William Cropper

Who was William Cropper?

William Cropper was an English cricketer and football player who played cricket for Derbyshire CCC between 1882 and 1888 and football once for Derby County. He was one of nineteen sportsmen to achieve the Derbyshire Double of playing cricket for Derbyshire and football for Derby County, but died aged 26 as a result of an unfortunate football accident.

Cropper was born at Brimington, Derbyshire, the son of Thomas and Mary Cropper, and was a bricklayer. He made his debut for Derbyshire in the 1882 season. He also played for the North of England team. He shared most wickets for the club in the 1883, 1884, 1885 and 1886 seasons. In 1886 he played one football match for Derby County. Derbyshire lost first-class status for the 1888 season but Cropper continued playing for the side. Cropper played 113 innings in 60 first class matches to score 1638 runs with an average of 15.00 and a top score of 93 not out. He took 171 first class wickets, with an average of 17.13 and a best performance of 7 for 25.

From 1888 Cropper played football for the Derbyshire side of Staveley F.C. While playing for Staveley on 12 January 1889 against Grimsby Town at Clee Park, Lincolnshire Cropper collided with Dan Doyle, the Grimsby rightback, after fifteen minutes. He was badly injured by Doyle's knee in his abdomen and left the field in obvious distress. The collision resulted in a ruptured bowel and he died in the dressing room at Grimsby in the arms of his Staveley and Derbyshire CCC team-mate George Hay.