Ian Botham

Ian Terence Botham OBE, (born November 24, 1955 in Heswall, Cheshire) (nicknamed "Beefy") was one of England's best-ever cricketers and one of the best all-round cricketers of all time. In a Test career spanning 15 years from 1977, he scored 5,200 runs at 33.54, and took 383 wickets at an average of 28.40. Similarly successful at one-day cricket, he was a Wisden cricketer of the year in 1978.

Family history

Ian Botham's father came from East Yorkshire. When Ian was young, his father was stationed with the Fleet Air Arm in Northern Ireland, before he moved to Yeovil, where he worked at Westland Helicopters. Botham went to Milford Junior School, where he discovered a liking for sport, especially cricket, and played for Somerset Under-15s. He left Buckler's Mead Comprehensive School at 15, being only interested in playing cricket for Somerset, although he also had an offer to join Crystal Palace F.C.. From an early age, he always wanted his own way in a devoutly, almost religious, single-minded fashion. When informed that Ian wanted to be a sportsman, the careers master at his school said to him 'Fine, everyone wants to play sport, but what are you really going to do?'.

Related Topics:
East Yorkshire - Fleet Air Arm - Yeovil - Westland Helicopters - Crystal Palace F.C.

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