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Harold Bird, fondly known as “Dickie” Bird, has died at 92.
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He officiated 66 Tests, 69 ODIs and three World Cup finals.
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His legacy as cricket’s most beloved umpire endures.
Harold Bird, known to fans and players alike as “Dickie” Bird, has died at the age of 92, Yorkshire County Cricket Club announced on Tuesday.
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His home county said the former Test umpire had died peacefully at home, and that cricket had lost “one of cricket’s most beloved figures”.
Bird made his name as an international official rather than as a player.
Harold Bird stood in 66 Test matches between 1973 and 1996 and took charge of 69 men’s one-day internationals, including appointments at three World Cup finals.
He became instantly recognisable by his trademark white cap and calm presence behind the stumps, and he sold more than a million copies of his autobiography.
“Dickie Bird enjoyed an illustrious career as an international umpire, writing his name into history as the most famous and popular official in the game’s history,” – the club said.
Yorkshire added that he had become a “national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his “eccentricities and warmth”.
“He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy — and a legion of admirers across generations,” – the statement added.
Bird’s connection with the county went deep.
He had a modest playing career for Yorkshire and Leicestershire before moving into umpiring, and he was named Yorkshire president in 2014.
Before his final Test, players from England and India formed a guard of honour for him at Lord’s.
Tributes came quickly. Former England captain David Gower hailed Harold Bird as “one of the best umpires ever to take the field”.
“He certainly set himself high standards as an umpire, but that smile on his face at all times, whether he’s giving you out or not out, whatever he was doing out in the middle, you just knew that Dickie was in the place that he loved best.” – he told the BBC.
Geoffrey Boycott, whose friendship with Bird stretched back to their Barnsley days, recalled Dickie’s gently eccentric humour.
“I would say, ‘My name’s not Gerald, it’s Geoffrey’,” – Boycott wrote in the Telegraph.
https://www.channelstv.com/2025/09/23/former-cricket-umpire-dickie-bird-dies-at-92/
“It made no difference telling him because he would then say, ‘OK, put the gloves on for me Gerald’. Dickie was a character and he was always fun. He was respected, admired and loved. He will be given a fond farewell.”
Graham Gooch added a lighter note, remembering how strange incidents seemed to follow Bird.
“At Headingley once they had a leaking pipe, right where Dickie was standing. Coming up like a sprinkler. It could only happen to him.” – said Gooch.
Barnsley Football Club said it would hold a minute’s applause before their League Cup tie against Brighton in his memory.
Harold Bird’s career, and the warmth he showed in public and private, ensures he will remain a vivid figure in cricketing history.
