Born at 20 September 1876 at Arnold, Henry Anthony represented the XXII Colts in 1892 and 1893. He was on the ground staff at Old Trafford in 1894 and was given a further Notts trial v Yorkshire Colts in 1895. He eventually made his Notts debut in June 1898 v Kent at Trent Bridge. He became the first - and currently one of only six - Notts players to take a wicket with his first ball in First-Class cricket when he bowled Gerry Weigall of Kent. His First-Class career was, however, confined to four matches, all for Notts, the last one in June 1902 v Sussex at Trent Bridge. He scored 52 runs @8.66 and took two wickets @40.50.
He also appeared for Notts v Worcestershire at New Road in 1899 scoring 14 and 1no and v West Indies at Trent Bridge in 1900, scoring 26. Having represented Notts Amateurs CC and Notts Castle CC, he was engaged at Norton CC in 1903 and Halifax CC in 1905. In 1907 and 1908 he played for Lowerhouse CC in the Lancashire League. In 1913 and 1914 Anthony was engaged by Huyton CC in Liverpool. He appeared in three games for Cheshire CCC in 1919 and 1920. In 1920 he was playing club cricket at Winnington Park CC.
He was a right hand bat and a right-arm medium pace bowler; and died on 13 July 1928 in Mansfield aged 51 years.
He was a nephew of Alfred Anthony (Notts 1875-76) and younger brother of George (Notts 1900-1905). His younger brother Walter, an outside left, won a Football League championship medal with Blackburn Rovers in 1912 having previously played for Brighton & Hove Albion and who started career in 1904 with Nottingham Forest (six league appearances). It is believed that Henry Anthony supervised the laying down of the original turf in 1923 at Maine Road, home of Manchester City Football Club for 80 years until they moved in 2003.
May 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 254