifted directly from the source. The source does not attribute that claim to anyone. I am not sure the change has made it any less weaselly. It is relevant to the article that St Kilda were a successful club and I would like to retain that sense without lengthy explanation of the details of the club's success, moving away from the article's narrative line. Please let me know if it is still unsuitable. -- Mattinbgn\talk 08:03, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
    • "the mighty Melbourne Cricket Club" No no no! - this is WP:PEACOCK stuff!
    • Not just no, but three no's! :-) Agreed, but it is relevant that he played well against a very good team. The source describes MCC as the "grandest club in the land", but this is once again no less weaselly. I have had a shot, once again let me know what you think. -- Mattinbgn\talk 08:14, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
    • "hostile bowling of Ernie Jones"? hostile? be more specific.
    • Y Done. I think this one is now OK. -- Mattinbgn\talk 08:36, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
    • "had a superb tour with the bat" let the stats speak for themselves.
    • I am not as concerned as some ("as some", now that's weaselly) about using adjectives, especially where they are supported by facts. Nevertheless, I have modified the description of Armstrong's batting that tour to a quote. Let me know what you think. -- Mattinbgn\talk 09:34, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
  • I get the feeling that he would push the limits of what is considered "good sport", especially in cricket, and especially in the day he played. This is mentioned in the "Style and personality" section, but is almost apologetic; justifying him doing this. Maybe more should be said about it, and what the opposition thought of his attitude to how the game should be played?
  • I am glad you get that feeling, because that is exactly the sense I wanted to get across. I am not quite sure I have justified it but is fair to say I have not condemned it. Certainly, I quoted his self-justification to show that he did not consider himself a cheat or acting outside the "spirit of cricket". It may be ending the section with his explanation dulls the sense I was trying to give. Your idea of showing an opponent reaction to his antics is great. I have added one I hope is suitable. -- Mattinbgn\talk 09:34, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

5. Stable:

  • No problems here.

6. Images:

  • No issues with copyright, but is it possible to be more specific in the captions regarding when the photos were taken, or how old Armstrong was? Late in career and early in career isn't very specific.
  • I have been able to track one down and I have asked the uploader of most of the others for assistance.[1] Please let me know if this will mean a delay in listing. -- Mattinbgn\talk 10:01, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

Thats all. Should be possible to fix this in one week. If you have any questions feel free to contact me on my talk page. - Shudde talk 05:59, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the review. It has certainly helped improve the article. -- Mattinbgn\talk 10:01, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
Wow. You'd dealt with everything very quickly. The only weasel words were those i mentioned. That quote at the end of the article is exactly what i was thinking, unfortunately it's not referenced! Please add a reference and I'll promote. I'll let you deal with the images in your own time. - Shudde talk 10:30, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
Added now. Thanks, Mattinbgn\talk 10:49, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

Re images: the portrait "early in his career" is from a series of cig cards issued, i believe, for the 1905 tour of NZ and Eng but I'm not 100% on that; the pic "stance at the wicket" (autographed) is c1902; the image of him fielding is unknown, but from the looks is c1910. Sometimes this is the best that can be done from that era. Personally, I think the images are bloody marvellous and a good "get" that boosts the article for a sportsman who played long ago. Not sure why the captions have to be specific as to the exact time they were taken. I left brief captions so that the editor(s) who wrote the biog could re-caption and re-position them to suit the text: I suggest this approach be adopted to enhance the article's cohesiveness. BTW, South Melbourne FC were not known as the Swans until the 1930s; in Armstrong's day they were the Bloods, or Southerners.

Phanto282 (talk) 12:08, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

100% agree on the images and I am very appreciative of your work in finding them. I have moved and shifted the images somewhat from their initial location. If you have any tips to improve their current placing, I am all ears. I don't think the captions need to be exact; it was a request from the reviewer and I explained on his talk page it would be difficult. I have removed the team nickname entirely as it was difficult to introduce into the text without awkwardness. Thanks for the tips and again thanks for the photos. Cheers, Mattinbgn\talk 12:31, 19 January 2008 (UTC)


  • Please use a single format for seasons. Now there are some in the 1920-1921 format and some in 1920-21.
  • Y Done, they were a bit of a mess, now standardised around "1920-21" format except at the turn of the century
  • On the journey back to Australia, a relapse of the malaria that had plagued him kept him from taking part in any of the matches in South Africa, allowing Herbie Collins to captain Australia for the first time. Split. Tintin 06:30, 20 January 2008 (UTC)
  • Y Done, trust this is now OK, thanks for the tips. Cheers, Mattinbgn\talk 07:43, 22 January 2008 (UTC)