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What would you do if you were a Cricket Captain and wanted to protest against Hitler?

Organise a cricket match in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin of course!

On this blog I intend to tell this story, as I find out about it by visiting the Olympic Stadion in Berlin in 2022 (Covid delayed from 2020). I know it happened as I was there. It was a treat (I think!) for my 9th birthday when we were living in Germany. And it only happened because of Queen Elizabeth II official birthday (I’ve just found out) held on 11th June 1960. The ground pictured above was made available for the “Trooping the Colour” parade on the Queen’s official birthday held on the Saturday.

My father WOI Ronald Thomas Garnett organised this protest cricket match on Sunday 12/6/1960; an Olympic year. I think he was also protesting against the politicisation of sport. He had been an Olympic triallist at 5000 metres but had been beaten by Gordon Pirie. Pirie became a bronze medalist and broke 10 world record. My Dad captained cricket teams…

Fred Garnett 11/11/20