John Christopher Balderstone was an English professional in cricket and football, and one of the last sportsmen to combine both sports over a prolonged period.
22 Facts About Chris Balderstone
1.
2.
Chris Balderstone played football as a midfielder for Huddersfield Town, Carlisle United, Doncaster Rovers and Queen of the South.
3.
Chris Balderstone made 117 Football League appearances for Huddersfield, and played a total of 131 senior games for them.
4.
Chris Balderstone stayed with Carlisle for the next 11 years, the club's most successful period where not only was he a key player but became club captain.
5.
Chris Balderstone joined Doncaster Rovers after his top-level season with Carlisle.
6.
Cloy in particular said Chris Balderstone's passing ability was the best in Cloy's entire career at Queens.
7.
Leicestershire won their first-ever trophy in 1972, the inaugural Benson and Hedges Cup at Lord's, and Chris Balderstone took the man of the match Gold Award.
8.
Chris Balderstone scored 41 not out and steered the team to the trophy.
9.
In 1973 Chris Balderstone played his first full season of cricket and jumped right to the front-rank of English batsmen, making 1,222 runs at an average of 42.
10.
Chris Balderstone passed the 1,000-run mark in 10 of the next 12 seasons, batting either in the middle order or as an opening batsman.
11.
Chris Balderstone's runs were an important part of Leicestershire's first County Championship success in 1975, and he weighed in with 43 useful wickets in that season too.
12.
Chris Balderstone made history on 15 September 1975 by taking part in a County Championship match and a Football League game on the same day.
13.
Chris Balderstone was 51 not out against Derbyshire at the end of day two of Leicestershire's match at Chesterfield.
14.
Chris Balderstone then returned to Chesterfield the following morning to complete a century and take three wickets to help wrap up Leicestershire's first ever County Championship title.
15.
Chris Balderstone was given a testimonial benefit season in 1984 and played on for Leicestershire until 1986.
16.
Chris Balderstone was one of ten members of Leicestershire's first County Championship winning team in 1975 to have a road in Leicester named after him by the city council.
17.
In 1976, Chris Balderstone was called into the England Test team to make his international debut aged 35 having focused in his younger days on football.
18.
Chris Balderstone did though score 35 from sticking it out for.
19.
Chris Balderstone moved directly into umpiring the season after he stopped playing, standing in two One Day Internationals in the mid-1990s.
20.
Chris Balderstone died suddenly at his home in Carlisle on 6 March 2000, having suffered from prostate cancer.
21.
Chris Balderstone was a gentleman in everything he did on and off the field and his death came as a tremendous shock.
22.
Holder, like Chris Balderstone, became an umpire and stood in Chris Balderstone's last game as an umpire, at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury.