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Cricket not as painful as signing: Bird
Jan 06, 2001, 15:30 Hrs (IST)

London: Former Test match umpire Dickie Bird's signing spree has shown that signing too can be painful and put the person out of action. Bird has signed thousands of his autobiographies at shops throughout Britain, Australia and New Zealand and this has put him out of action.

After worsening problems with his right hand he was finally bowled by a marathon session in Milton Keynes, UK before Christmas during which he signed more than 1,700 copies of his latest work 'White Cap and Bails'.

The 67-year old Yorkshireman said, "I don't just sign my name, I write messages and good wishes. At the end of the session I felt faint with pain and could not even hold a pen."

Even hours of cricket could not be as painful as signing, Bird says, "It's amazing. I was involved with cricket for 50 years as a player and umpire and never even had a broken finger or problem with my hands."

"My index finger was my trademark as an umpire and I would have no chance of sending a batsman back to the pavilion now," quipped the man, who remains the most famous umpire ever.