Denis Hill-Wood Explained

Denis Hill-Wood
Honorific Suffix:MC
Country:England
Fullname:Denis John Charles Hill Hill-Wood
Birth Date:25 June 1906
Birth Place:Hoxne, Suffolk, England
Death Place:Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, England
Batting:Right-handed
Club1:Derbyshire
Type1:FC
Debutdate1:23 May
Debutyear1:1928
Debutagainst1:Derbyshire
Lastdate1:22 June
Lastyear1:1929
Lastfor1:Derbyshire
Columns:1
Column1:First-class
Matches1:12
Runs1:453
Bat Avg1:22.65
100S/50S1:0/2
Top Score1:85
Deliveries1:222
Wickets1:3
Bowl Avg1:41.00
Fivefor1:0
Tenfor1:0
Best Bowling1:1/4
Catches/Stumpings1:6/–
Date:February
Year:2012
Source:http://www.espncricinfo.com/India/content/player/14828.html ESPNCricinfo

Denis John Charles Hill Hill-Wood (25 June 1906 – 5 May 1982) was the chairman of Arsenal Football Club from 1962 until 1982. He was also an English cricketer who played First Class cricket for Oxford University and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1928 and Derbyshire in 1928 and 1929.

Hill-Wood was the third son of Sir Samuel Hill-Wood, 1st Baronet, who was chairman of Arsenal for twenty years, as well as a first-class cricketer for Derbyshire. Hill-Wood went to Oxford University and played seven matches for the university in the 1928 season. He then played for MCC in Ireland and made his first-class debut for Derbyshire at the end of the 1928 season when he played three matches. He played one match in the 1929 season.[1]

Similarly to his father, Denis became chairman of Arsenal football club in 1962, a job which he held until his death in 1982. A bust of Hill-Wood was commissioned and used to stand inside the Directors' Landing of the East Stand of Arsenal's Highbury stadium, and now stands in the Directors' Entrance of Emirates Stadium after Arsenal's move there.

Denis had three brothers who also took part in first-class cricket for Derbyshire, the others being Basil Hill-Wood, Wilfred and Charles. Denis's son, Peter, played one first-class match in 1960.

Hill-Wood was educated at Ludgrove School[2] followed by Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. During the Second World War he served with the Royal Armoured Corps and was wounded in Libya.[3] With other officers he was awarded the Military Cross in 1943 "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East".

Notes and References

  1. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/30/30253/30253.html Denis Hill-Wood at Cricket Archive
  2. Book: Barber . Richard . The Story of Ludgrove . 2004 . Guidon Publishing . Oxford . 0954361725 . 179.
  3. News: Mr Denis Hill-Wood . The Times . London . 5 May 1982 . 12.