Denzil Batchelor

Denzil Stanley Batchelor (23 February 1906 – 6 September 1969) was a British journalist, writer, playwright and broadcaster. He reported on cricket and rugby union for several newspapers, including The Times, and at one time was the sports editor of the magazine Picture Post. He wrote books on a wide range of subjects, both sporting and non-sporting, but is chiefly remembered for those on cricket and boxing. He is also remembered for his work as a broadcaster, wine connoisseur and novelist.

He was born in Bombay, India, and was the son of Sir Stanley Batchelor, a High Court judge.

He was the secretary of the former cricketer C. B. Fry for several years, wrote a biography of him, helped Fry with his "autobiography" and was one of the few who could hold his own in conversation with him. At one time he held the position of Registrar of the Authors' Association. He was described as "the wittiest man in London".

He died from a heart attack in the autumn of 1969 while the Great Cricketers anthology, which he edited, was still in the press. Batchelor is buried in Gunnersbury Cemetery, London.

Bibliography

• British Boxing (Britain In Pictures series), Collins, 1948.
• The Match I Remember, Laurie, 1950.
• Turf of Old, HF & G Witherby, 1951 (1st edition), ISBN 978-0-85493-089-0.
• C.B. Fry (Cricketing Lives series), Phoenix House, 1951.
• They Laugh That Win, Hale, 1951,
• A Gallery of Great Players from W G Grace to the Present Day, Collins, 1952.
• The Book of Cricket, Collins, 1952.
• Game of a Lifetime, Laurie, 1953.
• Best Boxing Stories, Faber, 1953,
• The "Picture Post" Book of the Tests, 1953, Hulton Press, 1953.
• Soccer: A History of Association Football, Batsford, 1954.
• This My Son, Collins, 1954.
• Big Fight: The Story of World Championship Boxing, Phoenix House, 1954.
• The "Picture Post" Book of the Tests, 1954-5, Hulton Press, 1955.
• Jack Johnson and His Times, Phoenix House, 1956.
• The "Picture Post" Book of the Tests, 1956, Hulton Press, 1956.
• The Taste of Blood, Heinemann, 1956.
• Everything Happens to Hector, Heinemann, 1958.
• The Man Who Loved Chocolates, Heinemann, 1961.
• Babbled of Green Fields, Hutchinson, 1961.
• The English Inn, Batsford, 1963.
• The Test Matches of 1964: England v. Australia, Epworth Press, 1964.
• The Boxing Companion, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1964.
• For What We Are About To Receive, Jenkins, 1964.
• On the Brink, Macdonald & Co, 1964.
• London in Colour (British Heritage series), Batsford, 1964.
• The Sedulous Ape, Macdonald & Co, 1965.
• The Delicate Flower, Jenkins, 1965.
• Sportsman's London, London Transport Board, 1966.
• The Changing Face of Cricket (with Learie Constantine), Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1966.
• Best Cricket Stories (editor), Faber and Faber, 1967, ISBN 978-0-571-08006-9.
• Wines Great and Small, Cassell, 1969, ISBN 978-0-304-93449-2.
• Great Cricketers, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970, ISBN 978-0-413-26510-4.

References

• Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1970 edition, obituary
• Find A Grave