Former New Zealand Cricket captain John R Reid is being remembered as a genuine legend of the game.
Reid - who led New Zealand to its first three test victories - died overnight Thursday in Auckland at the age of 92.
When Reid made his test debut on the tour of England in 1949, he did it all, batting, bowling and even taking the gloves in the fourth and final test.
News of his death hit NZ cricket legend Sir Richard Hadlee hard.
"You talk about John Reid as the all rounder, the game changer, an attacking and aggressive player and they're the type of qualities I think that inspired my type of play," Sir Richard tells Newshub.
"We have lost an iconic player. A legendary player."
In 1956, that legendary status was cemented in history, when Reid captained New Zealand to its first-ever test win.
He went on to win two more tests as captain, laying the platform for the victories to follow.
"He led by example," Sir Richard adds.
"You look at his first-class record particularly, he scored over 16,000 runs at a good average in the 40s… he got 466 first class wickets with a best bowling performance of 7-20."
Son Richard Reid was just a young boy when his father John retired from international cricket in 1965.
But photos of his career ensured he knew how great it had been.
"You knew he was special mainly because of the sort of people he played against and the deference they showed to him," Reid tells Newshub.
And it was that respect that kept Reid involved in cricket once he stopped playing.
Reid took up roles with both NZ Cricket and the ICC as an international match referee.
"Anyone that crossed the line, they certainly got the finger wagging of John Reid and a potential fine," Sir Richard recalls.
New Zealand's most famous cricket venue has long acknowledged his contribution to the game, with the J R Reid Gate at Wellington's Basin Reserve.
"We gathered by the southern gate this morning as a team just to spend a bit of time talking about his legacy both for Wellington and New Zealand," says wellington coach Glenn Pocknall.
John R Reid's legacy has been remembered by many.
"I think he'd like to be remembered as a good Kiwi that did his best all the time," says Reid.
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