Six Things, Volume 162

You, a knowledgeable, cosmopolitan human-of-the-world, were already no doubt well versed in the surprising art of Japanese train departure melodies. I, a bumbling ignoramus, was not.

Thanks to this video, I have seen the error of my ways and gone some way towards filling this deplorable lacuna.

Then, having watched it, I hastened to this site, unlocked the map by sending them my email address (honestly, no particular hardship given the wealth of their archive), and filled my boots. Not a moment regretted.

Bonus train-noise-related thing: Londoners might enjoy testing their knowledge of tube sounds with this quiz.

Garry Sobers died. He was, simply, the best cricketer of all time.

There’s not much to add, really, although as always when dealing with things crickety on here I find myself taken with the ludicrous and reprehensible urge to explain to non-crickety types just why this is so important. I shouldn’t, really. You’re perfectly happy in your non-cricketiness, and no doubt absolutely resistant to all attempts to explain its charms.

But still. Indulge me for a minute.

Think of an activity or discipline that you enjoy, that engages you, that you think of first when filling in the part of the form headed ‘Interests’.

Now imagine someone who has mastered every aspect of that field – not just one or two specialised aspects of it, but everything. And they’ve done it with ease, grace and charm – shirt collars up, slight smile on the lips, their absolute superiority worn lightly. Someone you would travel to see practising their craft, who makes the difficult seem easy, whose name draws a sigh from everyone involved in that activity, perhaps a faraway look.

That was Sobers.

This clip is perhaps the most superficial one to choose, but as this is Six Things, I could hardly ignore it. Cricket’s six sixes is the 9-dart finish, the 147 break – a small slice of perfection, unimprovable.

Sobers was the first to do it. Even now, nearly 60 years later, it’s only been repeated a handful of times. Think of it as art, or ballet. Or as a piece of television history – as the camera follows the ball after the fourth six, you can see someone’s washing in their back garden. Another time, another time…

And if that’s whetted your appetite, here are highlights of what most agree was his greatest innings, with some lovely chat to boot.

And finally finally, Gideon Haigh, writing in 2009, gets it right. Of course he does.

I’m a sucker for this kind of thing – interactive explanations of the workings of everyday mechanical items. So far they’ve done mechanical pencils, retractable pens, Zippo lighters, Pez dispensers and, most recently, pull-back toy cars.

Holes (deep)!

Holes (minigolf)?

Holes (sink).

You don’t have to be a tennis fan to appreciate this gallery of half a century’s worth of French Open posters.

Here’s a silly little game for you to play instead of watching the World Cup final. Just keep the ball in the air. The only problem is your goalie keeps getting smaller.