History History of Cricket in the Lower Mainland: The Early Years 1850-1912 - excerpts courtesy of the Royal Engineers of BC Formation of the BCMCL through to the end of the war years 1913-1940's 1950's - 1960's 1970's - 1980's 1990 - Present The Early Years Cricket was being played in B.C. as soon as the British began to populate the area in the 1850's. In "British Columbia: A History", cricket was being taught to schoolchildren in 1852. Vancouver sides played in Victoria in 1884 and 1886. However, the earliest record of cricket in Vancouver is a match played on the Cambie Street grounds on Dominion Day in 1887. This match was between a team from Victoria and a Vancouver team captained by Charlie Gardiner-Johnson.  Thanks to the Royal Engineers of BC, we have collected some detailed history and photos from the early years of cricket in BC    >>Read more about the EARLY YEARS... 1930's - 1950's After the Second World War, Vancouver Cricket began to flourish.    >>Read more about the 1930's-40's... 1950's - 1960's The golden years of local cricket.  >>Read more about the 1950's-60's... 1970's - 1980's The transition years - decline and resurgence.  >>Read more about the 1970's-80's... 1990's - Present With waves of immigrants from Africa and South Asia, more cricketers are playing the game in BC than ever before.  >>Read more about the recent history

 

Brief summary of BCMCL History from late Cliff Cox

1) The earliest record of cricket in Vancouver was a match played on the Cambie Street grounds on Dominion Day in 1887. A team Captained by Charlie Gardner Johnson played a team from Victoria. This was the founding of the Gardner Johnson Shield played for annually ever since.

2) When Campbell Sweeney looked for a ground later in 1887 he chose Brockton Point not realizing how popular his choice would turn out to be. He gathered together by subscription $3000 and gained permission from the City to clear the ground with his band of volunteers. The group gave all their time , money and labour to develop this enormous task of clearing the land. The work took several years until August 1892 when the first match between Vancouver and California was played. By 1893 the nucleus of a pavilion had been built and formerly opened with a match against Victoria.

3) In 1913 the British Columbia Mainland Cricket League was formed headed by J.Fyfe-Smith ,president, and R.V.L. Johnston secretary. That same year the Brockton ground was turned over to the Vancouver Parks Board which has carried out improvements and maintained the ground ever since.

4) The first organised league competition was in 1914 between : Brockton Point CC, Burrard CC. 1st and 2nds, Coquitlam CC, New Westminter CC, Public Works CC, Vancouver CC, Vancouver Moths CC.. with the L.D. Taylor Cup champions being Vancouver CC.

5) In 1919 the Vancouver & District Junior and Juvenile Cricket Association was organised by a group led by Mr.T.W.Berridge.

6) By 1924 the membership had grown to 14 clubs causing a 2nd division to be formed.This year saw the Gardner Johnson Shield being presented for the first time to the City C.C. Club and in 1931 the Fyfe Smith Shield was presented for the first time to Auroras C.C.

7) By 1929 an unprecedented 28 teams were enterd in 4 divisions. During the war years most clubs were reduced in numbers and in 1942 only six clubs were able to operate.

8) Recovery followed after the war years and gradually reached a gala year in 1951 when a League X1 defeated the MCC by 28 runs.

9) By 1959 the League had grown to 26 teams from a total of 13 clubs., and from there it has grown to where it is today.