History

Vigoro has a long, proud history in Australia and in 2020 Ipswich Vigoro celebrated its 90th anniversary!  Check out the Lost Vigoro Facebook page for some amazing historical images!

Article from the State Records Office of Western Australia - 24/5/2021

VIGORO - THE PEOPLE'S GAME

On the anniversary of Don Bradman scoring 252 runs for Australia against Surrey at Kensington Oval, London, in 1930, we turn to a little known form of cricket known as Vigoro.

Vigoro was invented by Englishman John Grant in 1901 and has been described as an attempt to merge cricket with tennis.

"Vigoro is a great improvement on the game of cricket and has the quality of rousing enthusiasm by its rapid and exciting character."

"Non-Stop Cricket."

"A Great Future."

Vigoro was notable for being a faster, shorter game than traditional cricket, with two bowlers bowling in turn from each end (rather than in overs) and using any action. Racquet-like bats were used instead of the traditional cricket bat.

Vigoro was the T20 of the early 1900s.

It was specifically marketed as a "people's game" which women were encouraged to play, Edwardian dresses and all.

Vigoro was also played indoors, pre-dating indoor cricket by some 60 years.

Although invented in England, it had limited success there but proved to be more popular in Australia. Mr Grant toured and gave demonstrations of the sport after World War I, with local promotion in Western Australia.

Vigoro continues to be played on the east coast of Australia today with Associations and tournaments in Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania.

Ref: https://archive.sro.wa.gov.au/.../quot-vigoro-quot-the...

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