Crane was Australia's Grand Old Man of Chess. "In 1887 - when 36 years of age- he won the Australasian chess championship, at Warnambool, Victoria, in open competition with the local champions of the six Australian States, and of New Zealand," reported the SMH. "He held the championship for a number of years, and was then beaten in a straight-out match by the late Mr Jacobsen."Crane was matched with J.L. Jacobsen again in 1897. "Mr Jacobsen has won several championship tournaments, but his recent victory over Mr Crane by seven games to one, and one draw, for the championship of Australasia, was a surprise to most people," declared the Daily Telegraph. Crane, however, never lost interest in chess, continued to take part in interstate contests until,about two years before his death, and was looked upon as the "doyen of Australian chess," wrote the SMH. "He earned his crust on the literary staff of the S.M. Herald which he served for 36 years," The Bulletin stated. "In his younger days he was a notable cricketer; and he likewise was an expert judge of dogs and poultry." "And frequently his services were requisitioned as judge at the Royal Show, Sydney, and other shows in New South Wales and other States, and his decisions were always accepted without demur," added The Daily Telegraph."He was a son of the late William Crane, one of Sydney's first
stipendiary magistrates, and his personal liking for the law led him into journalistic work that kept him in daily attendance at the Supreme Court, where he earned the esteem and friendship of judges, barristers, and solicitors," the Daily Telegraph related. The SMH described him as having "grey hair and long grey moustache" and wrote "his illness was a short but painful one." Attendance at his funeral included representatives of journalism, chess and sporT.

Crane was Australia's Grand Old Man of Chess. "In 1887 - when 36 years of age- he won the Australasian chess championship, at Warnambool, Victoria, in open competition with the local champions of the six Australian States, and of New Zealand," reported the SMH. "He held the championship for a number of years, and was then beaten in a straight-out match by the late Mr Jacobsen."Crane was matched with J.L. Jacobsen again in 1897. "Mr Jacobsen has won several championship tournaments, but his recent victory over Mr Crane by seven games to one, and one draw, for the championship of Australasia, was a surprise to most people," declared the Daily Telegraph. Crane, however, never lost interest in chess, continued to take part in interstate contests until,about two years before his death, and was looked upon as the "doyen of Australian chess," wrote the SMH. "He earned his crust on the literary staff of the S.M. Herald which he served for 36 years," The Bulletin stated. "In his younger days he was a notable cricketer; and he likewise was an expert judge of dogs and poultry." "And frequently his services were requisitioned as judge at the Royal Show, Sydney, and other shows in New South Wales and other States, and his decisions were always accepted without demur," added The Daily Telegraph."He was a son of the late William Crane, one of Sydney's first
stipendiary magistrates, and his personal liking for the law led him into journalistic work that kept him in daily attendance at the Supreme Court, where he earned the esteem and friendship of judges, barristers, and solicitors," the Daily Telegraph related. The SMH described him as having "grey hair and long grey moustache" and wrote "his illness was a short but painful one." Attendance at his funeral included representatives of journalism, chess and sporT.