This is one of the 100 character pen-sketches by Mayukh Ghosh compiled in the recently released book In a League of Their Own, published by Flying Turtle and Cricmash

ALAN GIBSON

A mild schizophrenic.

A manic depressive.

‘Almost every aspect of his character had its exact opposite somewhere else in his psyche. He could be perfectly charming—and an utter bastard.

‘He was an intensely sociable man—much given to condemning people whom he hardly knew as “bloody fools” on the flimsiest of evidence.

‘He could moralise about the sins of the flesh with all the fervour of a dissenting preacher—and then go out drinking and womanising.

‘He could be generous to a fault—and vicious to a degree

‘He was highly self-motivated—yet his problems were someone else's fault.

‘He was devoted to his wives and children—and frequently made their lives a misery.’

—A son on his father.

Alan Gibson was an infant prodigy. He made his debut as a journalist at the age of nine, as editor of his class magazine at Farmer Road Elementary School, Leyton.

He used to write long essays and when away from his parents, they became long letters.

He gained a First in history at Oxford without attending a single lecture.

He had the military police knocking on his door when he failed to turn up for a medical. He always argued that an evening with C.B. Fry was an obvious priority.

He often viewed play with his back to the field. In one hand was invariably a weighty book of classical substance, in the other a tumbler that was rarely empty.

He was possibly the only writer who could write a match report even if there was no play at all.

Apart from John Arlott, everyone else shivered at the prospect of sharing the commentary box with him. No, not because of what you think. But because they knew they had no way of matching his erudition and knowledge. His academic mien always shone out.

Unfortunately, the booze got the better of him in the end. John Woodcock made a desperate attempt to bring him back to 'life'.

He wanted Gibson to update H.S. Altham and E.W. Swanton's History of Cricket. Swanton was very keen, but Gibson's will to work had faded and desolation was setting in.

There were people who took The Times and The Cricketer to just read his pieces. And most of these people knew little or nothing about cricket.

That was what Alan Gibson was capable of.

If only…