More Trivia

[Ramit54]

In the first test against France in 1959, the French referee Georges Jameau ordered Harry Wells from the field.
"I won't go," Wells retorted."I didn't do anything wrong."
For several minutes, Jameau shouted at Wells in French and kept pointing at the dressing-rooms. But Wells just stood there shaking his head.
Eventually, Jameau gave up. He shook hands with Wells, patted him on the back and ordered play to resume.
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[Ramit54]

Harry Wells career came to an end after a leg operatio in 1972. He had 12 months remaining on a contract with the Port Macquarie club. But in an unselfish gesture, Wells did not claim his money for that last season on the understanding that the club made a $200 donation to help finance a local schoolboy chosen in the Australian High School team which was to make a trail blazing, and unbeaten tour of Britain. It was money well spent, for the name of that schoolboy was within three years to become almost as well known as Wells - Ian Schubert, the sensation of the 1975 world series.
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[legend]

They are great stories retread. Where do you get info on things like that. I love things like that as part of our game.

 

[Ramit54]

Legend i collect all kinds of rugby league books. I do a lot of reading.
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[legend]

Are the books hard to find Retread. I had a look at one I think was called the greatest game of all or 100 years of league. I can't remember what it was called but it was a glossy production and it had results up to 94-95.

 

[Ramit54]

I get most of my books from fetes, i have a few which were printed in the 60s and 70s given to me by my father. I have been looking in book stalls for the same kind of books but they don't seem to print that type of book any more.
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[Ramit54]

I have a book called Rugby League The Greatest Game Of All
written by Malcom Andrews. It was printed in 1981 and it has a history of the game, club records, every international tour match results and details, overseas round-up, famous matches, the all time greats. It has a little write up about all the players etc. But i don't seem to be able to find an updated version.
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[Ramit54]

Huddersfield was chosen for the meeting which led to the formation of Rugby League because, at the time, it was the acknowledged sporting capital of Northern England. Athletics festivals held on Hudderfield's Fartown ground were famous. In addition, the town was fairly close to the Lancashire border, with good rail connections to all major centres. And the George Hotel, scene of the meeting, was renowned for fine accommodation and conference facilities.
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[legend]

I love the history lessons about what happened to the game on and off the field. Great stuff.

 

[ozbash]

tiger, i have malcom andrews book called "The A-Z Of Rugby League" which was published in 1995. i find it to be a very good reference but have been told by those in the know that its not 100% accurate.dont really bother me as i have never been that accurate anyway
from front cover "andrews has written 13 books.these include light hearted looks at australian life compiled in tandem with the late bill mitchell when he was cartoonist for the australian_great aussie stuffups,great aussie trivia,great aussie sports heroes.
others include,encyclopedia of australian sports,, encyclopedia of australian cricket,,rugby league--the greatest game of all,,rugby league heroes,,101 australian sporting heroes,,and stampede-the year of the bronco,s.

do you have any kiwi books or double ups you would like to swap. i have 2 copies of "modern rugby league greats" by kiwi writer john coffey.in this book,coffey traces the carreers of 22 kiwis who have starred for club and country..

 

[G@v]

My favouritein my very small library of Rugby League books is 'The Story Of Australian Rugby League' by Gary Lester. It has some great photos and lots of info on the history of the game in Oz.My only gripe is it doesn't have an index.

 

[Ramit54]

Ozbash i don't have any double ups. If i do get some i will gladly send them to you.
Gav i have a book here written here by Gary Lester called The Sun Book of Rugby League. It has a history of rugby league and a write up of all clubs inNSW and Qld. Another book i find good reading is Rugby League Heroes written by Malcom Andrews. It is a profile of the all time greats.
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[mud n blood]

For what it's worth .....

I vaguely recall an interview on radio 4BC here in Brisbane some years back (1982 maybe?), with John McCoy and Bernie Pramberg talking to Greg Dowling after a match at Lang Park while playing for Wynnum-Manly .....

Dowling - "yeah, the level of the game you play at is inversely proportional to the number of your own teeth one keeps."

.................. what a classic !

 

[Ramit54]

Efforts to establish Rugby League in North America resulted in a tour of Australasia in 1953 by a group of gridiron players under manager-player Mike Dimitro.The tour was a failure, the Americans won just 7 of the 26 matches played and would have lost more but for the late inclusion of Australian players to bolster their lineups. One of the Americans, Al E. Kirkland, returned to Australia to play for Parramatta.
65,453 people turned up in sydney to watch theAmericans play Sydney, Sydney winning 52-25.
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[imported_The One]

"The record attendance for the Gabba was 47,800 in 1954, Australia v England, Australia won 39-21."

The new-look Gabba doesn't even hold a capacity of that size!! God knows how they packedin the crowdon that day.

 

[mud n blood]

I've seen a few old photos from that Gabba test, and they were literally hanging from the rafters and sitting on the grass right up to the sideline!!! That was a shitload of people .....

 

[Ramit54]

Country Rugby League officials tried in vain to bar former New Zealand star Gary Bailey from mixing socially with the 1967 Kiwis. Bailey, whose brother Roger was a member of the touring side, was playing in the rebel Murrumbidgee League in Southern NSW and as far as the officials were concerned a banned player. When they asked him to leave the New Zealand team's hotel in West Wyalong, many of the visitors who had been drinking with Bailey left too.
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[Ramit54]

In one match against South Sydney, Dan Frawley was playing on the wing outside Dally Messenger, Messenger was that day trying to do too much himself and rarely passed the ball to Frawley. Upset, the Easts fans began a chant: "Why don't they feed Frawley." His father was in the crowd, and eventually the chants of "feed Frawley" got on his goat. He turned to the barrackers and shouted: "I'll have you know i'm his father . And young Dan gets a pound of steak every day except Friday."
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[Ramit54]

On the night of the 1980 Tooth Cup Final, Peter Sterling was caught up in a traffic jam. He soon realised that by staying in his car he could miss the vital match. So he hailed a passing motor cyclist who mamaged to weave his way in and out of the traffic and get him to the ground on time. It was lucky he did. Sterling played an important role in Parramatta's 8-5 success over Balmain, and he was named superstar of the series, winning a European holiday for two.
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[Ramit54]

It was a close shave for Johnny Graves after the match against Huddersfield on the 1948-49 Kangaroo tour. Durong the match Graves knocked out Johnny Hunter, an Australian who was the darling of the Huddersfield fans. Hunter was carried off on a stretcher and the crowd was calling for Graves blood. At the end of the match, they climbed over the fence and headed for the Australian winger. The local secretary thought quickly and ordered the town band to strike up "God Save the King". As the fiercely patriotic English crowd stood to attention, Graves darted off the field to the sanctuary of the dressing room.
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