M.G.’Mike’ Free
Mike originated from the Leeds area, where he played for Oulton CC whilst still at school. In 1971 he came to Hull for the first time to attend the former College of Education on Cottingham Road, where he met fellow ERCUSA colleague Roger Pugh. Both were involved in the college cricket team throughout their three years at the college – Mike as an upper-order batsman, seam bowler, and, for two years as captain, and Roger as umpire. After leaving college, Mike took a teaching post in Leytonstone, and played for Loughton CC in the Essex League. He also got in some valuable officiating experience as a football referee.
Mike married Lesley in 1977 and returned to Hull in 1979 when joined the Hull YPI club. He played for YPI for 25 years, mainly in the No 2 side (including five years as captain), but was a first team regular from 1986 to 1990. By this time he had concentrated on his batting, and was a resolute opening or No 3 right hand batsman and a good enough wicket keeper to keep for the first XI. Mike also served the Club as Secretary and Vice Chairman, and was the Assistant Secretary of the Hull & YPI club after the merger. In 2009 he was elected an Honorary Life Member of the club, after thirty years service. On retiring from playing in 1999 he took up umpiring. A very capable umpire, he could have gone higher in the umpiring world had he wished to do so.
In addition to his umpiring, Mike has given ERCUSA years of dedicated and reliable service first as treasurer – a post he has held from 2000 to the present day – and secondly as training officer. Following the untimely death of Colin Wiles in 2000, Mike filled the breach by helping Roger Pugh run the annual umpires training classes, and he subsequently took over as ERCUSA training officer when Roger stood down in 2006. He has recently become an ECB ACO Observer.
In the last couple of seasons, Mike has been less active on the field of play, but he still gives stalwart service to the Association through his treasurer and training duties, in addition to which he has redesigned and rewritten the Association’s website, and is currently working on a 60th Anniversary history of the Association, and a history of Hull YPI CC.
Contributed by Roger Pugh