REG HAYTER RIP

Reginald James Hayter (4 December 1913 – 13 March 1994) was an English cricket journalist who founded his own sports' reporting agency. He was also editor of The Cricketer from 1978 to 1981.

Early life and career. 

Reginald Hayter became the PA's chief cricket reporter, as well as covering Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) overseas' tours for Reuters. On these tours, he formed close friendships with several of the England players, including Denis Compton, whom he referred to an agent after uncovering hundreds of Compton's unopened correspondence. 

In February 1955, Hayter formed his own agency named Hayters. He bought out the run-down agency business of retiring Bert Long and set-up in a single room located high above The Strand. The agency provided national and regional newspapers with coverage of sporting matches and events. It grew to became a renowned name in quality sports journalism as well as providing an excellent training ground for many young sports journalists and reporters to learn their trade. It was the starting place for the likes of Albert Sewell (the agency's first employee), Richard Keys, Gary Newbon, Steve Ryder, Martin Sewell and Henry Winter. 

At the time of Hayter's death, four of the national newspaper cricket correspondents had started their career's at Hayters (see above). 

Other roles: Hayter acted as an agent and advisor to many sportsmen including Basil D'Olivera, Ian Botham, Tony Greig, Henry Cooper and Bob Wilson. 

He ghostwrote and set up book deals for Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall, acted on behalf of Compton's great friends Bill Edrich and Godfrey Evans - whom he would also make a Brylcreem Boy. The boxer Henry Cooper and footballers such as Bob Wilson, Johnny Haynes and Malcolm MacDonald - with whom Hayter used to visit Luton Town Football Club to drink with club president and famous comedian Eric Morecambe - were clients, and many others bent his ear for advice. 

D'Oliveira was particularly grateful for Hayter's assistance, as he was guided through the crisis following his selection to tour apartheid South Africa. However Hayter's relationship with Botham and Greig ended sourly, the former switched to Lord Tim Hudson in pursuit of more lucrative opportunities while Hayter was unhappy that Greig had failed to inform him of an approach for World Series Cricket which apparently offended Hayter’s traditionalist sensibilities. 

Hayter wrote for the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack over many years and also ghost-wrote books for Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall. He was editor of The Cricketer from August 1978 to April 1981, a period in which the magazine reached record circulation numbers. Hayter played cricket for the British Empire XI during the War and appeared for Stanmore  C.C. into his sixties and was a President of the club. He was a member of the MCC and been made a life member by Surrey CCC in 1988. 

Reg Hayter spoke at Stanmore CC's annual dinner just two days before his death from cancer. 

He was married to Lucy Gray in 1932 and she helped with the accounts in the formative years of the agency, as well as raising their five children. One of his sons, Peter, would follow in his father's footsteps, completing an apprenticeship at Hayters, then going on to be cricket correspondent of the 'Mail on Sunday'. 

He partied hard and never retired, and his life's work - and play - is commemorated with the Reg Hayter Cup, awarded to the Professional Cricket Association's Player of the Year and with a plaque on the wall of the Lord's Media Centre.