62 replies to this topic

[Donny Saint]

just been watching a programme r.e. title.[Chris Packham].It was quite a long film it was in black & white.The BBC commentators of that day mentioned there was a complete white out of all sport RL was mentioned being the fact that only one match was played in1963 it showed the ground involved,but did not recognise it, been thro all my records 1963 seems to be missing which is par for the course .Does anyone know of that match or find out while there is no games on yet. .Thank you.I am of that era.Roll on the season.

[Trojan]

just been watching a programme r.e. title.[Chris Packham].It was quite a long film it was in black & white.The BBC commentators of that day mentioned there was a complete white out of all sport RL was mentioned being the fact that only one match was played in1963 it showed the ground involved,but did not recognise it, been thro all my records 1963 seems to be missing which is par for the course .Does anyone know of that match or find out while there is no games on yet. .Thank you.I am of that era.Roll on the season.

Unfortunately I'm old enough to remember the winter of 1963 . The big freeze began with freezing fog on 21-12-62, we were due to play a curtain raiser at Mount Pleasant - the ground was like concrete, it was called off, we didn't play again until March. The only game of pro RL played between Christmas and March was the first round CC tie between Cas and Leeds although a fan of neither side I went.. I don't know how Cas got their ground "fit" for play. There wasn't a blade of grass to be seen. There were black patches of mud and occasional brown patches of sand. Lewis Jones scored a try by kicking through, the ball stuck in the mud and the Cas defence overan it. Lewis picked up the ball and scored under the sticks, the Cas fans snowballed him as he teed up the goalkick. I believe it was after this winter that Leeds installed the "electric blanket" at Headingley - the one at Murrayfield was mentioned in the programme. Great programme BTW, my wife was only saying the other day she couldn't remember the winter of 1963.

[southstand loiner]

Unfortunately I'm old enough to remember the winter of 1963 . The big freeze began with freezing fog on 21-12-62, we were due to play a curtain raiser at Mount Pleasant - the ground was like concrete, it was called off, we didn't play again until March. The only game of pro RL played between Christmas and March was the first round CC tie between Cas and Leeds although a fan of neither side I went.. I don't know how Cas got their ground "fit" for play. There wasn't a blade of grass to be seen. There were black patches of mud and occasional brown patches of sand. Lewis Jones scored a try by kicking through, the ball stuck in the mud and the Cas defence overan it. Lewis picked up the ball and scored under the sticks, the Cas fans snowballed him as he teed up the goalkick. I believe it was after this winter that Leeds installed the "electric blanket" at Headingley - the one at Murrayfield was mentioned in the programme. Great programme BTW, my wife was only saying the other day she couldn't remember the winter of 1963.

those black patches were because of the braziers that cas lit on the pitch to thaw it out

[Saint Billinge]

The Shay (Halifax) was used for ice skating during the big freeze of 1963 in order to generate much needed income.

[Old Frightful]

those black patches were because of the braziers that cas lit on the pitch to thaw it out

Is that a joke or do you actually remember this?

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

The things I remember about 62/63 were the school having to close mid-morning on a couple of days because the coke boilers couldn't get the classroom temperature above the upper forties (F) and the buses not running until late morning because the diesel had jellified in the fuel lines - and this was London!

[EdinburghExile]

Is that a joke or do you actually remember this?

Seems reasonable!

[Johnoco]

Is that a joke or do you actually remember this?

My brother always told me that they did this at football grounds, so I think it could well be true.

[roughyedspud]

Is that a joke or do you actually remember this?

rochdale hornets tried it a couple of years ago

[Terry Mullaney]

My brother always told me that they did this at football grounds, so I think it could well be true.

It is definitely true. I remember Fev doing it to get a game against Batley played in that particular season.

[Trojan]

The first game we played after the thaw was at Staincliffe. The ground was a quagmire. A kid went on at half time in his wellies and got stuck on the halfway line, he had to be lifted out of his wellies, then the wellies had to be excavated out of the mud.

[keighley]

Was that the year that Widnes were the only team playing regularly because they used chemicals forn the ICI factory in the town to melt the frost and they built up a big lead at the top of the league because they were the only team playing. As I remember it ruined the pitch at trhe ground in the process.

