Few players have etched their names into the Chelsea history books in a manner as distinctive as Benjamin Howard Baker. Not only is he the only Chelsea goalkeeper to score a competitive goal (at the time of writing) but his legacy goes beyond the confines of the football pitch. Outside the footballing sphere, Baker set records as a track and field athlete and even dabbled in the likes of tennis and water polo. This extraordinary versatility and talent is why Howard’s career is well deserving of a closer look.
Benjamin Howard Baker was born in Liverpool on 13th February, 1892. Specifically, he was born down Worcester Drive in Anfield, a mere half an hour walk from where Goodison Park would open months later. There is some dispute about whether his surname was Baker, Howard-Baker or Howard Baker but the most convincing source suggests it was just Baker. Unlike some late bloomers, he showed off his athletic prowess in his developing years and by the age of 18 he claimed his first AAA Championships win in the high jump.
Bakers’s Football Career
Baker started his footballing life playing outfield. He represented Lancashire in 1911 and 1913 while playing at centre-half and even had trials for England playing in that position. Later, after stints with Liverpool Balmoral and Malbroough Old Boys, he signed a deal with Blackburn Rovers. Baker did not appear for Rovers before heading out for WWI naval military service, however. It was while on military duty as a minesweeper that Baker injured his ankle. The injury effectively ended his career as a centre half but the 1.88m tall Baker simply switched to playing in goal instead, such was his versatility.
Liverpool & Everton
Proving adept as a goalkeeper, Baker was signed to play for Liverpool’s reserve team before moving across the city to play for Everton. It was for the Toffees that the local lad enjoyed his first senior appearance, a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Despite the loss, Baker received a generous review in the Liverpool Daily Post for his performance. Although opportunities at Everton were limited, Baker was also on the books at amateur side Corinthians.
Chelsea
In October 1921, Baker moved to Chelsea, possibly because his family had business links in the capital or simply because the appeal of living in the Big Smoke proved too strong. It was at Chelsea where Baker enjoyed regular time on the pitch and he quickly established himself as a fan favourite. Despite his slightly dodgy ankle, the 6ft 2in keeper used his former experience as a centre half to act like a modern-day sweeper keeper. He would often run out of his area to clear the danger… and a long way out of danger at that: it was said at the time that Baker had the longest kick in the division.
The former Everton man became the first goalkeeper to score for Chelsea in a competitive game and at the time of writing it’s a feat no other Blues keeper has repeated. Baker managed this because he was given the job of converting a late penalty during a 1-0 win over Bradford City. His strike secured the victory that day but he was soon taken off penalty duties following a miss against Arsenal later in the season.
International
On an international level, Baker secured two full caps for England, with his debut coming in a friendly versus Belgium in May 1921. There was a long wait for his second Three Lions appearance, with this coming in a Home Championship clash with Northern Ireland in October 1925.
Athletics
Baker was the AAA (an annual national track and field competition) high jump champion on six occasions between 1910 and 1921. At Northern Counties Championships he won the 120-yard hurdles, the high jump and the discus as well as claiming a long jump win in the 1920 Northern Olympic trials. Although a talent at many track and field events, it was the high jump which was Baker’s true speciality. In this discipline improved the British record three times and his best effort (1.95m) stood from 1921 until 1946. While this is comfortably below the current British record, Baker set his personal best before the days of the Fosbury flop.
Baker represented Great Britain in jumping events at the 1912 and 1920 Olympics. He did not have the best time initially, finishing 16th (of 17) in the 1912 Standing High Jump and was 11th (the worst finalist) in the high jump. The Stockholm Olympics proved better for him though as he managed to finish eighth from 21 jumpers in the triple jump and sixth from 22 in the high jump.
Cricket, Tennis & Water Polo
If being extremely good at football and athletics was not enough, Baker also enjoyed success in several other sports. In cricket, he represented Liverpool Cricket Club where he racked up two centuries and later became the club’s vice president. In tennis, he won the Welsh Covered Courts lawn tennis doubles title in 1932 and competed in the 1929 Northern Qualifying Tournament for Wimbledon. In water polo, he played in goal for the Lancashire district Water Polo team and came close to representing England in the sport.
Baker’s Family Business
How Baker had time for anything else other than sport is hard to imagine but the multi-talented man found a way. In addition to his sporting exploits, he also helped run his family’s soap and chemicals business. At the time the company was responsible for one of the big deodorants of the day, ‘Aunt Sally’.
He continued to have a hand in the family business following his sporting retirement and became a renowned businessman in the Liverpool area. Perhaps owing to his favourable genetics, Baker lived to the ripe old age of 95, passing away on 10th September 1987.
A Life Well Lived
Although no longer a household name as he was at the time, Benjamin Howard Baker is arguably one of Britain’s best all-round sportsmen ever. It is something that seems impossible to be repeated as footballers do not have the time, nor likely the ability, to dabble in other sports at such a high level.
To read more about this brilliant individual, there is an extensive book about him called Benjamin Howard Baker, Sportsman Supreme written by Bob Phillips.