By Brian Sanderson
Paul Antony Gibb was born on the 11 July 1913 in Bransby
near York.
near York.
He was a dour opening batsman and a capable wicket keeper
who earned a Test place in 1938 and toured South Africa
who earned a Test place in 1938 and toured South Africa
Africa with success in the following winter.He was England
first choice keeper when he went to Australia after
first choice keeper when he went to Australia after
the War but soon lost his place to Godfrey Evans.
He played 36 matches for Yorkshire as amateur from 1935-46.
He was captain of Yorkshire on the West Indies Tour in 1936.
He was captain of Yorkshire on the West Indies Tour in 1936.
He turned professional and joined Essex were he played 145
from 1951-56.
Whilst looking through the 1979 Wisden magazines I found a
couple of stories about him.
Dickie Dodds, the Essex player was at Paul's memorial service
when he met by one of his brothers.They were all six feet tall
and large with it and he could not square this up with Paul's
small statue. When the boys were all young it was Paul who
was big ,strong ,tough one.Then he got rheumatic fever and
more or less stopped growing.His heart was in such shape that
the doctors said he must always go carefully and not take
violent exercise.
He got the impression that his heart remained suspect ,and he
retorted to all sorts of subterfuge to get round medicals.
Ice cream was his greatest weakness ,he once had a
competition with Joe Hardstaff as to who could eat the
most .He certainly liked his food and carried round a bottle
of liquid paraffin to aid its disposal.
Dickie Dodds, the Essex player was at Paul's memorial service
when he met by one of his brothers.They were all six feet tall
and large with it and he could not square this up with Paul's
small statue. When the boys were all young it was Paul who
was big ,strong ,tough one.Then he got rheumatic fever and
more or less stopped growing.His heart was in such shape that
the doctors said he must always go carefully and not take
violent exercise.
He got the impression that his heart remained suspect ,and he
retorted to all sorts of subterfuge to get round medicals.
Ice cream was his greatest weakness ,he once had a
competition with Joe Hardstaff as to who could eat the
most .He certainly liked his food and carried round a bottle
of liquid paraffin to aid its disposal.
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