It may have been another year but it was a big big long freeze.

I went to that Castleford/leeds cup tie and the brazier thing is true. It was bitterly cold but the crowd was huge, well over 10,000 if I remember. Every junkie in Yorkshire who needed his RL fix was there.

[shaun mc]

I saw the programme and it was interesting that in the sports section that news of the cancellation of Rugby League games came before football!
My parents were married on 23/03/1963 the day after Workington Town managed to play their first game since before Boxing Day -a 22 a 20 victory at Wigan. My dad managed to get there and back as well and turn up for his wedding,

[southstand loiner]

Is that a joke or do you actually remember this?

what you doubt me ? im shocked
yes i do remember it and wearing short pants at the match

[Griff]

Is that a joke or do you actually remember this?

It's definitely true.

[Trojan]

Was that the year that Widnes were the only team playing regularly because they used chemicals forn the ICI factory in the town to melt the frost and they built up a big lead at the top of the league because they were the only team playing. As I remember it ruined the pitch at trhe ground in the process.

It may have been another year but it was a big big long freeze.

I went to that Castleford/leeds cup tie and the brazier thing is true. It was bitterly cold but the crowd was huge, well over 10,000 if I remember. Every junkie in Yorkshire who needed his RL fix was there.

I'd never been to Castleford before. We went on the train and walked from Cas station. I'd never seen so many pubs. There were pubs next to other pubs, next to further pubs, plus Working Mens Clubs too. Brought up as a Methodist in strait laced Morley where pubs were and still are thin on the ground (we still haven't got a Wetherspoons,) I was a little shocked!.
I dont recall any other games being played apart from the Cas - Leeds tie, but perhaps you're right about Widnes.

[keighley]

I'd never been to Castleford before. We went on the train and walked from Cas station. I'd never seen so many pubs. There were pubs next to other pubs, next to further pubs, plus Working Mens Clubs too. Brought up as a Methodist in strait laced Morley where pubs were and still are thin on the ground (we still haven't got a Wetherspoons,) I was a little shocked!.
I dont recall any other games being played apart from the Cas - Leeds tie, but perhaps you're right about Widnes.

This was when the mining industry was still booming. They worked hard, they played hard and they had money to spend. All my relatives are from Fev, coming from Keighley with no pub enteratinment those WMCs were a relevation. Some of the "turns" as they used to call the acts were top class.

[Griff]

I'd never been to Castleford before. We went on the train and walked from Cas station. I'd never seen so many pubs. There were pubs next to other pubs, next to further pubs, plus Working Mens Clubs too. Brought up as a Methodist in strait laced Morley where pubs were and still are thin on the ground (we still haven't got a Wetherspoons,) I was a little shocked!.
I dont recall any other games being played apart from the Cas - Leeds tie, but perhaps you're right about Widnes.

Some of those pubs are vets and chip oils now. Very sad.

[audois]

Was that the year that Widnes were the only team playing regularly because they used chemicals forn the ICI factory in the town to melt the frost and they built up a big lead at the top of the league because they were the only team playing. As I remember it ruined the pitch at trhe ground in the process.

It may have been another year but it was a big big long freeze.

I went to that Castleford/leeds cup tie and the brazier thing is true. It was bitterly cold but the crowd was huge, well over 10,000 if I remember. Every junkie in Yorkshire who needed his RL fix was there.

It was the magic chemical GL5 that got Naughton Park playable for a league game against Oldham I think. May be the only game of any type of football played in the UK that particular weekend. The only problem was by late March there wasn't a blade of grass to be seen. It resembled the Sahara Desert. Albert Blans Swinton ran us Chemics amok after Easter to win the title. I stood behind the posts but saw little of the action as the dusts storms did their bit. Happy days!

[Griff]

It was the magic chemical GL5 that got Naughton Park playable for a league game against Oldham I think. May be the only game of any type of football played in the UK that particular weekend. The only problem was by late March there wasn't a blade of grass to be seen. It resembled the Sahara Desert. Albert Blans Swinton ran us Chemics amok after Easter to win the title. I stood behind the posts but saw little of the action as the dusts storms did their bit. Happy days!

I don't think Widnes used chemicals regularly. From memory, just the one match.