Ralph Spraggon

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Ralph Spraggon (Ralph Dew Spraggon) was a New Zealand cricketer who played six first-class matches for Otago from 1894 to 1897. He was born in Dunedin on 13 August 1872 and died in Palmerston North on 11 September 1939, aged 67.

Spraggon moved to England as a boy and studied at the City of London School before returning to New Zealand to work as a commercial traveller for D. Benjamin & Co in Dunedin. He was known as a dashing batsman and capable fielder. In his first-class career he scored 125 runs with a highest score of 40 not out against Canterbury in February 1897, a lively innings at number nine that helped Otago win. Earlier that season he top-scored for Otago with 36 against the touring Australians, batting at number 12.

In 1898 he moved with his job to Wellington. He married Maud Carnell in Napier in February 1903. He later worked for the National Provident and Friendly Societies Department in Wellington for about 20 years. After time in Napier, where he was seriously injured in the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, he moved to Palmerston North to work for the Labour Department. He died there in September 1939, leaving a widow and their son.