Sir Donald Bradman is the most iconic figure in Australian sporting history and his impact was significantly greater than just his batting records. He came to epitomise excellence with his mastery of batting and he embodied the traits that Australians hold dear – great character, humility, bravery, tenacity and self-belief.
Sir Donald played cricket for Australia between 1928 and 1948, a period of great social and economic change. During this period, Australia was developing a strong sense of national identity and Bradman was a significant part of this. His success and records on the cricket field helped to unite Australians around a shared sense of national pride and identity and his performances were celebrated across the country.
In this episode, host Nick Flavel summarises Bradman’s impact on Australian culture and looks at the early stages of his career, from his ‘discovery’ at the age of 12 in Bowral to breaking world batting records by the age of 21. Nick reads from early press articles and match summaries as Sir Donald progresses from playing for Bowral to St George, NSW and finally, Australia.
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