August 29, 1882: The Birth of Cricket's "Ashes"

The Ashes Urn, held by Captains

of England (blue) and Australia (green).

August 29, 1882: A legend is born in the sport of cricket.

As a colony of Great Britain until independence in 1901, Australia adopted cricket as its national sport. They also came to love rugby, and adapted it into what became known as Australia Rules Football; and soccer, although it took them longer to achieve anything in that sport; and tennis; and swimming, because it's an island nation.

In August 1882, under team Captain Billy Murdoch, the Australia cricket team, successful against England on home soil the preceding Winter, made the long passenger ship journey to England, and played only 1 test, against Surrey County Cricket Club. Then as now, although it is in Kennington, South London, not in Surrey, The Oval was Surrey's home ground, and that's where the matches were played.

Fred Spofforth was known as "The Demon Bowler," and the English players could do little against him. Cricket historian C.P. Moody wrote, "Spofforth was bowling the most remarkable break-backs at tremendous pace." Despite the skill of W.G. Grace, whom some observers still call England's greatest cricketer ever, the offensive star of the test turned out to be Australia's Hugh Massie.

Fred Spofforth

When it was over, Australia had won, 185-178. For the first time, an England side had lost a Test match in England. After the match, a mock obituary was famously inserted in the Sporting Times, which read:

"In Affectionate Remembrance of ENGLISH CRICKET, which died at the Oval on 29 August 1882, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P.

N.B. – The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."

Ivo Bligh, later the 1st Earl of Darnley, was the Captain of the England team, and promised that, on the tour to Australia in 1882–83, he would regain "those ashes." He spoke of them again several times over the course of the tour, and the Australian media quickly caught on. The three-match series resulted in a two-one win to England, notwithstanding a fourth match, won by the Australians, whose status remains a matter of ardent dispute.

Upon England's victory, Bligh was presented with a small urn, 4.1 inches high, which contained the ashes of a burnt cricket ball. This original urn is on display at the Middlesex Cricket Club Museum at Lord's, the other major cricket venue in London, known as "The Home of Cricket," much as the "real" Stanley Cup is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. A replica urn is presented to the winning Captain.

The 2022 contest was won by Australia, who have now won it 34 times. England have won it 32 times. There have been 6 draws. In the event of a draw, the holders retain the urn.

Sammy Jones was the last survivor of the 1882 Australia cricket team, living until 1951.

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August 29, 1882 was a Tuesday. The only professional sport in North America at the time was baseball. These games were played in the National League:

* The Boston Red Stockings beat the Chicago White Stockings, 3-1 at the Union Base-Ball Grounds in Chicago. The Red Stockings became the Braves, and the White Stockings became the Cubs.

* The Cleveland Blues beat the Worcester Ruby Legs, 5-4 at Kennard Street Park in Cleveland. The Ruby Legs became the Philadelphia Phillies the next season. The Blues went out of business after 1884.

* The Detroit Wolverines beat the Troy Trojans, 4-3 at Recreation Park in Detroit. The Trojans became the New York Gothams the next season, and eventually the Giants. The Wolverines won the NL Pennant in 1887, but that led to salary demands that management couldn't keep up with, and they went out of business after 1 more season.

And, for reasons lost to history, a game scheduled for this date was postponed until September 1: The Buffalo Bisons beat the Providence Grays, 6-2 at Riverside Park in Buffalo. Despite the Grays having already won a Pennant in 1879, and winning another in 1884, both teams went out of business after the 1885 season.

And these games were played in the American Association:

* The Pittsburgh Alleghenys beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 2-1 at Exposition Park in Pittsburgh. The Alleghenys would become the Pirates, and join the NL. The Athletics went out of business with the AA in 1891, but an American League team would take their name.

* The Louisville Eclipse beat the Cincinnati Red Stockings, 6-2 at Eclipse Park in Louisville, Kentucky. Both teams would join the National League, with the Red Stockings shortening their name to the Reds. But the Eclipse, who became the Louisville Colonels, were consolidated out of the NL after the 1899 season.

* And the St. Louis Brown Stockings beat the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Both teams would join the NL. The Brown Stockings would become the Browns, and eventually the Cardinals. The Orioles would win NL Pennants in 1894, 1895 and 1896, but go bankrupt in 1899. An AL team would take the St. Louis Browns name, but in 1954 would move, becoming... the Baltimore Orioles.