Float Woods

Article summary

Joseph 'Float' Woods (born about 1872 in Barbados, death details unknown) was a West Indian cricketer best known as a member of the 1900 West Indian tourists to England. He was of one the first West Indian fast bowlers to gain recognition outside the region. Apologising for the lack of a photograph, Cricket in 1900 says "that Woods is a fine specimen of the darkest of the coloured natives of the West Indies, that is to say, he is very dark indeed. He has a good figure, which denotes strength in every movement. He is very solidly built, and is of medium height. When his face is in repose one can plainly see that his disposition is phlegmatic, but when it lights up it is full of intelligence. He speaks English accurately but slowly, and as may be imagined he does not make long speeches. His bowling is too well known to need description, and all that need be said about it is that when bowling fast he comes across from the leg, while his slow ball comes in from the off. Although – or perhaps because – he takes a very short run, he makes a pretty big hole in the ground". He took up the game about the age of 15 and was largely self-taught. The origin of his nickname is something of a mystery although it is reported that "His nickname was Float, after a local delicacy, as an Englishman might be called Chips from fish-and-chips".…

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1872 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1872". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
4. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1375662319