A story for Frank Keating

Here's a tale from a different era, about Cliff Morgan:

When Cliff Morgan made his debut for Wales in 1951, he caught the bus from his home in the Rhondda and travelled down to Cardiff with a full load of supporters.

"The bus was packed," he told me. "So I stood for the whole journey."

The letter from the secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union, Captain Arthur Rees, is a quaint reminder of how players used to be informed of selection. The note at the bottom reflects the austerity of those early post-war years:

"Please let me know by return of post whether you can attend. You are to wear the white-topped stockings issued for the Scotland match. Please do not forget them, as stockings have become very scarce."

It's a story Frank Keating would have enjoyed and might well have written about. Keating has died at the age of 75. He was a fine writer on cricket and other sports, and one featured on this blog on a number of occasions. (Thanks: RB / AM.)