Frank Thomas

Walton Notable Sports Figures
“Bill Walton: Biography.” Bill Walton Web site. http://
www.www.billwalton.com/bio.html (October 5,
2002).
Biography Resource Center Online. http://www.galenet.
galegroup.com (October 5, 2002).
“Jack Ramsay.” Basketball Hall of Fame. http://www.
hoophall.com/halloffamers/Ramsay.htm (October 9,
2002).
“Page 2: 10 Burning Questions for Bill Walton.”
ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/page2/s/questions/
billwalton.html (October 8, 2002).
Shane Warne
1969-
Australian cricket player
Sketch by Don Amerman
One of the greatest leg-break bowlers in the history of
cricket, Australian Shane Warne almost singlehandedly
revived the audacious style of leg spinning, combining
devastating deliveries with pinpoint control. A favorite
to break the world record for wicket-taking in Tests, the
outspoken and controversial Warne was selected as one of
the five top cricket players of the twentieth century.
Revives Leg Spinning
From his earliest days in cricket, Warne had a reputation
as a carouser. He attended Australia’s prestigious
Cricket Academy but was expelled for “indiscipline.”
Reportedly Warne spent too much time drinking and
partying.
Warne made his Test debut for Australia versus India
on January 2, 1992. Immediately he began a national
sensation. He revived the nearly dying bowler’s craft of
leg-spinning, and eventually some experts claimed he
was the best leg-break bowler ever. Leg spinning requires
incredible control, and Warne combined it with
wrist spinning—bowling out of the back of the hand
with a cocked wrist. His style was one of the most difficult
to master. Most wrist spinnners have to sacrifice
control to get their bowls to break, but Warne combined
exceptional control with pronounced and devastating
spins. He could fire the ball at the batsmen’s legs and
still get it to curl back and hit a stump.
Warne also mastered the difficult “flipper,” a delivery
which starts with a long, lazy hop before diving fast and
low past the batter. He also could bowl a “googly,” a ball
delivered to look like a leg break but which turns the
other direction at the last moment. Varying his pace and
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Shane Warne
flight, Warne was a master of deception and a sensational
bowler who delighted crowds by making opposing
batsmen look foolish. He was also a competent righthanded
batsman who could hit the ball hard, and he
often pinch-hit during one-day games.
“Hollywood”
Warne represented a new generation of bowler, even
though his style harkened back to the classic days of the
sport. He invaded the conservative sport with his posterboy
looks, dyed blonde hair, and an ear stud. Warne
often wore zinc-colored face paint to protect his cheeks
from the sun. Lots of young Australian boys imitated his
look and tried to mimic his unorthodox bowling style.
Warne remained a sex symbol in Australia even as his
paunchy stomach grew bigger and even after he and his
wife, Simone, had three children, Brooke, Jackson, and
Summer. Something of a showoff, Warne was a largerthan-life
presence on the pitch and was nicknamed
“Hollywood.” Fans either loved or hated him, and he became
one of the game’s most popular draws.
He also rewrote the cricket record book. In 1992
Warne became Australia’s top wicket taker and remained
so for many seasons. In 1998 he underwent
shoulder surgery. But the following year he led Australia
to victory in the World Cup. He was named Man of the
Match twice in the World Cup, in the semifinal against
Australia and in the final against Pakistan.