Charles Turner (Australian cricketer)
A Victorian bowling meteor who terrorized English batsmen with his off-cutters, once claiming an astonishing 283 wickets in a single summer.
1862–1944 (age 82)·Australian cricketer·Birthday: November 16·The Gilded Age
Biography
In the era of handlebar mustaches and underarm lobs, Charles 'The Terror' Turner emerged from New South Wales as a force of nature. A right-arm medium-pacer with a devastating off-cutter, he didn't just take wickets; he harvested them in biblical proportions. The summer of 1888 in England became his personal playground. He rampaged through county line-ups, his 283 first-class wickets that season a tally so colossal it stood as a record for years and remains one of the most dominant sporting performances of the 19th century. Back in Australia, his feats were no less extraordinary, demolishing touring sides with equal ferocity. Turner's career was relatively short, but its intensity burned a permanent mark into cricket's history books, securing his reputation as one of the game's first true fast-medium masters and a pioneer of Australian bowling dominance.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Charles was born in 1862, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. 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 Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1862
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1862Born
President: Abraham Lincoln
1867Started school
President: Andrew Johnson
1875Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1878Could drive
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1880Could vote
Edison patents the incandescent light bulb
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1883Turned 21
President: Chester A. Arthur
1892Turned 30
President: Benjamin Harrison
1902Turned 40
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Turned 50
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1922Turned 60
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 70
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 80
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Died at 82
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
Key Achievements
- Took 283 first-class wickets in the 1888 English season, a record that stood for seven years.
- Captured 314 wickets in all matches during the 1888 tour of England.
- Took 106 wickets in twelve matches during the 1887-88 Australian season, a domestic record at the time.
- Achieved the rare feat of taking 50 wickets in his first seven Test matches.
Did You Know?
His nickname was 'The Terror' due to his devastating effect on batting line-ups.
He worked as a solicitor when not playing cricket.
In 1888, he bowled 1,658 overs in first-class matches, a testament to his immense stamina.
He once took 17 wickets for 50 runs in a single match against 'An England Eleven' at Hastings.
“A good ball on a good wicket will beat any batsman alive.”
