George Thoms was born on 22 March 1927 at
Footscray, Melbourne. His parents James and Myrtle ran a milk
bar and young George grew up with little expectation. “In the
western suburbs then the ambition of every mother and father
was for their son to do the intermediate, then join a bank or
the public
service” said George. However, his older
brother Jim persuaded him to do the leaving certificate.
George progressed to graduate at RMIT with an engineering
diploma and then decided to study medicine at the Melbourne
University.
While studying George played cricket for the
University Cricket Club. His cricket career progressed to such
an extent that he was selected to play as a right hand opening
batsman for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield competition.
Meeting expenses was difficult. A scholarship paid for his
tuition fees, and his living expenses were helped by receiving
10 pounds for each Shield match and in the winter 5 pounds for
umpiring amateur football.
A sympathetic Professor Sid Sunderland allowed
George to sit exams privately when they clashed with cricket
matches. This enabled him to score his highest first class
innings of 150 in Perth and impress the Test selectors. In
January 1952 he was selected to open the batting for Australia
in the Fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground against the
touring West Indies. With Colin Mc Donald and Ritchie Benaud
the three made their debut.
George made 14 and 28 runs in helping Australia
to victory and a series win of 4-1.As this was the last Test
in the series, George was not selected to play for Australia
again. He played 19 first class matches for Victoria scoring
1137 runs for an average of 35.53, bowled right off breaks
taking 1 for 14 runs, and 10 catches.George later played for
Essendon.
In late 1954 the clash between cricket and being
a surgeon came to a head when his senior surgeon gave him an
ultimatum and his cricket career came to a close. George went
on to become the only test cricketer to have been a
gynaecologist. As an eminent surgeon he introduced the concept
of laser surgery in Australia in the mid
1970s.
As Test player 192 George attended the Test
cricketers’ reunion in Sydney on 11 July 2003. He passed away
peacefully on 29 August 2003 leaving his wife Felicity and
children Jacqueline, Gordon and Geordie, father-in-law of
David and Bronwyn and grandfather of Jessica, Catherine,
Alexandra and Charlie.
Cricket Australia chairman Bob Merriman said
“George was a great man with a glorious sense of humour, who
always gave his full support and effort to his university,
club and national side. He was an excellent all-round
sportsman, not just on the cricket field, but he ultimately
chose to put his profession ahead of his cricketing
career.”
