Arthur Mailey
A whimsical leg-spin bowler who turned humble beginnings into Test cricket glory, famously dismissing the great Jack Hobbs with a 'dream ball'.
1886–1967 (age 81)·Australian cricketer·Birthday: January 3·The Lost Generation
Biography
Arthur Mailey spun his way from the gritty Sydney brickpits to the hallowed turf of Test cricket with a flair that was entirely his own. As a young man, he literally molded his craft while working as a glassblower and brickmaker, developing formidable finger strength. His bowling was an art of deception and loop, a stark contrast to the fast, brutal pace of his era. Mailey's moment of legend came during the 1920-21 Ashes series when he bowled England's master batsman Jack Hobbs with a delivery he later described as the perfect 'dream ball'. Though his career economy rate was high, his willingness to attack made him a potent wicket-taker. Off the field, he was a noted cartoonist and raconteur, his witty illustrations and writings providing a unique, self-deprecating chronicle of the game he loved.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Arthur was born in 1886, placing them squarely in The Lost 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 Arthur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1886
Arthur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1886Born
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1891Started school
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Became a teenager
President: William McKinley
1902Could drive
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1904Could vote
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Turned 21
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Turned 30
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 40
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 50
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 60
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
1956Turned 70
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 80
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1967Died at 81
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
Key Achievements
- Took 99 wickets in 21 Test matches for Australia, including a best innings figure of 9/121.
- Achieved the rare feat of taking four wickets in four consecutive deliveries in first-class cricket.
- Authored several books on cricket and was a published cartoonist for major Australian newspapers.
- Played a key role in Australia's Ashes series victories in the early 1920s.
Did You Know?
He worked as a glassblower and in a brickpit, which he credited for strengthening his bowling fingers.
He was a talented cartoonist whose work was published in 'The Sydney Sun' and 'The Bulletin'.
He wrote an autobiography titled '10 for 66 and All That'.
In a Sheffield Shield match, he once bowled 64 overs in a single innings.
“I'd rather be hit for six sixes in an over than bowl a ball that goes unplayed.”
