Ben Tod

Ben Ross Tod (6 August 1908 — 3 June 1967) was a Scottish first-class cricketer and rugby player.

The son of Ross Tod,[1] he was born at Stockbridge in Edinburgh in January 1911. He was educated in the city at the Edinburgh Academy.[2] A club cricketer for Edinburgh Academical Cricket Club, he made his debut for Scotland against the touring Australians at Edinburgh in 1930. He played first-class cricket for Scotland until 1939, making eleven appearances; six of these were against Ireland, with four played against various touring teams, and one against English county side Yorkshire.[3] Playing in the Scottish side as a batsman, he scored 387 runs at an average of 22.76;[4] he passed fifty once, scoring 143 not out against Ireland in 1936. Having come to crease with Scotland at 58 for 5, Tod shared in a partnership of 190 for the sixth wicket with Alastair McTavish.[5] In his final first-class match in 1939, he captained the side against Ireland.[6]

Outside of cricket, he was a noted rugby player who played for Edinburgh Academical Football Club and the Barbarians,[7][1] and was a member of the 1929–30 Scottish Unofficial Championship winning side.[8] Tod served in the British Army during the Second World War, being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery shortly before the outbreak of the war.[9] Following the war, Tod was promoted to major in the Territorial Army in May 1947.[10] He was decorated with the Territorial Army Efficiency Decoration in April 1950.[11] Tod died in June 1967 in England at Belmont, Surrey. His brother, Rae Tod, was also a rugby player and was president of the Scottish Rugby Union.[7]