One of the world’s finest cricket umpires who became a popular celebrity known for his comic anecdotes and quirky ways
Dickie Bird, who has died aged 92, was one of the most beloved, proficient and eccentric sporting figures of his generation. That an overwrought cricket umpire would become one of the most instantly identifiable figures in the country might seem unlikely, but his popularity extended far beyond the game to which he dedicated his life.
Bird was part respected cricket umpire, part music-hall comedian. His life became a perpetual run of gently embellished anecdotes, all of which cast him as the unfortunate fall guy struggling to cope with the challenges of the world. He would tell them with relish, looking round with mock unease that somebody might be listening. The more people who heard him the better: he generally liked an audience.
“The only time I ever feel in control is when I cross that white line,” Bird said. For more than 20 years, he was regarded as the finest umpire in the world, an accolade that, as his career progressed, he earned as much from the pleasure he brought as from the accuracy of his decisions.
He reached prominence at exactly the right time. Two years after he stood in his first Test in 1973 came the first World Cup final, and entertainers – even if they were just umpires with a stooping gait and an angsty disposition – were highly valued. By the time he stood in his farewell Test in 1996 it was a more serious age: technology had taken hold, television umpires had been installed and every decision came under the utmost scrutiny. There was less patience for a funny little man with a flat cap, a range of mannerisms and a sense of theatre.
