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Fred Titmus

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Athlete

The Resume

    (November 24, 1932-March 23, 2011)
    Born in Somers Town, England, United Kingdom
    Cricketer
    Played 53 tests for England
    In first-class cricket, took 100 wickets in 16 seasons
    First-class career lasted 33 years (1949-82)
    Had eight 'doubles' (scoring over 1,000 runs and taking more than 100 wickets in a season)
    Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1963)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was dropped from test cricket for half a decade after a pair of disastrous tests in which he took one wicket for 50 runs, then failed to take a wicket while conceding 51 runs.
    He was nicknamed 'Leo' during the 1974/75 Ashes, when his odd walk inspired Australian players to sing 'You know I can't dance, you know I can't dance' from a recent Leo Sayer hit.
    He was named as Surrey's coach, but quit after two years, complaining that was not allowed a free hand (1977-79).
    He said, 'Cricket is a simple game made difficult only by people.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was plucked directly from the Marleybone groundstaff to make his first-class debut.
    He lost four toes to a boat propeller in a swimming accident (1967), but came back the next year to take 111 wickets.
    He was described as having 'walked like Charlie Chaplin and wisecracked like Groucho Marx.'
    He inspired the Half Man Half Biscuit song 'Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 22 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 68.75% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 118 Votes: 74.58% Annoying