Alan Fairfax
A gifted Australian all-rounder whose Test career was brilliant, brief, and ended by a controversial move to England.
1906–1955 (age 49)·Australian cricketer·Birthday: June 16·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alan Fairfax burst onto the Australian cricket scene with the elegant force of a natural athlete. A genuine all-rounder, he bowled brisk medium pace with a high action and batted with a stylish confidence that promised a long future in the baggy green. His Test debut against England in 1929 was immediate validation; he took five wickets and scored a half-century. Over the next two years, he played ten Tests, forming part of a formidable team. However, his international career was abruptly severed by his decision to move to England in 1931 to play as a professional in the Lancashire leagues, a move that rendered him ineligible for Australia under the strict amateur rules of the time. He later found success as a coach and broadcaster, but his playing legacy remains a tantalizing glimpse of unfulfilled potential on the world stage.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alan was born in 1906, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1906
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1906Born
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Started school
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1919Became a teenager
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Could drive
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1924Could vote
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Turned 21
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1936Turned 30
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 40
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1955Died at 49
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
Key Achievements
- Scored 65 and took 5/100 on his Test debut against England at The Oval in 1930.
- Played a key role in Australia's 1930 Ashes victory, contributing with both bat and ball.
- After his playing days, he became a respected cricket broadcaster for the BBC.
Did You Know?
He was also an accomplished Australian rules footballer, playing for the Newtown club in Sydney.
During World War II, he served as a physical training instructor in the Royal Australian Air Force.
His son, Alan Fairfax Jr., also became a first-class cricketer in England.
“A straight bat and a full follow-through are the marks of a correct game.”
