by Mayukh Ghosh

"I thought it was the end of the world; it's probably why I took up serious drinking."
Soon he went to London to join the Mick Mulligan Band.
He used to channelise his inner demons out, via the trombone.
"All jazzmen are kicking against something and it comes out when they blow. If they knew what they were kicking against, they wouldn't blow nearly so well."

Frank Parr was often drunk. He was untidy. He hardly bothered about what others thought about him.
He had a considerable career in music, despite being irritatingly unruly.
But cricket was always his first love.
He continued playing the game till he turned 60, for a team of jazzmen called 'The Ravers'.

July 16, 1952.
In only his second county match, Frank Parr keeps wickets against the likes of Brian Statham and Roy Tattersall.
The Times thinks he is good enough to succeed Godfrey Evans.
A fortnight later, he scores 9 not out against the likes of Fred Trueman and Johnny Wardle, thus denying Yorkshire a win.
Not at his best when Tattersall bowls but overall he manages to impress the people who matter.

He likes playing the trombone and does the job for the semi-professional Merseysippi Jazz Band.
And that creates problems.
Some people in the Lancashire management thinks that distracts his other teammates.
Then there is the clumsiness.
He doesn't think twice before wearing a blue shirt for a House of Commons reception.

As long as the amateur Nigel Howard leads the team, Lancashire tolerates all this.
But not with Cyril Washbrook at the helm.
He has to play for the Second XI and there impresses everyone with his keeping.
Worcestershire offers a job.
Washbrook, hearing this, writes to them: " I should inform you that he can be a grave social risk...."

The Mick Mulligan Band saved him but he could never quite forgive Washbrook.
Not because he ended Parr's first-class career but because of his harsh words on the racial origins of jazz music.
Years later, when Stephen Chalke met him, Parr had no regrets: "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've done the two things which I loved most. I made a living out of both of them, and I had a good time. I wouldn't swap my life for anything."

Frank Parr was born on 1 June 1928.