1761 to 1770 in sports

Events in world sport through the decade from 1761 to 1770.

Bando

Events

• A game similar to bandy is known in Wales as "bando", a term used in a dictionary by John Walters (published 1770 to 1794). Bando is particularly popular in the Cynffig-Margam district of the Vale of Glamorgan where wide stretches of sandy beaches afford ample room for play.^[1]

Boxing

Events

• 2 March 1761 — English champion Bill "the "Nailer" Stevens defends his title against George Meggs in London. Meggs wins after 17 minutes, but Stevens is suspected of throwing the fight and falls into disgrace.^[2]
• July 1762 — In his first defence of the title, Meggs loses to George Millsom. The bout is held at Calne, in Wiltshire, Millsom winning after 40 minutes.^[3]
• 10 August 1762 — Millsom successfully defends the title in a return bout against Meggs at Lansdown, in Somerset.^[4]
• 1763 — Millsom defeats Parfit Meggs (brother of George) at Beckhampton (now part of Avebury, Wiltshire).^[4]
• 1763–1765 — It is believed that Millsom had other fights in this period besides the one against Parfit Meggs but details have not been found.^[4]
• 22 August 1765 — Millsom loses the English Championship to Tom Juchau at St Albans in a fight lasting seventy minutes.^[4][5]
• 21 May 1766 — In his first defence of the title, Juchau loses to Bill Darts at Guildford after forty minutes and 17 rounds.^[5][6]
• July 1767 — Darts defeats a bargeman called Doggett at Melksham after one hour and six rounds.^[6]
• 13 October 1767 — Darts defeats a butcher called Swansey at Epping Forest after fifteen minutes.^[6]
• 27 June 1769 — Darts is defeated by Tom Lyons at Kingston-upon-Thames after 45 minutes.^[6][7]
• 1769 — Lyons receives challenges from Darts and Peter Corcoran. He declines both and is believed to have retired.^[7] Darts reclaims the English title.^[6]
• 25 March 1770 — Darts defeats Stephen "Death" Oliver at Putney after 27 minutes.^[6]

Cricket

Events

• 29 June 1761 — death of George Smith at The Castle in Marlborough; he was formerly the keeper of the Artillery Ground and the landlord of the adjoining Pyed Horse in Chiswell Street, Finsbury.
• 7 July 1761 — the Leeds Intelligencer (now the Yorkshire Post) announces a game to be played at Chapeltown the following Thursday (9 July); it is the earliest known game in the Leeds area.
• 1762–63 — Signs of recovery as the Seven Years War nears its end; Chertsey Cricket Club is prominent in the sources.
• 30 July 1763 — Death of Edmund Chapman of Chertsey in his 69th year, so born in either 1694 or 1695; an eminent master bricklayer and "accounted one of the most dextrous cricket players in England".
• 1763 — Two inter-county matches between Middlesex and Surrey are both convincingly won by Middlesex.
• 1764 — Earliest mention of some of the most notable Hambledon players including John Small and Richard Nyren.
• c.1765 — Hambledon Club probably founded about this time, based on a former parish organisation.
• 1765 — Increasing evidence of the growth of cricket in the north of England as Leeds plays Sheffield.
• c.19 June 1766 — An inter-county match between Hampshire and Sussex is won by Hampshire; evidence exists that teams raised by the Hambledon Club were representative of both these counties.
• 1767 — The earliest known century partnership is recorded as two Hambledon players score 192 for the first wicket against Caterham; the sources do not name the players but they are believed to be Tom Sueter and either George Leer or Edward "Curry" Aburrow.
• 3 June 1768 — Death of William Bedle at his home near Dartford; he "was formerly accounted the most expert cricket player in England" and is the first great player in cricket's history.
• 1768 — A newspaper report states that John Small "fetched above seven score notches off his own bat" when playing for Hampshire versus Kent at Broadhalfpenny Down; although it seems to be his second innings score, it may be his match total and so it is not clear if this is the earliest known first-class century.
• 1769 — First mentions in the sources of two of the greatest bowlers of the 18th century, Thomas Brett and Lumpy Stevens.
• 1769 — John Minshull scores 107 in a minor match and this is the earliest known century definitely recorded.
• 1769 — Tom Sueter and George Leer share a partnership of 128 for Hampshire v Surrey at Broadhalfpenny Down, the second known century partnership in cricket's history.
• 1770 — In the year of the so-called "Boston Massacre", which occurred on Monday, 5 March, there is a report in the Middlesex Journal on Thursday, 16 August that: "about three days before the meeting of Parliament, a grand Cricket Match will be played by 11 of the Ministry against 11 of the Patriots, when great sport is expected".^[8]

Horse racing

Events

References

Sources

• Buckley, G. B. (1935). Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket. Cotterell.