Hobbs Passes Grace's 126 Centuries at Taunton — 17 August 1925

W.G. Grace had ended his career in 1908 with 126 first-class centuries, a figure widely thought beyond reach. Hobbs, born in 1882 and a Test cricketer since 1908, had moved past Grace's records steadily through the early 1920s, his quiet professionalism contrasting with the Doctor's grand-manner amateurism.

Hobbs had begun the 1925 season needing 16 centuries to pass W.G. Grace's career mark of 126 first-class hundreds. The chase had become a national story: the press travelled with him to every Championship match, and at Saturday play on 15 August he had gone past Grace's seasonal mark already with his 14th of the year. He came to Taunton three short.

In the first innings of Surrey's match against Somerset he scored 101 to equal Grace's career record. The Somerset crowd applauded him to the pavilion; the press boxes filed copy through the night. The following morning, opening Surrey's second innings, he reached the equalling century with a single off Bridges, then went on to make another 101 not out — his 127th first-class century, the new world record.

The achievement transcended cricket. King George V sent a telegram of congratulation; Grace's surviving brother E.M. Grace wrote a public letter; the entire country's evening newspapers led on the story. Hobbs went on to make 16 centuries in the 1925 season alone, and finished his career in 1934 with 197 first-class hundreds, a figure that has never been approached in the post-1934 era.

“I am pleased above all that the matter is now finished. The strain of the last weeks has been more than I expected.”

Hobbs continued to score hundreds at a rate unmatched in English cricket. By the end of 1925 he had 16 hundreds for the season, an English seasonal record at the time. He played Test cricket until 1930 and county cricket until 1934, finishing with 197 first-class hundreds and 61,760 runs.