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Walter Lindrum and Donald Bradman are two of Australia’s most iconic sports figures. Both achieved stardom on their first visits to England—Lindrum with a record 3,262 and 67 breaks over 1,000 during his 1929-1930 English Billiards season, and Bradman with a record 334 and a remarkable batting average of 139.14 in the 1930 Ashes. Their rise from prodigies to global legends showcases their unmatched talent, dedication, and passion.

We will now examine and highlight the notable similarities between these two esteemed Australian sports figures.

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  Walter Lindrum

  Name: Walter Albert Lindrum OBE, fondly called “Wally“, referred to as “Bradman of Billiards”

  Born: Kalgoorlie, Western Australia (29 August 1898 – 30 July 1960, aged 61)

  Professional: 1911-1950

  Sport: Billiards. Lindrum is considered the greatest player of all time, with accolades including 57 world records, multiple World Professional Billiards titles, and a highest break of 4,137, which still stands as a world record today.

  Greatest Comeback: Trailing by 9,177 points, Lindrum fought back to win the 1931–1932 International Gold Cup Tournament against Tom Newman (who received a 7,000-point start). The final session is described as the greatest billiards event ever staged, with the victory earning him a special invitation to perform for King George V and Queen Mary.

  Career:
  Lindrum showed great passion and promise for cricket in his early teens, scoring many centuries for his school and spending considerable time playing when away from the billiards table. Faced with a difficult choice between billiards and cricket, he ultimately followed his father’s advice to pursue billiards, leaving school and turning professional at the age of 14. As the ‘Boy Wonder’ at 15, he embarked on his first major tour with Miss Ruby Roberts, the ‘Lady Billiards Champion,’ and soon elevated his billiards prowess to become one of the greatest cueists of all time. In his later career and retirement, Lindrum dedicated himself to exhibition matches, raising substantial funds for the war effort and various charities.

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  Don Bradman

  Name: Sir Donald George Bradman AC, nicknamed “The Don“, referred to as “Lindrum of Cricket”

  Born: Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001, aged 92)

  Professional: 1927-1949

  Sport: Cricket. Bradman is considered the most prolific cricketer of all time and holds the highest career batting average in Test cricket (99.94), a record that remains unrivaled.

  Greatest Comeback: In his first two matches as captain in the 1936 Ashes, Bradman was dismissed twice without scoring, inciting a public outcry for his removal as captain. In a remarkable turnaround, Australia won the last three Tests, with Bradman scoring 270, 212, and 169. This was the first and only time a team came back from two-nil down to win an Ashes series.

  Career:
  While Bradman’s cricketing career was on the rise, he was also a talented tennis player. At 14, he chose to focus on tennis, leaving cricket behind for a time, but soon returned to the game. At 19, he scored 118 runs on his first-class debut. The self-taught ‘Boy from Bowral’ quickly became a legendary figure at the crease. After retiring as a player, he excelled in various fields, becoming a champion golfer and squash player, a stockbroker, and an influential cricket administrator.

  Bradman was also a keen and talented billiards player. He attended Lindrum and Faulkiner’s match at Thurston Billiards Hall in London on 19 September 1930, where the two had a friendly game. It is said that after practising daily for a year, Bradman challenged Lindrum to a rematch at his Adelaide home’s billiards room—and held his own in the game.

More Notable Parallels

Lindrum and Bradman are celebrated for their indomitable success in their respective sports. Walter Lindrum set numerous world records and was regarded as the finest player the world has ever seen. Don Bradman is widely considered the greatest cricketer of all time, with his Test batting average of 99.94 remaining unrivaled. Both prided themselves on their dominance and longevity, remaining the best in the world throughout careers that spanned multiple decades. A key element of their success was their continuous innovation in skill. Lindrum introduced innovative techniques, including side spin and precise cue ball control. Bradman was known for his unique batting technique and exceptional hand-eye coordination, which allowed him to dominate bowlers in his era.

Both also overcame external forces attempting to challenge their dominance. Lindrum’s supreme skill, particularly with the “nursery cannons” technique—which involved gathering the balls close together to score repeatedly with minimal movement—enabled him to achieve enormous breaks and scores. To limit this high-scoring technique, the Billiards Association and Control Council (B.A. & C.C.) trialed the baulk-line rule, which required the cue ball to cross the line at least once every 200 points in a break. Lindrum quickly mastered this rule and won the World Championship in 1933. Bradman faced the Bodyline tactic, an aggressive bowling strategy employed by England’s team captained by Douglas Jardine during the 1932–1933 Ashes series. The tactic aimed to restrict Bradman’s scoring opportunities by consistently bowling at or near his body, limiting his ability to play leg-side shots. Though it affected his batting, Bradman adapted his technique and found success against Bodyline.

Their legacies are undeniably profound. Lindrum played a key role in popularising the game through exhibition matches and record-breaking performances. His efforts, which included approximately 4,000 charitable exhibition matches during and after the war, are claimed to have raised more funds than any other athlete. Bradman’s legacy extends beyond cricket, as he became a global symbol of cricketing excellence. His famous statement, “We will not play them (South Africa) until they choose a team on a non-racist basis,” regarding the cancellation of apartheid South Africa’s Australian tour in 1971, stands as one of his most important legacies. After Bradman’s passing, Nelson Mandela paid tribute to him on television, stating, “He was a hero, a true hero.” The Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral, New South Wales, is dedicated to his memory. Both Lindrum and Bradman were known for their sportsmanship, humility, positive influence on their respective sports, and lasting impact on future generations of athletes.

Walter Lindrum and Don Bradman are remembered as two of Australia’s most beloved and revered sports legends. Their names continue to be synonymous with excellence in their respective disciplines. Lindrum and Bradman remain luminaries, whose legacy will forever shine brightly in the pantheon of sporting legends, inspiring and captivating enthusiasts worldwide.