November 18, 1918. Reggie Schwarz, the man who was instrumental in the spread of the art of the googly, died in Etaples, France. Arunabha Senguptalooks back at the day when the pioneering South African googly bowler, who had managed to survive the First World War after serving with distinction, was struck down by Spanish Flu.
Germs can be as deadly as guns and steel, even during cataclysmic war.
In the American Civil War of the 1860s, two third of the 620,000 casualties had been due to diseases. Garbage in the camps, overcrowding, insufficient and spoilt food, impure water, ticks, lice, maggots and absence of doctors — all these together proved to be twice as deadly as the bullets.
By the time the First World War was fought, conditions and hygiene had improved by leaps and bounds. But, even then, a third died due to sickness that spread like wildfire in the trenches.
From common cold to shell shock, from Trench Foot to Wiel’s Disease, every ailment claimed lives. And at the end of it all, there was the deadly Spanish Flu that infected 500 million people across the world — from the remote Pacific Islands to the Arctic.
It was the Spanish Flu that claimed the life of the pioneering South African googly bowler after two serious wounds had failed to do so.
Tragically, it happened seven days after the Armistice had been signed.
The gospel of the googly
The handsome and modest Reggie Schwarz had learnt the trick of turning the ball the other way from Bernard Bosanquet. His days of education in England and sojourn in Middlesex had helped him become close friends with Bosanquet, and the inventor himself had demonstrated to him the secrets of this novel art.
After that Schwarz had been instrumental in spreading the gospel of the googly, by teaching it to his Springbok teammates Gordon White, Aubrey Faulkner and Bertie Vogler.
The battery of googly bowlers had traumatised England and then fought hard against Australia. They had done much to put South Africa firmly on the cricketing map of the world.
Schwarz had retired from cricket in 1912, after capturing 55 wickets in 20 Tests at 25.76. He was handy with the bat too, and once scored a fighting 61 in a Test match at Sydney.
His First-Class tally was an impressive 398 wickets at 17.58. And he was the only one among the South African googly bowlers to dispense with the leg-break altogether. His wickets were purchased with googlies, top spinners and a sharply turning orthodox off-break.
Besides Schwarz played rugby as well — good enough to win three caps as a half back for the England XV. Finally, he was one of the most charming of men, quiet, retiring and possessing the great gift of modesty and self-effacement.
When the Great War broke out, Schwarz was 39. Anyone who knew him closely would have vouched that he would join the effort. Schwarz did.
He was a major in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps regiment of the British Army that fought on the Western Front. He was given the role of Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General and was Assistant Controller of salvage. Before that he won distinction in German South-West Africa. He was mentioned in Despatches and was awarded the Military Cross.
Schwarz was wounded twice, but survived. And then, having overcome the bullets and seen through the War, he was struck down by the deathly hand of the Spanish Flu. He died in Etaples, France — just seven days after the Armistice had been signed.
Schwarz was buried in the Military Cemetery in Etaples. He was just 43.