John Richard Reid
A fiercely combative all-rounder who dragged New Zealand cricket from obscurity, becoming its first victorious captain.
1928–2020 (age 92)·New Zealand cricketer·Birthday: June 3·The Silent Generation
Biography
John R. Reid was New Zealand cricket's first true world-beater, a man whose powerful physique and even stronger will defined an era. In the 1950s and early 60s, the New Zealand team was a frequent underdog, but Reid refused to play the part. As a brutal hitter, a more-than-useful fast-medium bowler, and a brilliant fielder, he carried the side's hopes on his broad shoulders. His captaincy, which began in 1956, was transformational. He instilled a belief that victory was possible, a mindset that bore fruit when he led the team to its first-ever Test win, against the West Indies at Eden Park. He repeated the feat overseas against South Africa in 1962. Reid's statistics were staggering for his time, often contributing the majority of his team's runs. He retired as the world record-holder for most Test runs, leaving a legacy of toughness that became a blueprint for future Kiwi captains.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
John was born in 1928, placing them squarely in The Silent 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 John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1928
#1 Movie
The Singing Fool
Best Picture
Wings
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1928Born
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1933Started school
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1941Became a teenager
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Could drive
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
1946Could vote
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
1949Turned 21
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1958Turned 30
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 40
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 50
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 60
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 70
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 80
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2020Died at 92
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Became the first captain to lead New Zealand to a Test match victory, defeating the West Indies in Auckland in 1956.
- Scored 16 Test centuries and 1,928 runs as captain, a national record that stood for decades.
- Held the world record for the highest individual first-class score by a New Zealander (296) for over 40 years.
- Served as a national selector and manager for New Zealand after his playing career.
Did You Know?
He was also an accomplished rugby union player, representing Wellington at the provincial level.
His son, Richard Reid, played first-class cricket for Wellington.
He was awarded the Bert Sutcliffe Medal for outstanding services to New Zealand cricket in 1995.
“We might be underdogs, but we'll fight in every session of every day.”
