C.B Fry - Quick facts

He was an outstanding sportsman, politician, diplomat, academic, teacher, writer, editor and publisher.

Most renowned as a cricketer.

John Arlott once described Fry as 'Probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age'.

At age 16 Fry played for the Casuals in the FA Cup.

Fry was an exceptional scholar who was expected to achieve a first class degree.

In his last year at Oxford he was believed to have suffered a serious mental breakdown.

Fry once resorted to nude modelling to earn money.

During his cricket career Fry played for Surrey, Oxford University, Sussex and Hampshire.

Fry scored 30,000 frist class runs at an average of over 50 and captained both Sussex and England.

He played in the 1902 FA Cup final (he played for Shothampton but was eventually released because of his lack of professionalism as a footballer).

In 1893 Fry equalled the world long jump record of 7.17 metres.

Fry also played Rugby Union for Oxford University, Black Heath and the Barbarians(he would also have been picked for England but had an injury at that time)

Whilst a delegate at the League of Nations Fry was offered the throne of Albania - an opportunity which he turned down.

In 1934 Fry met Hitler and Vonribbentrop whom he failed to convince that Nazi Germany should take up cricket.

Fry suffered regular relapses of mental illness dressing in bizarre unconventional clothing and having frighteningly eccentric interludes(he used to run naked along brighton beach).

Fry died in Hampstead in 1956 aged 84.

Jeremy Paxman once said of CB Fry 'Here surely, is an English hero'.