ARTHUR OLIVER LODGE
7 April 1933 – 9 October 2022
The Club was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Arthur Lodge.
At 89 years of age Arthur was the oldest surviving Past Player and Life Member of North Perth/Joondalup.
Arthur was an accomplished left-hand batsman who played 234 matches for North Perth between the 1949/50 and the 1975/76 seasons. Arthur was also a wicket keeper for part of his career, and was an excellent gully fieldsman.
In First Grade cricket he scored 6,599 runs at an average of 27.38 with 5 centuries and 27 fifties. He also took 234 catches and 18 stumpings.
Arthur was a member of the Club’s back-to-back premierships in 1957/58 and 1958/59.
He was a key player in an era of strong teams fielded by the Club during the 1950s in which the Club featured in 5 grand finals (for 2 wins and 3 losses) and won 2 club championships (1950/51 and 1951/52).
Arthur made his First Grade debut as a 16 year old in the opening round of the 1949/50 season. Also making their debuts in that match were Gerry Connor and Hugh Bevan, both of whom would have long careers with the Club.
Arthur became a regular player in First Grade in 1950/51 and scored his maiden century (101 not out) as a 17 year old against West Perth (now Willetton) at Perth Oval. The West Australian newspaper report described the innings as a “patient and sound display” (2 January 1951).
His highest score was 148 made against Nedlands at Melvista Oval in the opening round of the 1959/60 season. The innings included 17 fours and took just 195 minutes, and involved a partnership of 220 runs for the 2nd wicket with Peter Wishart (70). The partnership remains a club record to this day.
Arthur’s best years with the bat were:
1957/58 season 480 @ 26.66
1958/59 season 515 @ 39.61
1959/60 season 429 @ 28.60
1963/64 season 646 @ 43.07
1964/65 season 431 @ 35.92
1965/66 season 517 @ 28.72
He was the club captain in 1960/61 and also for the 1962/63 and 1963/64 seasons. Arthur again took over the role of captain for the last 5 games of the 1966/67 season when the captain for that season, David Dyson, was called up for National Service.
Arthur retired at the start of the 1968/69 season, but made a brief comeback in the 1975/76 season playing a few more games for the Club.
First Class Career
Arthur also played 15 first class matches for Western Australia between 1958/59 and 1961/62 scoring 616 runs at an average of 26.78 with 4 fifties and 17 catches.
His highest score was 85 made against the Australian XI in March 1961 in a match played in Perth prior to the Australian team departing for England by ship from Fremantle. The bowling attack for the Australian XI in that game included Alan Davidson, Richie Benaud, Ken Mackay and Lindsay Kline.
Baseball
Arthur also represented the State in baseball playing in the Claxton Shield between 1955 and 1957.
Most recently we were lucky enough to have Arthur’s presence at the Clubs annual Centurion lunches where his wit and humour recounting stories of past glories both on and off the field were greatly appreciated by those in attendance.
A Club Legend!
RIP Arthur
