Samuel Morcom

Samuel Morcom, Jr. (c. 1847 – 15 January 1888) was a leading 19th-century South Australian cricketer.

Early life Born in Cornwall, England, in 1847 to miner and temperance lecturer Samuel Morcom, Sr. and Mary (née Toy), the fifth of nine children, Morcom sailed with his family to South Australia on the Rajah, arriving at Port Adelaide on 24 September 1847. Morcom Jnr. also became a staunch teetotaller, and was described as having "very steady habits". and soon became one of the leading cricketers in the colony, later being referred to as "the prettiest batsman of his time". This was subsequently recognised as a first-class match, meaning that Morcom was one of the first South Australians to play first-class cricket, as it would be five years before South Australia played their initial first-class match. The Australasian was not impressed with the quality of the South Australians, criticising their batting and bowling, and wrote that "Morcom, if he threw in better, would make a good long-leg or cover."

While he remained a leading cricketer in the colony, Morcom was the subject of an anonymous letter to the South Australian Register, the leading local newspaper of the day, criticising his "playing for coin rather than love of the game."

Although living in Adelaide, Morcom was chosen in the Yorke's Peninsula XXII that played the touring WG Grace's English team in Kadina in 1873–74. Morcom scored one and, in the second innings, zero, as Yorke's Peninsula's twenty two scored 13 between them, which at that time was the lowest score against an English side.

Despite his failure for Yorke's Peninsula, Morcom was picked in the first ever South Australian cricket team, which played WG Grace's XI at Adelaide Oval, starting on 26 March 1874. Morcom scored zero and six. without scoring higher than 18.

Such was Morcom's popularity in Adelaide that he was featured in some of the earliest sports merchandise marketing in South Australia. One enterprising businessman created belts with a photograph of various leading cricketers and the words "South Australian celebrity". Morcom was one of seven players featured on the belts, with the Register of the belief that the belts were likely to be popular.

Personal life Morcom worked as a compositor in the Government Printing Office in Adelaide

Other members of the Morcom family also gained renown; brother John, under the name Vertelli, became a famous wire walker in the United States, brother James was a champion rifle shot and short-distance pedestrian, William was one of South Australia's top swimmers and Harry was South Australia's top backwards runner at a time when backwards running was a popular competition.

Death Around noon on 7 January 1888, Morcom was crossing Rundle Street in Adelaide when he became giddy and stumbled between the wheels of an oncoming trolley, landing on his stomach. The trolley driver, a James Rossiter, was unaware of Morcom's situation and drove the trolley, with its five tonne payload, over Morcom, fracturing his left thigh.