An item in the club's 75th (1952) Anniversary Dinner Booklet reports that shortly after the game changing match in which Stoddart established his record, a cricket writer published an 'appreciation' of the Stoics which the club still holds amongst it's treasures. The item read as follows...
'I know of no club I admire more than the Stoics. In the face of defeat after defeat they go on as enthusiastically and as freshly as ever, with only two or three playing for them who show any form at all; the rest, poor performers as they are, play on with undisturbed spirits. Well do they deserve the name of Stoics! They are. Poor old Stoics! May you long exist! Many a hearty laugh have cricketers had at you, at your ambitious flights and aspirations - above all, at your play. Cricket is getting so serious a pastime that any clubs like yours have their place, for serious as you may be, your opponents never are!'
'The writer certainly had his fling. The date of this attack is not known but there are reasons for supposing that it was at the start of the season of 1889. Possibly, the club had had a black patch after the Stoddart episode - and the Essex reinforcements had not arrived'
Despite the comments expressed above the Stoics maintained their enthusiasm and were still able to build impressive fixture lists and also to attract some of the top players of the day and very soon the critics were reporting on their matches in much more favorable terms.
Dr Mendelsohn, in the excellent booklet he produced for the centenary year and which has been much relied upon in this work, remarked that during this period there appears to have been a marked pre-occupation with discussing and arranging golf matches, much more so than one would expect to find in the minutes of a cricket club. However, looking at the list of match results for those years (at the end of this section) the primary activity of the club does not appear to have been neglected as can be seen from the number of matches and the quality of results which appear to have been consistent with those for previous years, if not perhaps a little improved.
'I know of no club I admire more than the Stoics. In the face of defeat after defeat they go on as enthusiastically and as freshly as ever, with only two or three playing for them who show any form at all; the rest, poor performers as they are, play on with undisturbed spirits. Well do they deserve the name of Stoics! They are. Poor old Stoics! May you long exist! Many a hearty laugh have cricketers had at you, at your ambitious flights and aspirations - above all, at your play. Cricket is getting so serious a pastime that any clubs like yours have their place, for serious as you may be, your opponents never are!'
'The writer certainly had his fling. The date of this attack is not known but there are reasons for supposing that it was at the start of the season of 1889. Possibly, the club had had a black patch after the Stoddart episode - and the Essex reinforcements had not arrived'
Despite the comments expressed above the Stoics maintained their enthusiasm and were still able to build impressive fixture lists and also to attract some of the top players of the day and very soon the critics were reporting on their matches in much more favorable terms.
Dr Mendelsohn, in the excellent booklet he produced for the centenary year and which has been much relied upon in this work, remarked that during this period there appears to have been a marked pre-occupation with discussing and arranging golf matches, much more so than one would expect to find in the minutes of a cricket club. However, looking at the list of match results for those years (at the end of this section) the primary activity of the club does not appear to have been neglected as can be seen from the number of matches and the quality of results which appear to have been consistent with those for previous years, if not perhaps a little improved.
(Photo extracted from the club's 75th Anniversary brochure)
In 1968 the committee decided that the club should resign from the Cricket Conference although the reason for this is not made clear. However, at the very next meeting, in March 1969, the decision was reversed, although it is noted that the club is not a member at the present time. E W Miller, a club member, represented Ceylon at the Imperial Cricket Conference held in 1969 and it was also in that year that preliminary discussions began regarding the celebration of the club's centenary even though that event was still some eight years away.
In 1973 one of the club members was written to and asked to resign in view of his failure to apear for several fixtures in which had previously undertaken to play. Dr Mendelsohn, in his centenary booklet, notes that it was quite remarkable that throughout Minutes spanning some eighty years so few instances of club members having to be disciplined were recorded.
In July 1974 the Committee decided that those players whose normal residence was abroad and who came to this country for a year and who became Stoics members during their time here, should be charged a composite entry fee/subscription of £1.00 per year and then should go on the Abroad List when they returned hom. If they return for anotrher year they should pay another £1.00. This was in recognition of the strong influx of Australian Club Cricketers which the club was 'pleasantly' experiencing
The facts and figures for this period, as far as they are known, are...
Played Won Lost Drawn Abandoned Tied
1947 22 12 5 6 3
1948 32 6 15 9 2
1949 28 10 12 6
1950 24 12 9 3
1951 29 10 12 7
1952 31 12 10 9
1953 32 6 11 14
1954 33 13 7 6 7
1955 34 7 11 11 5
1956 36 15 5 11 5
1957 38 17 6 10 4 1
1958 41 15 8 10 8
1959 43 15 13 13 2
1960 42 12 15 10 5
1961 40 15 11 10 4
1962 39 12 14 13
1963 37 16 9 8 4
1964 40 13 12 11 4
1965 43 9 10 14 10
1966 41 13 8 10 10
1967 41 12 5 14 10
1968 42 12 14 9 7
1969 40 14 11 7 8
1970 39 5 11 12 10 1
*
* figures for 1928-1946 and 1971-1977 are not held
In 1968 the committee decided that the club should resign from the Cricket Conference although the reason for this is not made clear. However, at the very next meeting, in March 1969, the decision was reversed, although it is noted that the club is not a member at the present time. E W Miller, a club member, represented Ceylon at the Imperial Cricket Conference held in 1969 and it was also in that year that preliminary discussions began regarding the celebration of the club's centenary even though that event was still some eight years away.
In 1973 one of the club members was written to and asked to resign in view of his failure to apear for several fixtures in which had previously undertaken to play. Dr Mendelsohn, in his centenary booklet, notes that it was quite remarkable that throughout Minutes spanning some eighty years so few instances of club members having to be disciplined were recorded.
In July 1974 the Committee decided that those players whose normal residence was abroad and who came to this country for a year and who became Stoics members during their time here, should be charged a composite entry fee/subscription of £1.00 per year and then should go on the Abroad List when they returned hom. If they return for anotrher year they should pay another £1.00. This was in recognition of the strong influx of Australian Club Cricketers which the club was 'pleasantly' experiencing
The facts and figures for this period, as far as they are known, are...
Played Won Lost Drawn Abandoned Tied
1947 22 12 5 6 3
1948 32 6 15 9 2
1949 28 10 12 6
1950 24 12 9 3
1951 29 10 12 7
1952 31 12 10 9
1953 32 6 11 14
1954 33 13 7 6 7
1955 34 7 11 11 5
1956 36 15 5 11 5
1957 38 17 6 10 4 1
1958 41 15 8 10 8
1959 43 15 13 13 2
1960 42 12 15 10 5
1961 40 15 11 10 4
1962 39 12 14 13
1963 37 16 9 8 4
1964 40 13 12 11 4
1965 43 9 10 14 10
1966 41 13 8 10 10
1967 41 12 5 14 10
1968 42 12 14 9 7
1969 40 14 11 7 8
1970 39 5 11 12 10 1
*
* figures for 1928-1946 and 1971-1977 are not held