The Times recently mentioned that Hitler once played a game of cricket and also tried to re-write the rules.
What they didn’t mention was that he also write a book dedicated to the game of cricket.
Obviously I could never go through all the over written prose, but I can break down the chapters for you.
Introduction
Where Hitler explains why the game of cricket is a proud game and it needs help as the threat of lesser games, especially hockey, is staring people in the face but no one wants to admit it.
Chapter 2: Years of Study and Suffering in Sydney
Adolf talks about his early years of learning cricket by watching Don Bradman in Shield games.
Chapter 3: Subjects and Citizens
Explaining the cricket nations. South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia are good, India and the West Indies, not so much.
Chapter 4: Personality and the Conception of the LBW rule
While it may sound controversial now, Hitler wanted the LBW revoked because he wanted pads banned. His thoughts were that without pads the batsmen had to make the ultimate sacrifice for his wicket.
Chapter 5: Philosophy and Organisation
Hitler was not a fan of the Imperial Cricket Conference.
Chapter 6: The Struggle of the Early Period – the Significance of the Spoken Word
No one campaigned for better radio commentary than Adolf did. He found McGilvray’s sucking up to the sponsors appalling and thought Swanton’s constant reference to well hit shots as spitzer bullets to be in poor taste.
Chapter 7: The Struggle with the Front Foot No ball
Years before it came into cricket, Hitler was campaigning for the front foot no ball rule. As a shorter man, he thought the back foot rule helped taller bowlers.
Chapter 8: The Strong Man Is Mightiest Alone
A nonsensical chapter about the why the last man standing rule should be brought into test cricket for the 4th innings.
Chapter 9: Basic Ideas Regarding the Meaning and Organization of the Sturmabteilung
I think this is about the importance of batting first drop.
Chapter 10: Wicket keeping as a Mask
Hitler always believed that wicket keepers were a poorer species of cricketer.
Chapter 11: Propaganda and Organization
Hitler, like Kerry Packer and Lalit Modi years later, knew that with a little bit of show bizz and organisation cricket could go a long way.
Chapter 12: The Wrist Spin Question
Hitler believed legspin was a form of cheating.
Chapter 13: Teammate Alliance Policy After the Game
A chapter on why the after game beer was a terrible policy.
Chapter 14: Eastern Orientation or Eastern Policy
Hitler believed that cricket could become a tool of the Eastern countries that would come back to bite the west. Although he also believed that they would never be able to produce good slip fielders and would always struggle with the short stuff.
Chapter 15: The Right of Emergency Defensive shot
Attack, attack, attack were the principles of his game, but everyone needs to defend sometime.
Conclusion
Cricket could become the most powerful sport in the world if only it had a leader with courage who could bring together all the lesser countries.
