|
 |
 |
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
    
Natalie Severn
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Severn
Post Number: 2425
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 6:08 pm: | 
|
We know that MJ Druitt was a keen sportsman and
that "though of a rather gaunt appearance he had enormous strength in his hands and wrists"
It looks like his athletic prowess was very important to him and you get the impression that cricket was something that came very high indeed in his priorities -notably demonstrated by the way that he kept up his duties to his Blackheath Club with such diligence and commitment right to the [bitter?]end.
Apparently he was a bowler first and foremost -but not a particularly good batsman.
Now I don"t know that much about the game- though I used to watch it and play it when I was young all Summer with the other kids- one thing I do know though is that it has always struck me as a "slightly" menacing game.
On the surface, in England anyway, the white clad players on the greens of every town and village in Summer
give an appearance of easy,relaxed elegance -all good humoured very English stuff---heck -we"ve even coined a term to describe anything thats say a bit unfair or unreasonable as being"not cricket!"
So I wonder whether perhaps this sense of "menace" I have picked up from time to time comes from the "Rules of cricket" being able to disguise a certain type of suppressed "violence" waiting in the wings kind of thing!
I wonder too what kind of a "bowler" Druitt was?Was he one of these 80-90 MPH types capable of killing any not quite quick enough batsman to get out of the way fast? Or was he a "spinner" who enjoyed seeing his opponent squirming or getting tied up in knots ?
All this quite" phenomenal" strength he had in his arms and wrists---physically at any rate he does seem to have had what it would have taken to be the Whitechapel murderer!
Also I wonder whether the "relaxed on the surface" nature of this game and his own cricketing skills could have served to provide him with cover for some pent up ruthless aggression!
Just some thoughts after watching the struggle for the Ashes these last few days!
Any Ideas?
Natalie
|
John Ruffels
Inspector
Username: Johnr
Post Number: 457
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 6:25 am: |
|
Hello Natalie,
Yes,I have been watching the highlights of the Final Ashes Test between England and Australia on T.V., (the Ultimate Contest for Cricket Enthusiasts is to win "The Ashes" a quaintly minature 'urn' containing the ashes of the cricket "stumps" burned after the first England/Australia contest over one hundred years ago! A "Test" is a completed cricket match.).
And I too, can see the subtle violence; the "sledging"-(attempts at putting your opposition off their game by disconcerting name-calling and other hectoring behaviour); even the odd "bumper"- a deadly bowled ball aimed cruelly at the opponents head.
With the English and Australian newspapers which major in sport-usually owned by Rupert Murdoch in Australia and England- urging cricket fans to greater pitches of emotion and even hatred before a game, the 'subtle' aggression of the game of cricket has increased since Montague Druitt's day.
As to his strength: the head-resting-on-hand photo of Druitt reveals not especially thick wrists, and combined with the other photos, it looks as if he had a rather long neck. Suggesting a perhaps not too sturdy frame.
His champion-like ability at playing the " Hand Ball" (?) at Winchester has been cited as evidence of Druitt's strong arms.
But, we need more information to reach firmer conclusions.
Good factors you raise though, Natalie. |
Natalie Severn
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Severn
Post Number: 2440
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 10:09 am: |
|
Hi John,
Well I have actually been getting quite intensive lessons about cricket from my husband this season who
bowled for Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith.[once they played against Mick Jagger"s brothers team and won!-great honour in those days].
He emphasised that the aggression has to be tightly controlled and I noticed this a lot watching them at it these last few days----Lee bowling at over 90mph at the very end of play yesterday[5pm] revealed it a bit don"t you think?
Not, I hasten to add, that this means its therefore the case that cricketers must all have some repressed anger or anything lurking beneath the surface-just that for some individuals such as Druitt the game itself might have some inbuilt
system,like the game of chess does,by which you can annihilate your opponent by stealthy and cunning aggression-and in the case of Druitt it may even have served to allow him to discharge his anger in a legitimate way for a long time.
Druitt was I think a champion "Fives"player at both Winchester and Ocford
Best
Natalie |
jason_connachan
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 1:30 pm: |
|
Regarding Druitt's sporting prowess?
Druitt was playing cricket on the same day as one of the murders(Chapman's, i think). Do we know how much he scored that day? If he was out for a duck, he may have had t'other things on his mind. |
|
Use of these
message boards implies agreement and consent to our Terms of Use.
The views expressed here in no way reflect the views of the owners and
operators of Casebook: Jack the Ripper.
Our old message board content (45,000+ messages) is no longer available online, but a complete archive
is available on the Casebook At Home Edition, for 19.99 (US) plus shipping.
The "At Home" Edition works just like the real web site, but with absolutely no advertisements.
You can browse it anywhere - in the car, on the plane, on your front porch - without ever needing to hook up to
an internet connection. Click here to buy the Casebook At Home Edition.
|
|
|
|
