5:41pm Monday 1st February 2010
By Clive White
A beer brewed in honour of one of Yorkshire’s greatest cricketers will be unveiled by one of his closest friends.
Umpire Dickie Bird will be raising a tankard of Freddie Trueman Yorkshire Ale in Skipton on Wednesday, February 10, in memory of the Yorkshire and England cricketer.
It has been produced at the Copper Dragon Brewery in Skipton – rescued from liquidation last month following a £3 million deal to secure its future.
A statue of Mr Trueman will be unveiled in Skipton in March.
The first 200 bottles of the beer will be signed and numbered by head brewer Gordon Wilkinson and will be exclusively available to guests at a gala dinner in Leeds, which will raise cash towards funding the statue, backed by Northern Rail.
The gala will be attended by Mr Trueman’s widow Veronica and Yorkshire cricket legends Brian Close, Geoff Boycott and Ray Illingworth.
Mr Bird said: “It’s a great honour to be able to pay tribute to a character that lit up the game of cricket and I’m sure Fred would have wholeheartedly approved of an ale being brewed in his name.”
Mrs Trueman said: “Both Copper Dragon and Northern Rail have been extremely supportive in making sure Fred will be properly remembered and his legacy will live on in the form of a stunning statue and a traditional Yorkshire ale.”
Steve Taylor, managing director and founder of Copper Dragon, said: “We’re delighted to finally be able to launch the Freddie Ale, which has been two months in development.”
Mr Trueman, who lived near Skipton, was regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers. He died in in 2006, aged 75.
The £90,000 bronze statue by Graham Ibbeson will be unveiled on Thursday, March 18, at the Leeds-Liverpool canal basin.
For more details on the gala dinner, call (01562) 887323 or e-mail jwc@corstone.co.uk.
e-mail: clive.white@telegraphandargus.co.uk
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/trade_directory/