C.B. Fry was Captain of England at cricket, played football for England and became the joint-holder of the world long-jump record. But he was much more than a sportsman. He won a major scholarship to Oxford, where his friends numbered Max Beerbohm, Hilaire Belloc and F.E. Smith and his nicknames included "Lord Oxford" and "Almighty". He wrote several books, including an autobiography and a novel, while he was one of the most successful journalists of his day. He was a friend of many prominent Labour and Liberal politicians, but flirted with Fascism, meeting Hitler in 1934. He tried out for Hollywood, represented India at the League of Nations, and stood for Parliament three times.