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Craftsman who was a hit with the batsmen
A LEGENDARY maker of cricket bats who forged friendships with many high-profile players has died at the age of 66.
Former England cricket captain Alec Stewart was among the stars who paid tribute to Eric Loxton, of Wakefield, who spent 45 years making bats for the Slazenger company.
Mr Loxton, who started making cricket bats for Alec when he was just 14, died at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield of lung cancer.
Former Worcestershire batsman Rodney Cass also made the journey to the funeral, while Mr Loxton's wife of 48 years, Christine, received messages from Test players Mark Ramprakash and Angus Fraser.
She said: "My husband made every bat Alec played with. He was given an award from the professional cricketers association, the Federation of International Cricket Associations, five years ago. It's usually given to cricketers who have achieved great things, but it was given to my husband for his dedication to the game and the bats he made."
Among the stories told at the funeral was of the day Eric was in the crowd at Scarborough and broke a finger catching a ball one of his customers hit into the crowd. "There's nothing wrong with that bat," he said approvingly.
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Mr Loxton was born in Flanshaw and lived in Wakefield all his life. He attended Snapethorpe School and earned England honours in cricket and rugby league before becoming a Slazenger apprentice. He started making hockey sticks and cricket bats at the Horbury factory, until the firm ceased production of hockey sticks.
He rapidly became one of the company's leading craftsmen and earned a reputation among top class cricketers for the quality of his work, as well as his sound advice.
Mr Loxton played rugby for Featherstone Rovers in the 1960s and also played cricket for Nottinghamshire but retired in 1977 through a back injury. He played league cricket until he turned 60, with clubs including Wakefield, Heckmondwike and Thornhill.
He met his wife on a blind date in Outwood, Wakefield, and leaves a daughter, Diane, son-in-law Stewart and granddaughter Millie, eight.
Mrs Loxton added: "He was a very loving and devoted husband and family man and Millie was the light of his life. When he finished playing cricket he played bowls. He would go up to Denby Grange with Millie – they both loved it. Whatever she wanted to do, he would do it with her."
Andy Turner, chairman of Denby Grange Cricket Club, said: "I had the pleasure of being on the same side and was amazed by his endless enthusiasm for the game."
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
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