JOHN THAYER (CRICKETER)

'John Borland Thayer' was a first-class cricketer who died shortly before his 50th birthday in the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic'' on 15 April 1912. He is the only known first-class cricketer to have died aboard the ship.^[1]

Contents

Early life and cricket career

The ''Titanic''

References

Statistics links

Early life and cricket career

Thayer was a member of a prominent American cricketing family. He was only fourteen years old when he played his first match for the Merion Cricket Club.^[2] Thayer was a part of the Philadelphian side that visited England in 1884. During that tour he scored 817 runs with an average of 28, and took 22 wickets for 21 runs each. In his career, Thayer appeared in seven matches now recognised as first-class. Three of these were played for the Philadelphians and four were played for an "American Born" side. All were played at at the Germantown Cricket Club in Pennsylvania. In his first-class career, he scored 138 runs at 11.50 and took six wickets at 26.83. His highest score (24) and best bowling (3 for 17) both came for Philadelphia against the United States in October 1883. He married Marian Longsterth Morris and they had four children: John "Jack" Borland III, Frederick, Margaret and Pauline^[3] though only Jack accompanied his parents on the Titanic.

The ''Titanic''

Following his cricket career, Thayer entered the business world. He was a vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Thayer and his family had been in Europe as guests of the American Consul General in Berlin, Germany. The family boarded the ''Titanic'' as first-class passengers. The family had been preparing for bed when the collision with the iceburg occurred.^[4] As the ship sank, Thayer made sure that his wife, son, and maid survived on lifeboats. He made clear that he had no intention of boarding a boat. He stayed with his friends while the ''Titanic'' went down. When all of the lifeboats were gone one eyewitness reportedly saw Thayer looking "pale and determined by the midship rail aft of lifeboat 7." A short while later, he had gone, so it is likely that he moved to the stern like many other passengers and crew. Thayer's body, if recovered was never identified.

References

1. Cricinfo - The cricketer who died on the Titanic
2. Wisden - 1913 - Obituaries in 1912
3. Family Tree--John B. Thayer II and Marian Morris
4. Mr John Borland Thayer

Statistics links

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★ Player Profile: John Thayer from CricketArchive