Foxes Flashback - Sam Coe
Wed 3 Jun 2020
Sam Coe (born 3rd June 1873)
Sam Coe’s career with Leicestershire spanned more than half a century. Between 1896 and 1923, he played 448 First Class matches for the county (only 6 have played more) and between 1931 and 1949 he scored well over 300 matches for the club.
His early cricket was for Earl Shilton, starting a link between his family and the club that still continues. He made a name for himself as a left handed batsman and an early newspaper report refers to him as a ‘left arm trundler’ (i.e medium pace). He was a regular bowler for Leicestershire until the First World War, taking 52 wickets in his best year, 1905.
His main claim to fame is that for 80 years, he was the holder of the record innings for the county, a magnificent 252 not out, by some distance the highest of his 19 first class centuries. This was scored in the traditional Bank Holiday match against Northamptonshire at Aylestone Road in 1914. He beat Albert Knight’s record (229 not out) just before the close on 1st June. He went in at number 6 with the score standing at 110 for 4, and his innings which lasted just 4 hours, contained one six, one five and 39 fours, and was apparently chanceless. To put into context his scoring rate, Phil Simmons took 7 and a half hours to beat Coe’s record in his 1994 innings.
It is good to relate that two days later he could celebrate his birthday in style with Leicestershire completing a crushing victory over their close neighbours.
His other great batting claim to fame is that he was the first batsman to be dismissed by a googly, the delivery ‘invented’ by the Middlesex all-rounder, BJT Bosanquet. The ball apparently bounced several times, and Coe was stumped for 98, just two runs short of what would have been his maiden century.
The club’s collection of team photographs during his time as scorer, always feature him in the middle of the back row. He is always wearing a hat, generally some sort of trilby, but on one occasion a splendid ‘bowler’, and always smiling. The players on either side are generally head and shoulders taller, emphasising his lack of stature. It is quite clear that Eric Snow’s comment, that he was one of the most popular players to represent the county was well justified.
Richard Holdridge - Club Historian
