For whatever rationality — perhaps because writing can be a rather solitary speculation — literary types have long cumulate together in hunting of other pursuit . A modern example is Stephen King ’s band , The Rock Bottom Remainders . Members of the striation have ebbed and course over the years , but thelineuphas at various time included Amy Tan , Mitch Albom , Dave Barry , Ridley Pearson , Matt Groening , James McBride , and Scott Turow .
But in the late eighties , writers could n’t exactly pick up an electric guitar to blow off some steam . Instead , J.M. Barrie , author ofPeter Pan — who was born on this day in 1860 — decide to form an amateur cricket team , and inscribe many of his famous Quaker to fall in him .
Just like The Rock Bottom Remainders , the batting order was constantly revolving . A few of the writer that participate included :
intend to prod fun at their own ability , the mathematical group called themselves the “ Allahakbarries . ” They wereunder the impressionthat “ Allah akbar ” meant “ Heaven help us ” in Arabic . ( It really means “ God is great . ” )
As you might expect , the gymnastic performance of such an eclectic group of creatives was a bit of a sundry base . While some member of the squad , include Arthur Conan Doyle , were quite skilful at cricket , others were not so athletically inclined . One show up in pajamas , and Barriediscoveredthat another did n’t know which side of the bat to off with .
Though he was a good player , Conan Doyle had his share of mishap , too — like the time he unexpectedly set himself on fervour while play a non - Allahakbarries compeer . He was up to bat , and the sales pitch gain him in the second joint , strike a box seat of match he had in his pocket . In hisown words :
once in a while , the Allahakbarries were even the more experient squad . When they played a squad called the Artists , one of their players wasoverheardtalking about how he was n’t about to sacrifice his catamount ’s handwriting for “ a dirty leather ball . ”
But from their debut in 1887 until their final mates in 1913 , the squad was never overly interested about bring home the bacon . “ We played in the honest-to-goodness style , caring little about the biz and a unspoiled deal about a jolly clip and pleasant scenery , ” Conan Doyle laterwrote . “ There were many impulsive occurrent , which were good fun if they were not proficient cricket . ”
