Leonard Moon Explained

Leonard Moon
Country:England
Fullname:Leonard James Moon
Birth Date:8 February 1878
Birth Place:Kensington, London
Death Place:Salonika, Greece
Batting:Right-handed
Role:Batsman
Family:Billy Moon (brother)
International:true
Testdebutdate:6 March
Testdebutyear:1906
Testdebutagainst:South Africa
Testcap:150
Lasttestdate:2 April
Lasttestyear:1906
Lasttestagainst:South Africa
Club1:Cambridge University
Year1:1897–1900
Club2:Middlesex
Year2:1899–1909
Columns:2
Column1:Test
Matches1:4
Runs1:182
Bat Avg1:22.75
100S/50S1:0/0
Top Score1:36
Hidedeliveries:true
Catches/Stumpings1:4/–
Column2:First-class
Matches2:96
Runs2:4,166
Bat Avg2:26.87
100S/50S2:7/18
Top Score2:162
Catches/Stumpings2:72/13
Date:29 November
Year:2009
Source:https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/294/294.html CricketArchive

2nd Lieutenant Leonard James Moon (9 February 1878 – 23 November 1916) was an officer in the British Army who died of wounds suffered in World War I. Before the war, he was an amateur first-class cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club from 1899 to 1909, and in four Test matches for England in 1905–06. He was born in London and died near Salonika. Moon also played football for Corinthians and his brother Billy was an England international goalkeeper.

Moon was a right-handed top-order batsman and an occasional wicket-keeper. He played in 96 first-class matches. He scored 4,166 career runs at an average of 26.87 runs per completed innings with a highest score of 162 as one of seven centuries. As a fielder and keeper, he held 72 catches and completed 13 stumpings.

Career

Leonard Moon was born at 45, Portsdown Road, London (his parents' home) on 9 February 1878. He was the son of William Moon, a Lincoln's Inn Fields solicitor. Moon was educated at Westminster School where he was a member of the school cricket XI for three seasons from 1894 to 1896. In his final year, he averaged 46.69 as a batsman and scored 57 against Charterhouse.[1] He progressed to the University of Cambridge where he was admitted to Pembroke College in October 1896. He played cricket and football there and was awarded blues for both sports: in 1889 and 1890 for cricket; in 1888, 1889 and 1890 for football. When he left Cambridge, Moon became a teacher at Wellesley House School in Broadstairs.

Moon became a member of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1898 and made his debut for Middlesex County Cricket Club in 1899.[1] He toured North America with MCC in the autumn of 1905 and South Africa in 1905–06, where he played for England in four Tests.[1]

First World War

Moon enlisted in the British Army during World War I and became a 2nd lieutenant with the Devon Regiment. He died of wounds suffered while fighting near Salonica in Greece.[2] He is buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery (grave A189).[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Deaths in the war, 1916 . Wisden Cricketers' Almanack . 1917 . 7 October 2022.
  2. Web site: Cricketers who died in World War 1 — Part 4 of 5 . Cricket Country . 7 August 2014.
  3. Web site: Lieutenant L. J. Moon . Commonwealth War Graves . 7 October 2022.