HAROLD Dennis ‘Dickie’ Bird OBE came from humble beginnings before becoming a household name as the most famous cricket umpire of all time - but it was his kind and caring nature that will ensure his legacy lives on around the world.

Dickie died peacefully at his home in Staincross, aged 92, this week.

Despite being known globally he never forgot his roots.

He was the son of a miner and was always quick to let people know of his love for his hometown of Barnsley.

Dickie travelled the world as an umpire, taking charge of 66 Test matches and dozens of one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals.

But that wasn’t home for him - Barnsley was.

He left Raley Secondary Modern School when he turned 15 and was focused on making a career in sport but worked for a short time in a coal mine.

Dickie played cricket for Barnsley Cricket Club alongside Geoffrey Boycott and lifelong friend Michael Parkinson while they were in their teenage years.

He signed for his beloved Yorkshire in 1956 when he was just 19 and also played for Leicestershire in the County Championship between 1959 and 1964, after which he spent some time coaching, before turning his attention to umpiring.

That’s where Dickie made his name.

He is revered as a hero in India - and indeed almost anywhere he stepped foot - and tributes have poured in from across the globe following his death.

He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility and joy.

Dickie became a national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his eccentricities and warmth.

His autobiography sold over a million copies, and he remained a cherished figure in British sport and culture throughout his life.

And despite being so incredibly famous, he was kind-hearted, generous and had time for absolutely everything and everyone.

Most people in Barnsley will have met Dickie or at least know someone who has - and they won’t have a bad word to say about him.

If you stopped him in the streets he’d be more than happy to stop and chat and take a photo.

And that’s how he should be remembered.

As a man who gave his all for Barnsley and who cared deeply about people.

He was awarded the Freedom of Barnsley in 2000 - something he was incredibly proud of.

His sister, Marjorie Wyatt, said: “Dickie was always proud of putting Barnsley on the map - he was Barnsley through and through.

“He was very caring and used to bring us home souvenirs.

“I would wash his cricket whites and his famous white flat cap, and he always appreciated that they would be immaculate and he would be turned out the best.

“What I will remember most about him was that he was always good at making decisions.”

Dickie also had a huge passion for Yorkshire CCC and enjoyed a spell as president in 2014.

That was quite the honour for him - and a time he remembers fondly.

In 2015, he donated £125,000 to the county club to build a new balcony at Headingley, which was subsequently named after him.

Dickie has been a constant presence at Yorkshire games in recent years, including at Scarborough, a place he loved.

He will never be forgotten, and his popularity will be evident in the days and weeks to follow.

He/ received an MBE in/ 1986 and was later awarded an/ OBE in 2012 for services to cricket and charity.

He set up the Dickie Bird Foundation/ with the aim of helping financially disadvantaged young people to participate in sport and fulfil their ambitions.

Throughout the years, Dickie has donated £1m of his own money to children’s charities across the region.

He pledged more than £100,000 to Barnsley Hospital’s Tiny Hearts Appeal.

He didn’t have much growing up and that made him the person he was.

His father died young and his sister, Sylvia, died from a brain haemorrhage when she was 41.

It seemed that everything Dickie did was to support others - not himself.

He wasn’t a flash man, he was selfless and always put others first.

At a special Valentine’s Day event in 2020 to commemorate Barnsley Hospital reaching their £1m goal - in no small part thanks to Dickie’s generosity - he said that donating the money gave him ‘joy’.

And that legacy will continue to live on.

He has helped so many people in his 92 years - and nobody will ever be able to take that away from him.

It’s been quite the innings for quite the extraordinary man...

A book of condolence for Dickie will be open at Barnsley Town Hall starting today.

Members of the public will be able to pay their respections at the Lancaster Gate entrance, in Pals Square, from 8.30am to 4.30pm today and 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday.