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Sir Arthur Sims (27 July 1877 – 27 April 1969) was a New Zealand first-class cricketer, businessman and philanthropist.
Arthur attended his local school until he won a scholarship to Christchurch Boys' High School.Mitchell, pp. 24–25. He moved to Christchurch in 1890, boarding with family friends during the school term and returning home during the holidays.Mitchell, p. 27. He played for the school First XI for several years, scoring over 1000 runs and taking over 100 wickets in his last two years and captaining the team in his final year, 1895.Mitchell, p. 30. After he left school, John Grigg helped him find a clerical position with the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company in Christchurch.Mitchell, pp. 33–34.
While working at the meat works Sims studied in the evenings at Canterbury College. He gained his BA and continued on to an MA. After that he studied accountancy and became a qualified accountant.Mitchell, pp. 36–38.
After his playing days, Sims had a long career as a cricket administrator. He was president of the New Zealand Cricket Council in the late 1930s,Mitchell, p. 151. and after the Second World War he spent two decades as New Zealand's representative on the Imperial Cricket Conference at Lord's. Wisden 1970, p. 1026. In the 1930s he urged the English authorities to add a short tour of New Zealand to their regular tours of Australia; they acceded, and it became standard practice.Mitchell, p. 145.
Sims was Knight Bachelor in the 1950 New Year Honours "for services to medicine and education in the British Commonwealth."
A biography, 84 Not Out: The Story of Sir Arthur Sims, Kt. by Alan Mitchell, was published in 1962.
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