Reviving the spirit of one Spencer Milbank
I pop into the benefit launch of Warwickshire cricketer Tony Frost.
A good turnout by the Bears mafia and a few hangers on like my good self and sports pundit Gary Newbon.
And I am accosted by businessman Roger Newman.
Does the name Spencer Milbank mean anything to me?
Dim and distant bells start ringing.
Roger reminds me how Milbank was one of the stars of this newspaper’s Post People column when the likes of John James and Andrew Sparrow were vying for the title of whose picture could be in the most.
The best they managed was about four in a single day – Derek Inman has since been doing his best to emulate them.
Anyway, in a bid to knock Sparrow from his perch, Spencer Milbank was invented.
And the wags started to get themselves into Post People as Spencer.
He featured at some football bash with World Cup winner Nobby Stiles and at the “birth of his son” – the event was broadcast over the loud speaker at Edgbaston during a Test match, appealing, to the sound of much cheering, for Spencer to exit the ground and race home to his wife.
And when it all started getting out of control, the tragic “death” of Spencer was announced in a glittering obituary.
Yes, it would be nice to say that Spencer was a legend in his own lifetime, but, as he never actually lived …
So, what of Spencer Junior?
Newman thinks the campaign should be restarted, with Spencer’s son a chip of the old block and hitting the party scene around Birmingham.
Not a bad idea, except I’m not so sure that the Post would be keen on its leg being pulled a second time round!
-----
As for Tony Frost, he was described as the best cricketer/groundsman in the world.
A reference to Bears’ director of cricket Ashley Giles pulling Frosty of his tractor prior to the start of last season and asking him to make a comeback.
Which he did in remarkable style.
Responded with his best ever season with the bat, scoring 1,003 first-class runs and topping the county averages at 83.58.
Former Bear Tim Munton described the lad as not having changed much from the day he arrived in 1994.
“Maybe the curly hair is a bit greyer.”
And indeed the curly hair makes him out to be the double of pop singer Leo Seyer.
A reputation for being Mr Miserable, but actually Tony is a top man.
Having made his debut in 1997, gaining his county cap two years later, he retired from playing at the end of 2006 to join the club’s ground staff. But then came the call again.
He has scored over 4,000 first class runs, taking 251 catches and 18 stumpings.
Good luck for the year.
