The Spirit of Cricket will sponsor a daily match award at the upcoming Over-50s Cricket World Cup in Cape Town from 6 – 20 March 2023.
At the conclusion of each game, the umpires will award the "Spirit of Cricket" to the player who played the game within the spirit and be presented a pair of "Red Socks" for their contribution to the day's game.
Approximately three months ago, the Spirit of Cricket approached Roger Moult, Tournament Director of the Over-50s World Cup in South Africa, to develop a partnership on the biggest stage in veteran's cricket.
Roger suggested a partnership with "Red Socks," a charity he passionately supports. Spirit of Cricket jumped at the opportunity that aligned with a similar vision and attributes as the Red Sock message.
"At the Spirit of Cricket, we have been looking for opportunities to develop our brand internationally. The World Cup in South Africa is the perfect platform to commence this journey," concluded Anthony Telfer, Spirit of Cricket Founder.
"It's fantastic to align a World brand like the Spirit of Cricket with Red Socks and promote this throughout the World Cup in South Africa," commented Roger.
As the legend goes…
'The original 'red sockers' were Sidney Feinson and two fellow South African friends who became friends while being held captive in a prisoner of war camp in Italy during WWII, following their capture during the Battle of Tobruk.
After 12 months of imprisonment, Feinson and the two other prisoners of war managed to escape with the help of a young Italian girl and a priest. Their traumatic journey after their escape as they headed towards the Swiss border, hiding in homes and churches of courageous Italians whose villages were overrun by German soldiers, was a harrowing but heart-warming one.
The soldiers made a pact that should they return home alive, and they would wear red socks to remember each other and always 'be together.'
This courageous journey and story of 'togetherness' was brought to life many years later in 2007, when two friends, John McInroy and Ian Symons, sought a way to honour and celebrate life through their own friendship. Hearing the tale of the original red sockers, they gave each other a pair of red socks and vowed to wear them every Friday. By doing this small, inconsequential thing, they committed to consciously connect, remember and celebrate their friendship and always 'be together' no matter where they might be.
In a world of disconnection, it's a simple act that allows us to feel connected to each other. By wearing red socks, we can consciously acknowledge unique connections near and far and remember loved ones no longer with us. As a result, Red Sock Friday (also known as Shooops!) was born, but over the years, it has meant so much more to all who have chosen to put on a pair of red socks…
A red pair of socks is the perfect way to promote the partnership and also further enhance the characteristics of the Spirit of Cricket throughout the 2023 World Cup.
Red Socks can be supported and purchased online at