Kenneth "Ken" Alan Archer AM (born 17 January 1928 in Yeerongpilly, Queensland) is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in five Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951. His younger brother Ron Archer played 19 Tests for Australia between 1953 to 1956.
Archer toured to South Africa in 1949-50, but was not selected for the Test team. He made his Test debut in the second test of the 1950–51 Ashes series series against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Despite moderate scores in that match, and the third test at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the fourth test at the Adelaide Oval, he was then dropped from the team. He returned for the first two tests against West Indies in 1951-2, but failed to make an impression and did not play Test cricket again.
Archer was an outstanding fielder, and was offered a contract to play professional baseball in the U.S. He played in the Lancashire League in 1954, for Accrington.
He became a media executive after his retirement from cricket.
On 26 January 1980, Archer was named a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of services to the media. On 14 July 2000, Archer was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his cricketing achievements.
Famous quotes containing the words ken and/or archer:
“Is America a land of God where saints abide for ever? Where golden fields spread fair and broad, where flows the crystal river? Certainly not flush with saints, and a good thing, too, for the saints sent buzzing into man’s ken now are but poor- mouthed ecclesiastical film stars and cliché-shouting publicity agents.
Their little knowledge bringing them nearer to their ignorance,
Ignorance bringing them nearer to death,
But nearness to death no nearer to God.”
—Sean O’Casey (1884–1964)
“I was allowed to ring the bell for five minutes until everyone was in assembly. It was the beginning of power.”
—Jeffrey Archer (b. 1940)