Milford Laurenson "Curly" Page (8 May 1902 – 13 February 1987) was a New Zealand Test

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

er and

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, two codes of ru ...

player, who represented his country in both sports.

Early life and family

Born in Lyttelton on 8 May 1902, Page was the son of Olga Marguerite Smith and her husband, David Joseph Page, a produce and coal merchant. He was educated at

Christchurch Boys' High School , motto_translation = I Seek Higher Things , type = State school, Day and Boarding school , gender = Boys , song = The School We Magnify , colours = Blue and Black , established = , address = 71 Straven ...

where he was a champion all-round sportsman. Page had one sister and two brothers, including Frederick Page who was a professor of music, pianist and music critic.

Cricket

In a first-class career extending from 1920–21 to 1942–43, Page was New Zealand's second

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captain, and captained the side in seven of the Tests in which he played. He toured England in

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General. * January 7 * ...

1931 Events January * January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics. * January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa. * January 22 – Sir I ...

and

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Febr ...

, and was captain of the team on the latter tour. He was the only player to appear in all 14 of New Zealand's Test matches before World War II. He usually batted at number four or five, bowled useful slow-medium, and according to Dick Brittenden, his "slip fielding was magnificent, sometimes incredibly swift". His highest first-class score was 206, for

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

against

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by m ...

in 1931–32, when he added 278 for the fourth wicket with Alby Roberts in the second innings after Canterbury had trailed by 277. In the First Test at Lord's in 1931 he made 104 after New Zealand had trailed by 230 on the first innings. He added 118 for the third wicket with

Stewie Dempster Charles Stewart Dempster (15 November 1903 – 14 February 1974) was a New Zealand Test cricketer and coach. As well as representing New Zealand, he also played for Wellington, Scotland, Leicestershire and Warwickshire. Early life Born to a Sco ...

, then Page and Roger Blunt added 142 in 105 minutes for the fourth wicket.

Rugby union

A halfback and first five-eighth, Page represented at a provincial level in two stints: in 1922 and 1923, and then in 1928 and 1929. He played just one match for the New Zealand national side, the

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 198 ...

, against the touring

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

team at

Lancaster Park Lancaster Park, also known as Jade Stadium and AMI Stadium for sponsorship reasons, was a sports stadium in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand. The stadium was closed permanently due to damage sustained in the February 2011 eart ...

in 1928. He did not appear in any rugby Test matches.

Death

Page died in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

on 13 February 1987.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Page, Curly 1902 births 1987 deaths Cricketers from Christchurch People educated at Christchurch Boys' High School New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand international rugby union players Canterbury rugby union players Rugby union scrum-halves Rugby union fly-halves Canterbury cricketers New Zealand cricketers New Zealand Test cricket captains New Zealand Test cricketers Pre-1930 New Zealand representative cricketers International Cavaliers cricketers Rugby union players from Christchurch New Zealand Army cricketers South Island Army cricketers