 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | George Alfred Hele |
| Born | 16 July 1891 Adelaide, South Australia |
| Died | 28 August 1982 (aged 91) Preston, Victoria, Australia |
| Umpiring information | |
| Tests umpired | 16 (1928–1933) |
| FC umpired | 56 (1921–1934) |
Source: CricketArchive, 2 November 2012 | |
George Alfred Hele (16 July 1891 – 28 August 1982) was an Australian cricket umpire who umpired 16 Test matches between 1928 and 1933. He was most famous for his role in the infamous Bodyline series, played between Australia and England during the latter team's 1932–33 tour of Australia. From Adelaide, South Australia, Hele played club cricket, but retired at an early age after an injury. He also played Australian rules football for the West Torrens Football Club in the South Australian Football League (SAFL). He took up umpiring at club level in 1918, and progressed to first-class level shortly after, debuting as an umpire during the 1920–21 Australian cricket season. As South Australia's primary umpire, Hele served in almost every first-class match in the state during the 1920s, both in Sheffield Shield matches involving the South Australian cricket team and in state matches against touring international sides.
Hele made his Test umpiring debut in November 1928, during England's 1928–29 tour of Australia. He umpired in all five matches during the series, becoming the first person to do so. Subsequently, officiating in Australian series against South Africa and the West Indies, Hele was perhaps best known for his role in the Bodyline series, umpiring all five Tests during the controversial series. Although maintaining his neutrality throughout the series, he later said he had been "horrified" at the intimidatory bowling tactics utilised by England's captain, Douglas Jardine, and had "never seen more vicious bowling". Hele later moved to Victoria, and officiated his last first-class match in early 1935. Throughout his life, he had been an avid collector of cricket memorabilia and writing, including souvenirs personally received from players he had umpired. During his umpiring career, he was also said to have possessed "one of the finest cricket libraries in Australia".