From Italian Connection To Becoming An Umpire, 10 Lesser Known Facts About Don Bradman On His 115th Birth Anniversary - In Pics

Don Bradman had Italian ancestry. Emanuel Danero, one of his ancestors, migrated from Genoa, Italy, to Australia in 1826, becoming one of the first Italians to do so.

 

Bradman's grandparents, John and Lucy Bradnam, were originally registered as Bradnam. The variation in the spelling of the surname was likely due to the illiteracy of the villagers, but Bradman it remained.  

The term "Bradmanesque" has made its way into the English language. It refers to a batsman or innings that resembles Sir Don Bradman's dominance over opposing bowlers.  

Bradman was offered a role in the movie "The Flying Doctor" in 1936. Although he signed a contract and participated in some cricket scenes, the film was not a great success.  

During the 1930 tour of England, a song called "Our Don Bradman" was composed by Jack O'Hagan in honor of Bradman's exceptional performance, where he scored 974 runs in the series.  

Bradman never played in India but faced Indian all-rounder Nazir Ali during the Australians' Ashes tour of 1930. Nazir Ali dropped Bradman but later caught him for a revenge dismissal.  

Bradman passed the umpiring test conducted by New South Wales Cricket Association in 1933, making him a fully qualified umpire, although he never umpired at the First-Class level.  

In 1938-39, during a match for South Australia against New South Wales, Bradman kept wickets for the only time in his First-Class career. This brief wicketkeeping stint coincided with a remarkable batting sequence.  

Lauda Air (now Austrian Airlines) named a Boeing 777-2Z9 aircraft 'Sir Donald Bradman' in honor of the cricket legend. It operated a route from Vienna to Sydney and Melbourne.  

A rose variety named 'Sir Donald Bradman' was created in June 2002 by Meilland International SA. It is a deep red rose with large blooms and a heavy fragrance, making it suitable for cutting and vases.